Air Products to Build Third Air Separation Plant for Guofeng Steel
08/23/2007 - Air Products will build a third air separation plant to supply industrial gases for Tangshan Guofeng Steel’s facilities in the Hebei Province.
Air Products has been awarded a new contract by Tangshan Guofeng Steel Co Ltd (formerly known as Xinfeng Steel Group) to supply industrial gases. This is the third Air Products long-term contract signed with Guofeng Steel since 2003 to supply gaseous oxygen, nitrogen and liquid argon to its steel mills in Hebei Province, Northern China.
As part of the newest contract, Air Products will build a new air separation unit (ASU) — the third such unit that Air Products has built in Tangshan for Guofeng Steel. The new unit is scheduled to come on-stream in late 2008.
Air Products brought the first ASU on-stream for Goufeng Steel in mid-2005, and the second is expected to be operational by end of 2007.
“Air Products' safety and technical standards, as well as its commitment to customers deeply impress us,” said Zhang Zhen, General Manager of Guofeng Steel. “We are delighted to sign the new contract with Air Products to support our business expansion”.
“Guofeng Steel has been an Air Products strategic customer since 1999. We are honored to have been selected as its partner once again to support its next phase of expansion. It underscores the satisfaction of a long-standing customer in Air Products," said Wilbur Mok, president of Air Products Asia.
Tangshan, a major industrial city in Hebei Province, is one of the leading steel production centers in Northern China, and Guofeng Steel has nine production facilities that manufacture 7 million tonnes per year of iron and steel. Steel production in China is growing at about 16 to 18% per annum, with annual production exceeding 420 million tonnes.
The new ASU will be designed and built primarily by Air Products engineering and manufacturing centers in China.
Air Products 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 a wide range of key growth markets. The company has annual revenues of US$9 billion, operations in over 40 countries, and over 20,000 employees around the globe. The company is listed in the Dow Jones Sustainability and FTSE4Good Indices.
