Japan Air Gases invests in a third Electronic Material Center

The demand for Electronic Specialty Gases (ESG) is continuously increasing led by the growth of the semiconductor, flat panel manufacturers and solar cell industries. Japan Air Gases (JAG) has a leading position in Japan with two Electronic Material Centers (EMC), one in Tsukuba and one in Ina.

To support the further growth of this very dynamic Electronics Specialty Gases sector, JAG is investing around €15 million in an new Electronics Material Center (EMC) in the Harima Science Park in Ako, Hyogo, located north-west of Osaka, which will be dedicated to silane bundle transfilling as well as other high value molecules while also creating capacity for further expansion.

This third center in Japan - after Tsukuba and Ina - will reinforce the reliability of supply and increase logistical’ efficiencies. It will be operational by 2008 and will strengthen Air Liquide Electronics’ worldwide presence.

Christophe Fontaine, Vice-President Electronics, Air Liquide Group, commented: “This new JAG investment is in line with Air Liquide’s strategy to actively invest in fast-growing markets, such as the supply of gases and advanced materials to the electronics industry in Japan. It will enable us to strengthen our overall supply chain, particularly in the west of Japan but also to support our customers even more effectively in other parts of Japan as well as in Asia.”