LEHIGH VALLEY, Pa.,
Feb. 19, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Air
Products (NYSE: APD) and Suzuki Shokan Co., Ltd. today jointly
announced the signing of an "Alliance Agreement" for the two
companies to work together on the design, construction and
operation of hydrogen fueling stations for use in fueling the
material handling vehicle market in Japan. Air Products and
Suzuki Shokan, an industrial gas company based in Tokyo, Japan, will take Air Products' proven
hydrogen fueling technology and work jointly to make any needed
infrastructure modifications in order to meet Japanese laws and
regulations. As part of the Alliance, the companies also
agreed to a standard Equipment, Engineering and License for Suzuki
Shokan's purchase and use of key equipment to be supplied by Air
Products for the implementation of Air Products'
SmartFuel® hydrogen fueling station technology.
"We have a great deal of experience supporting the material
handling market with hydrogen fueling technology and related
infrastructure. This Alliance with Suzuki Shokan is a
tremendous opportunity to work with a recognized leader in the
Japanese industrial gas market to serve the material handling
industry in that region of the world. Japan's keen interest in hydrogen fueling for
the automotive market provides a natural extension to hydrogen
fueling for material handling. Working with Suzuki Shokan, we
can meet the needs of this market," said Ed
Kiczek, global business director – Hydrogen Energy Systems
at Air Products. Kiczek added that the Alliance is already in
discussion with multiple high-profile customers for the first
deployment.
"We believe that the execution of this agreement is a
significant step towards the upcoming hydrogen society. Suzuki
Shokan possesses hydrogen handling technology and know-how through
a long history of supplying the hydrogen business. Such technology
and know-how includes engineering, equipment and parts design,
construction of piping and knowledge about laws and safety
regulations. It is our understanding that fully utilizing such
technology, know-how, nationwide sales and marketing resources
acquired in our long history, in conjunction with Air Products'
most advanced technology, will make fuel cell powered forklifts
steadily accepted by the Japanese market," said Yoji Koguchi, managing director in charge of
Toyota Factory.
Koguchi added that the driving power for the material handling
vehicle (forklift) market in Japan
is being shifted from internal combustion engines to batteries
which are considered environmentally cleaner. Development and
practical use of fuel cells in material handling applications have
already started in the country.
A leader in providing hydrogen fueling and the related
infrastructure to the material handling market, Air Products'
SmartFuel® technology is safely fueling over 2,500
pieces of material handling equipment on a daily basis in the U.S.
Air Products is currently supplying over 20 material handling sites
in the U.S. and is dispensing hydrogen indoors at nearly 70
dispensers, with some of these units dispensing hydrogen over 100
times per day. Air Products has been fueling material
handling units at industrial manufacturers, food distribution
warehouses and automotive manufacturing plants since 2007.
Details on Air Products' material handling fueling can be found at:
www.airproducts.com/h2forklift.
There are many advantages to using hydrogen-powered forklifts
and material handling equipment. Hydrogen-powered equipment can be
quickly refueled in just minutes, only needs refueling once or
twice daily depending on use, and does not require change-out
downtime, while traditional battery-powered equipment is taken out
of operation for battery replacement or recharging approximately
every four to six hours. Hydrogen-powered equipment provides
consistent power during use and does not experience decreased
performance or wear down as battery units do when nearing
change-out or recharge time. Additionally, unlike battery-powered
forklifts, hydrogen-powered fuel cells are not adversely impacted
by temperature when operating in coolers and freezers. Further,
hydrogen-powered equipment is more environmentally friendly and
does not involve lead-acid battery storage or disposal issues.
Air Products has operated in Japan since 1970. The agreement with Suzuki
Shokan also marks Air Products' second with a Japanese company
pertaining to hydrogen fueling. Air Products and NIPPON STEEL
& SUMIKIN Pipeline & Engineering Co. Ltd. in 2014 announced
an agreement signifying the intent of the two companies to work
together on Japan's developing
hydrogen fueling infrastructure market for automotive
customers.
Air Products, the leading global supplier of hydrogen to
refineries to assist in producing cleaner burning transportation
fuels, has vast experience in the hydrogen fueling industry. In
fact, several sites today for certain hydrogen fueling applications
are fueling at rates of over 75,000 refills per year. Use of the
company's fueling technology is increasing and is over 1,000,000
hydrogen fills per year. The company has been involved in over 180
hydrogen fueling projects worldwide. Cars, trucks, vans, buses,
scooters, forklifts, locomotives, planes, cell towers, material
handling equipment, and even submarines have been fueled with
trend-setting Air Products technologies. Details on Air Products'
hydrogen fueling station technologies can be viewed at
www.airproducts.com/h2energy.
Air Products has more than 60 years of hydrogen experience and
an extensive patent portfolio in hydrogen dispensing technology.
Air Products provides liquid and gaseous hydrogen and a variety of
enabling devices and protocols for fuel dispensing at varied
pressures. Hydrogen for these stations can be delivered to a site
via truck or pipeline, produced by natural gas reformation, biomass
conversion, or by electrolysis, including electrolysis driven by
renewable energy sources such as solar and wind.
About Air Products
Air Products (NYSE: APD) is a leading industrial gases company. For
nearly 75 years, the company has provided atmospheric, process and
specialty gases, and related equipment to manufacturing markets
including metals, food and beverage, refining and petrochemical,
and natural gas liquefaction. Air Products' materials technologies
segment serves the semiconductor, polyurethanes, cleaning and
coatings, and adhesives industries. Over 20,000 employees in 50
countries are working to make Air Products the world's safest and
best performing industrial gases company, providing sustainable
offerings and excellent service to all customers. In fiscal 2014,
Air Products had sales of $10.4
billion and was ranked number 276 on the Fortune 500 annual
list of public companies. For more information, visit
www.airproducts.com.
About Suzuki Shokan
Suzuki Shokan, the first high
pressure gas company in Japan
founded in 1905, is about to celebrate its 110th
anniversary on March 15, 2015.
The company has been supplying high pressure gases to various
industries, hospitals, R & D laboratories and Universities. Its
business also includes such neighboring areas as chemicals,
machinery and equipment, air conditioning related materials, as
well as cryogenic and superconducting equipment.
In the FCV (fuel cell vehicle) industry, the company provides
parts and equipment for a variety of pressures ranging from very
low up to 100 Mpa. The company also provides services that test
various parts in the actual hydrogen environment in order to prove
safety and durability upon customer's request. For the more
information, visit www.suzukishokan.co.jp.
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,
2014.
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SOURCE Air Products