LEHIGH VALLEY, Pa., July 7, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Air Products (NYSE: APD) and its subsidiary, Air Products Canada Ltd., today held a ribbon-cutting ceremony to formally dedicate its new world-scale hydrogen production facility in Ft. Saskatchewan, AB located twenty miles northeast of Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.  The Air Products facility produces over 150 million standard cubic feet per day (MMSCFD) of hydrogen and is connected to Air Products' existing hydrogen pipeline network, which supplies refiners, upgraders, chemical processors and other industries in the Alberta Industrial Heartland region.  Air Products employees were joined by customers, elected officials and community stakeholders to commemorate the ribbon-cutting ceremony at the facility.

"This plant and its connection to our pipeline network are key to meeting the growing hydrogen demands of our customers located in Alberta's Industrial Heartland, which is a very important region to Air Products from a business growth standpoint.  We are the leading global hydrogen provider, the number one provider of hydrogen in the region, and are excited to be expanding upon that position," said Marie Ffolkes, president – Industrial Gases, Americas at Air Products.

The new hydrogen facility features the latest technology advancements to maximize energy efficiency.  The plant configuration and deployed technologies support Air Products' overall sustainability goals of reducing energy consumption and emissions.

Refineries, upgraders and other customers in Alberta's Industrial Heartland have increasing demands for hydrogen in order to produce cleaner burning transportation fuels.  The new plant, as well as Air Products' two existing hydrogen production facilities located near Edmonton, are joined via a 30-mile pipeline network to provide a very reliable source of hydrogen for these industries. 

"We have customers in different parts of the world connected to our hydrogen pipeline systems, and they have noted the benefit of being connected to a large hydrogen pipeline network when it comes to enhanced supply reliability. We believe our model will continue to serve the Heartland customers well," said Ffolkes.  Ffolkes added that 95 percent of the Heartland pipeline followed the path of existing pipelines to minimize the need for environmental disturbances.

Pipelines offer a safe, robust and reliable supply of hydrogen to the refinery and petrochemical industry around the world. Globally, Air Products' pipeline operational expertise is evidenced by its network of systems. Besides the Heartland Hydrogen Pipeline system, Air Products also has a hydrogen pipeline in Sarnia, Ontario, Canada, and operates the world's largest hydrogen pipeline network in the United States Gulf Coast, as well as pipeline systems in California in the U.S. and Rotterdam, the Netherlands.

Hydrogen is widely used in petroleum refining processes to remove impurities found in crude oil, such as sulphur, olefins and aromatics, to meet product fuels specifications. Removing these components allows gasoline and diesel to burn cleaner and thus makes hydrogen a critical component in the production of cleaner fuels needed by modern, efficient internal combustion engines.

About Air Products 
Air Products (NYSE:APD) is a world-leading Industrial Gases company celebrating 75 years of operation. The company's core Industrial Gases business provides atmospheric and process gases and related equipment to manufacturing markets, including refining and petrochemical, metals, electronics, and food and beverage. Air Products is also the world's leading supplier of liquefied natural gas process technology and equipment. The company's Materials Technologies business serves the semiconductor, polyurethanes, cleaning and coatings, and adhesives industries.

The company had fiscal 2015 sales of $9.9 billion and was ranked number 288 on the Fortune 500 annual list of public companies. Approximately 19,000 employees in 50 countries strive to make Air Products the world's safest and best performing Industrial Gases company, providing sustainable offerings and excellent service to all customers. For more information, visit www.airproducts.com.

NOTE: This release may contain forward-looking statements within the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements are based on management's reasonable expectations and assumptions as of the date of this release regarding important risk factors. Actual performance and financial results may differ materially from projections and estimates expressed in the forward-looking statements because of many factors not anticipated by management, including risk factors described in the Company's Form 10K for its fiscal year ended September 30, 2015.

EDITOR'S NOTE:
A downloadable photo of Air Products' new hydrogen production facility in Ft. Saskatchewan, AB, is available in the company's online News Center.

To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/air-products-cuts-ribbon-on-new-world-scale-hydrogen-plant-in-fort-saskatchewan-canada-300295251.html

SOURCE Air Products

Media Inquiries: Art George, tel: (610) 481-1340; e-mail: georgeaf@airproducts.com; Investor Inquiries: Simon Moore, tel: (610) 481-7461; e-mail: mooresr@airproducts.com