Investment Fits With Air Products' Strategy To
              Enhance Its Asian Electronics Leadership Position

LEHIGH VALLEY, Pa., Nov. 5 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Air Products (NYSE: APD) announced today that it has brought on-stream the world's largest ultra high purity bulk gas production facility, pipeline bulk gas distribution network and a related state-of-the-art electronics specialty materials production center to serve electronics customers in the Tainan Science Based Industrial Park which is located in southern Taiwan. The total investment by Air Products is in excess of $50 million.

The plant is capable of producing 50,000 normal cubic meters per hour of ultra high purity gaseous nitrogen and 400 metric tons per day of ultra high purity liquid nitrogen and ultra high purity liquid oxygen.

The accompanying ultra high purity pipeline network runs throughout the Science Park. Several leading semiconductor foundry customers, including Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company and United Microelectronics Corporation, have built world-class semiconductor fabrication facilities in and around the park and have committed their bulk gas business to Air Products. Air Products serves its customers in Taiwan through San Fu Gas Co., Ltd., a joint venture in which Air Products increased its ownership to a controlling 70% interest this past July.

Air Products' electronics specialty materials production center is capable of purifying and transfilling products such as nitrogen trifluoride, nitrous oxide and hexafluoroethane. Serving the Tainan Science Based Industrial Park, this center is capable of supplying customers throughout the country including the Hsinchu Science Based Industrial Park in the north of Taiwan. Due in part to these major plant investments, Air Products has already been awarded the majority of electronics specialty materials business in the Tainan Science Based Industrial Park.

"These facilities spearhead our growth in serving the Asian electronics manufacturing industry," said Gerald G. Ermentrout, vice president and general manager of Air Products' Electronics Division. "Today, about two-thirds of all Air Products/San Fu sales in Taiwan are to the electronics market. Taiwan has one of the most vibrant and advanced electronics industries in the world, and our ability to successfully serve and grow with our customers has allowed Air Products to become the leading industrial gas company in Taiwan."

Taiwan has the largest percentage of operational 300mm integrated circuit fabs in the world. In addition to being a major market for integrated circuit and thin film transistor liquid crystal displays, Taiwan produced almost 40% of the world's flat panel displays in 2002 and is expected to approach 45% in the next three years.

About San Fu Gas Co., Ltd.

In July 2002, Air Products increased its ownership to 70% in San Fu. Today, San Fu is a full service industrial gas and chemical company with a broad product portfolio supplying specialty gases, electronic piping and equipment, liquid/bulk gases, and pipeline/on-site gases and chemicals to the Taiwan marketplace. With 2002 sales revenue in excess of $200 million, the majority of the company's customer base is in electronics, chemical process industries, metals and merchant markets.

About Air Products

Air Products serves customers in technology, energy, healthcare and industrial markets worldwide with a unique portfolio of products, services and solutions, providing atmospheric gases, process and specialty gases, performance materials and chemical intermediates. The company is the largest global supplier of electronic materials, hydrogen, helium and select performance chemicals. Founded in 1940, Air Products is recognized for its innovative culture, operational excellence and commitment to safety and the environment. With annual revenues of $5.4 billion and operations in 30 countries, the company's 17,500 employees build lasting relationships with their customers and communities based on understanding, integrity and passion. For more information, visit www.airproducts.com.

***NOTE: This release may contain forward-looking statements. Actual results could vary materially, due to changes in current expectations.

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SOURCE Air Products and Chemicals, Inc.

-0- 11/05/2002

/CONTACT: Media Inquiries: Kassie Hilgert, +1-610-481-1188 or hilgerk@apci.com, or Investor Inquiries: Alexander W. Masetti, +1-610-481-7461 or masettaw@apci.com, both of Air Products and Chemicals/