Linde Starts Up New Plant in China to Supply Shanghai Huali Microelectronics

Guildford, UK, January 23, 2020 - Linde (NYSE:LIN; FWB:LIN) today announced it has started up a new air separation plant to supply nitrogen, high purity oxygen and argon to the 12-inch wafer product line of Shanghai Huali Microelectronics Corporation (HLMC) in Shanghai. In addition, Linde will supply hydrogen and helium to HLMC.

The new plant includes on-site nitrogen generators and a compressed dry air (CDA) system. The compact and energy efficient nitrogen generator has been specially designed by Linde to meet the increasing demands of electronics and semiconductor customers for higher purity industrial gas products.

"Recently, China's electronics industry has significantly advanced in technology, innovation and production capabilities, and the reliable supply of high-quality gases is crucial to the success of our customers," said Will Li, Head of Linde Greater China. "At the same time, our customers are keen to ensure that their operations are as sustainable and energy efficient as possible and are seeking solutions which help them address this challenge. We are proud to be a trusted partner for leading semiconductor companies like HLMC and we look forward to expanding our relationship in the future as we continue to build our network density in China."

"The start-up of the plant marks yet another milestone in our successful collaboration with Linde which spans many years. Linde's reliable supply, safe operations and technological innovation gives us full confidence," said Mr. Lei Haibo, President of HLMC. "We look forward to strengthening our relationship with Linde in the future phases of our project."

HLMC, a subsidiary of the Huahong Group, is the leading semiconductor manufacturer in China which supports 28 to 14 nm nodes processing technology. It provides the technology used in mobile communications, consumer electronics, smart cards, Internet of Things, wearable electronics, automobiles and many other products.

About Linde
Linde is a leading industrial gases and engineering company with 2018 pro forma sales of USD 28 billion (EUR 24 billion). The company employs approximately 80,000 people globally and serves customers in more than 100 countries worldwide. Linde delivers innovative and sustainable solutions to its customers and creates long-term value for all stakeholders. The company is making our world more productive by providing products, technologies and services that help customers improve their economic and environmental performance in a connected world.

For more information about the company, please visit