Air Products Signs Two Contracts with Nokia in China to Supply Nitrogen

APD has signed two contracts with Nokia to supply nitrogen to its Beijing and Dongguan plants in China for use in the company's electronics assembly and packaging process. Nokia has recently converted its printed circuit board assembly to a lead-free solder process, and nitrogen is needed in reflow soldering, a widely used method in surface mount technology (SMT) for packaging components on electronics printed circuit boards.

"It is an honor to be selected as Nokia's nitrogen supplier to their two plants in China. We have been working very closely with Nokia during its conversion process and supporting them in applying the technology to produce higher quality products with better environmental performance. These two contracts are significant for us. They demonstrate our technological capabilities to help customers in meeting their increasing requirements," said Saw Choon Seong, general manager of China Merchant Gases, Air Products.

"China is one of Nokia's biggest markets and an important technical, as well as manufacturing, base. When we were transforming to the lead-free solder process, we had high requirements from and expectations of our supplier. Air Products has shown its technological know-how and commitment during the whole process," said Xie Jiwei, Process Engineering Manager of Nokia Beijing, China.

APD serves customers in industrial, energy, technology and healthcare markets worldwide with a unique portfolio of atmospheric gases, process and specialty gases, performance materials, and equipment and services. Founded in 1940, Air Products has built leading positions in key growth markets such as semiconductor materials, refinery hydrogen, home healthcare services, natural gas liquefaction, and advanced coatings and adhesives. The company is recognized for its innovative culture, operational excellence and commitment to safety and the environment. Air Products has annual revenues of over $10 billion, operations in more than 40 countries, and 21,000 employees around the globe.