28 June 2017
DETAILS
Over a one-year time period,
Air Liquide signed new supply contracts
covering a period of 10 to 15 years
with three major Chinese fiber optics manufacturers.
In the frame of these new contracts with
* Futong Group Communication Technology,
* Yangtze Optical Fibre, and
* Zhongtian Technology Fine Materials,
Air Liquide will supply a total exceeding
* 6,000 Nm3 per hour of hydrogen and
* 4,000 Nm3 per hour of nitrogen,
together with
bulk oxygen, helium, argon and carbon dioxide.
Air Liquide will thus support
the further development of China’s fiber optics industry.
Industrial gases are used to consolidate the center of the fiber,
which consists of a silica glass rod.
In practice,
the first step in manufacturing fiber optics
is to produce this glass rod, called “preform”.
Hydrogen, oxygen and helium are then used
to strengthen the preform before heating and drawing.
In the final step,
helium and argon are used to cool the drawn fiber efficiently.
Air Liquide signed a new 10-year contract
for the supply of hydrogen and nitrogen to
* Futong Group Communication Technology (FGCT)
in Jiashan City, Zhejiang Province.
FGCT is one of the world’s largest fiber optics cable manufacturers.
Two other agreements
in the same field of large-scale fiber optics production
were also signed with
* Yangtze Optical Fibre and
* Zhongtian Technology Fine Materials.
For a 10 to 15 year duration, Air Liquide will deliver
to each customer
nitrogen and hydrogen on-site generator solutions,
as well as
bulk oxygen, helium, argon and carbon dioxide.
With these new contracts, Air Liquide is reinforcing
its leadership with China’s top fiber optics companies,
who account for more than 30% of the Chinese production.
In China, demand for fiber optics
has experienced rapid growth in recent years, driven by
* 4G deployment and
* wideband “Fiber to the home” and
* “Fiber to the office” plans.
Francois Abrial,
Member of the Air Liquide group’s Executive Committee,
Supervising Asia Pacific
“We are proud to support our customers’ business development.
These new projects illustrate Air Liquide’s ability
to accompany the rise of fiber optics in China.
These gases supply contracts reinforce
the Group’s position in this growing market
and demonstrate its ability
to deliver competitive and reliable solutions.”
MEDIA RELATIONS
Caroline Brugier
+33 (0)1 40 62 50 59
Aurélie Wayser Langevin
+33 (0)1 40 62 56 19
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