Air Liquide Japan completed two units of ASU which it had been constructing in the Kumamoto Gas Center, and held an opening ceremony on March 27. The amount of investment is not disclosed.

The two units of ASU named NO.5 and No.6 produce nitrogen and oxygen, which are supplied to the adjacent semiconductor-related companies around and also delivered to users in Kyushu after liquefying them in the Kumamoto Gas Center.

The output capacity of either unit is not disclosed, but the overall capacity of the center has turned out to be five times larger or more. The energy efficiency rose up by 20%, which is expected to reduce 1,100 t of CO2 emission per year.

The Semicon Technopark where Kumamoto Gas Center is located between Kikuyo-machi and Koushi City where companies related to semiconductor plants accumulate including Sony Kumamoto Plant and JASM Plant No.1.

Air Liquide Japan described its way to decide the expansion at this time in the way to respond to the booming demand in the thriving Semicon Technopark.
For information, in March 2022, the company announced to the two influential companies in the domestic electronics field its plan to construct a total of four production units investing 300 million euro (equivalent to about 49 billion yen). The two ASU units constructed this time is part of the plan.

The remaining two units are identified to be Unit No.16 and No. 17 constructed for Kioxia’s Yokkaichi Plant.