Hydrochlor on Target for 2Q 2012 Start-Up

HCl JV with Linde to Begin Production in June 2012

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Sep 28, 2011, 08:00 ET

LEHIGH VALLEY, Pa., Sept. 28, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Air Products (NYSE: APD) and Linde Gas North America today announced that they are on track for a second quarter 2012 start-up of the high-purity anhydrous hydrogen chloride (HCl) processing and packaging facility the companies are building together in Freeport, Texas, as part of their Hydrochlor manufacturing joint venture.

The companies report that major milestones for the project are proceeding according to schedule, including detailed design, permitting and procurement of long lead time items. The companies estimate the operation will start up in late-April 2012, with product available in commercial quantities beginning in June. In the meantime, the parties continue to provide material produced by The Dow Chemical Company from their respective fill facilities to service customer needs.

Hydrochlor, a 50-50 joint venture, will sell HCl exclusively to Air Products and Linde Gas North America, who each will continue to market HCl independently.

"We are pleased to be progressing as planned toward commencement of supply from the new Hydrochlor facility," said Wayne Mitchell, vice president and general manager of Electronics for Air Products. "Customers in a variety of industries rely on domestic supply of this critical material, and our investment and participation in Hydrochlor will provide the much anticipated long-term solution."

"The design of this facility incorporates the experience and engineering strengths of both Linde and Air Products. It will be a true world-class, world-scale production facility," added Cliff Caldwell, vice president and general manager of Linde Electronics. "It incorporates our combined experiences of many years handling anhydrous HCl to assure safe, reliable, consistently high-purity product to our customers."

HCl is a key raw material used by semiconductor manufacturers for cleaning reactors used in the epitaxial process and also is used for chamber cleaning. A majority of North American merchant HCl is supplied to the pharmaceutical and agricultural industries. HCl also is used as a chemical intermediate in the manufacture of inorganic chlorides.

About Air Products

Air Products (NYSE: APD) serves customers in industrial, energy, technology and healthcare markets worldwide with a unique portfolio of atmospheric gases, process and specialty gases, performance materials, and equipment and services. Founded in 1940, Air Products has built leading positions in key growth markets such as semiconductor materials, refinery hydrogen, home healthcare services, natural gas liquefaction, and advanced coatings and adhesives. The company is recognized for its innovative culture, operational excellence and commitment to safety and the environment. In fiscal 2010, Air Products had revenues of $9 billion, operations in over 40 countries, and 18,300 employees around the globe. For more information, visit www.airproducts.com.

About Linde

The Linde Group is a world leading gases and engineering company with almost 48,000 employees working in more than 100 countries worldwide. In the 2009 financial year it achieved sales of EUR 11.2 billion (USD 15.3 billion). The strategy of The Linde Group is geared towards sustainable earnings-based growth and focuses on the expansion of its international business with forward-looking products and services.

Linde acts responsibly towards its shareholders, business partners, employees, society and the environment – in every one of its business areas, regions and locations across the globe. Linde is committed to technologies and products that unite the goals of customer value and sustainable development.

For more information, visit Linde North America online at http://www.lindeus.com

***NOTE: This release may contain forward-looking statements within the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements are based on management's reasonable expectations and assumptions as of the date of this release regarding important risk factors. Actual performance and financial results may differ materially from projections and estimates expressed in the forward-looking statements because of many factors not anticipated by management, including risk factors described in the Company's Form 10K for its fiscal year ended September 30, 2010.

SOURCE Air Products