PARIS, France, Apr 20, 2026 – Air Liquide will build, own, and operate two industrial gas production units in Hiroshima, Japan, with a total investment of 200 million euros. The facilities will support an expansion by a global semiconductor manufacturer by supplying gases used in advanced chip production, including applications tied to AI technology.
The facilities are scheduled to begin operations by the end of 2028. They will produce nitrogen, oxygen, and argon required for semiconductor fabrication. These gases are used to maintain process conditions and ensure cleanliness and reliability during chip manufacturing.
Air Liquide has supplied the Japanese semiconductor industry for more than 40 years and operates 78 facilities to electronics activities. These include an advanced materials center in Tsukuba and the Innovation Campus Tokyo, opened in 2019, which focuses on identifying materials used in semiconductor chips.
The Hiroshima project expands Air Liquide’s production capacity in Japan to meet the demand from semiconductor manufacturers. The additional output supports chip fabrication processes that rely on high-purity gases and contributes to semiconductor manufacturing capacity in the region.
Ronnie Chalmers, Air Liquide group vice president, in charge of supervising operations in Asia-Pacific, stated: “This new facility highlights Air Liquide’s ability to keep pace with our semiconductor customers’ rapid expansion and new investments to develop the next-generation chips which fuel technologies like AI. Japan has been a powerhouse in the semiconductor industry since the 1980s and remains a global technology leader today. Across the country, our experts deliver the high-tech solutions essential to meet the most rigorous standards of our customers in terms of quality, safety and reliability.”
Source: Air Liquide
About Air Liquide
Air Liquide supplies industrial and medical gases, equipment, and related services to customers in chemicals, energy, electronics, and healthcare. The company provides oxygen, nitrogen, hydrogen, and specialty gases to manufacturers, hospitals, electronics producers, and energy companies. Air Liquide was founded in 1902. The company is headquartered in Paris, Île-de-France, France. It serves more than 4 million customers and patients worldwide and employs about 66,500 people.