Air Liquide Electronics in partnership with the first fab in India

The semiconductor industry is starting in India. While India already has a high profile for software and chip design, the manufacturing of integrated circuits is expected to start and accelerate rapidly, with a huge potential for growth. Last February, the government officially announced the semiconductor policy, with special incentive packages to attract investors.

Today, HSMC (Hindustan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co.), an Indian company recently created, officially announced a massive investment in the first 200 mm fab in India. The ceremony took place today in Delhi in the presence of the Minister of Communication and IT, and of the CEO of Infineon, the company selected as technology partner.

Air Liquide and HSMC officially signed today an agreement for the supply of all gases, gas and chemical distribution systems and related services in the high tech park where the investment will take place.

Christophe Fontaine, Vice-President Electronics, Air Liquide Group, declared: “We are very honored and proud to have been selected by HSMC as a key partner for all ultra-pure gases and related solutions. We are at the beginning of a new adventure in India. I am very confident in the success of this project, and of the bright future of the semiconductor industry in India. This success gives Air Liquide India a key position in this booming sector and is a further step in the growth of Air Liquide in emerging countries.”

Dr Verma, Chairman of HSMC, commented: “I am excited to start this project with Air Liquide, a leading gas supplier to the electronics industry worldwide. This partnership is the result of many months of work and mutual trust between our two companies.”

HSMC (Hindustan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co.) is an eminent group of NRIs (Non Resident Indians) from Silicon Valley who have nurtured flourishing high tech companies in the US for networking, optical communications, wireless products and semiconductors. In India, the HSMC focus will be on systems on chips for products like mobile phones, IT cards, and automotive chipsets.

With 3,000 employees, Air Liquide Electronics recorded sales of 864 million euros in 2006. Air Liquide supplies ultra-pure gases, specialty gases, new molecules, related equipment and customized services. To enhance its proximity to the booming semiconductor market in Asia, the Electronics division management is based in Tokyo.

Since 1992, Air Liquide has two activities operating in India: The Engineering and Construction division to design and install Air Separation Units (ASUs), and the Gas division with units supplying oxygen, nitrogen, argon and hydrogen mainly dedicated to steel, automobile, pharmaceutical, petrochemical, glass and other industrial markets. Located in New Delhi, Hyderabad and Vadodara, Air Liquide India employs nearly 350 people with sales in 2006 of around 30 million euros.