(Archived) SCIPIG to Supply Hydrogen and Carbon Monoxide to Bayer Polyurethane Facility in Shanghai

SHANGHAI, People’s Republic of China, December 17, 2009 — Shanghai Chemical Industry Park Industrial Gases Company (SCIPIG), a 50-50 joint venture between Praxair Inc. and Air Liquide, two leading global suppliers of industrial gases, was recently awarded a 15-year industrial gases pipeline supply contract from Bayer Polyurethanes (Shanghai) Co., Ltd. (BPUS).

A contract-signing ceremony for the hydrogen and carbon monoxide (HYCO) supply agreement was held in Shanghai on Thursday, December 17, 2009.

Under the contract, SCIPIG will further develop its existing industrial gas network and build a new HYCO plant, including a steam methane reforming unit and a carbon monoxide unit. The plant will have a total capacity of about 130,000 tons per year and is expected to start-up at the beginning of 2012. SCIPIG will deliver HYCO gases to the Bayer Integrated Site Shanghai.

Prior to this contract, SCIPIG was supplying oxygen and nitrogen from its air separation facility to meet the requirements of various users at the Bayer Integrated Site Shanghai.

About SCIPIG
SCIPIG, founded in December 2001, has a production capacity of over 200,000 cubic meters per hour of various industrial gases, and ranks as one of the largest industrial gas production bases in China and Asia. SCIPIG been awarded major contracts by SECCO, Sinopec Shanghai Gaoqiao Co., BASF Chemicals Co., Ltd. (BACH), Huntsman Polyurethane Shanghai Ltd. (HPS), Shanghai Chlor-Alkali Chemical Co., Ltd.(SCAC), Shanghai Lianheng Isocyanate Co., Ltd. (SLIC), Shanghai BASF Polyurethane Co., Ltd. (SBPC), Shanghai Sinopec Mitsui Chemicals, Co. Ltd (SSMC), Evonik Degussa Specialty Chemicals (Shanghai) Co., Ltd, 3M Special Material Co, Ltd and Vopak Shanghai Logistics Co., Ltd.  Today SCIPIG provides a complete range of products including nitrogen, oxygen, compressed air, carbon monoxide, hydrogen and steam to its customers.   

About Bayer Material Science
With 2008 sales of EUR 9.7 billion, Bayer MaterialScience is among the world’s largest polymer companies.  Business activities are focused on the manufacture of high-tech polymer materials and the development of innovative solutions for products used in many areas of daily life. The main segments served are the automotive, electrical and electronics, construction and sports and leisure industries. Bayer MaterialScience has 30 production sites around the globe and employed approximately 15,100 people at the end of 2008. Bayer MaterialScience is a Bayer Group company. Find more information at www.bayermaterialscience.com.

About Air Liquide
Air Liquide is the world leader in gases for industry, health and the environment, and is present in over 75 countries with 43,000 employees. Oxygen, nitrogen, hydrogen and rare gases have been at the core of Air Liquide’s activities since its creation in 1902. Using these molecules, Air Liquide continuously reinvents its business, anticipating the needs of current and future markets. The Group innovates to enable progress, to achieve dynamic growth and a consistent performance.

Air Liquide explores the best that air can offer to preserve life, staying true to its sustainable development approach. In 2008, the Group’s revenues amounted to €13.1 billion, of which almost 80% were earned outside France. Air Liquide is listed on the Paris Euronext stock exchange (compartment A) and is a member of the CAC 40 and Dow Jones Euro Stoxx 50 indexes. For more information, please visit Air Liquide at www.airliquide.com or Air Liquide China at www.airliquide.com.cn.

About Praxair
With 2008 sales of $10.8 billion, Praxair Inc. (NYSE:PX) is the largest industrial gases company in North and South America, and one of the largest worldwide, with 27,000 employees and operations in more than 30 countries. Praxair products, services and technologies bring productivity and environmental benefits to about one million customers in a wide variety of industries, including aerospace, chemicals, food and beverage, electronics, energy, healthcare, manufacturing, metals and others. More information is available on the Internet at www.praxair.com or at www.praxair.com.cn.