Air Liquide Supplies TFT-LCD Makers with Gases      

Air Liquide and BOE have signed a long-term supply agreement for BOE's new 4.5-generation TFT-LCD fab in Chengdu high-tech industrial park, Sichuan province. Air Liquide released on June 11th.
    Under the terms of the agreement, Air Liquide will supply its global offer covering carrier gases (nitrogen, oxygen, hydrogen and argon), specialty gases, Total Gas Management and all equipment and installations related to gas supply.
   Tianma Microelectronics awarded Air Liquide the supply of all the carrier gases to its new 4.5-generation TFT-LCD project in Chengdu.
   Following the signature of these two new contracts, Air Liquide will invest Euro 25 million in an Air Separation Unit (ASU) and other equipments to supply BOE, Tianma and the dynamic market of the Chengdu region.
   China is becoming an important geography for the thin film transistor - liquid crystal display (TFT-LCD) industry. Driven by growing demand, TFT-LCD's manufacturing capacity in China has been experiencing a continued growth ranging between 20 to 30% per year. This trend is expected to continue during the coming years as result of coming upgrade cycles in display devices.