Air Products and Dow Corning in long-term silane supply agreement

LEHIGH VALLEY, USA: Air Products and Dow Corning -- a global leader in silicones, silicon-based technology and innovation -- entered into a long-term supply agreement for electronic-grade silane, a material used for manufacturing flat panel displays, semiconductors and photovoltaic cells.

The agreement provides Air Products with access to significant silane volume to meet the present and future needs of its global customers, as well as the future growth of the electronics and solar industry.

"This agreement further demonstrates Air Products' commitment to our silane customers around the world, as well as the global electronics industry," said Wayne Mitchell, VP of Electronics for Air Products. "With over 20 years of experience supplying silane around the world, Air Products is an industry safety leader, providing extensive training to customers in the handling and storage of silane. We believe that Air Products will provide the electronics market with a high quality, reliable and safe solution for their long-term silane requirements."

"Dow Corning and Air Products combine the strength of a silicon manufacturing leader with the expertise and infrastructure capabilities of a global gas distributor to the electronics industry," according to Jim Helwick, VP, Dow Corning Electronics Solutions. "Air Products, with its commitment to the long-term supply of ultra-high purity silane, is a great channel partner for Dow Corning," Jim added.

"With our silane capacity fully dedicated to the merchant market under a global distributor channel-to-market business model, Dow Corning is offering a cost competitive and reliable first or second source of silane," said Eric Peeters, Dow Corning VP, Solar Solutions. "The plant's consistent purity and our track record of quality in silicon-based products make silane from Dow Corning a switch customers can make with confidence."

Dow Corning has been producing electronic-grade silane since March 2011 in a newly constructed, state-of-the-art, fully vertically integrated plant in Thomas Township, Mich., adjacent to the polysilicon manufacturing plant of Hemlock Semiconductor Group, of which Dow Corning is majority shareholder.

Dow Corning's silane plant, recently ISO-9001:2000 certified with zero non-conformities and zero opportunities for improvement, has a world-leading capacity of 4,000 metric tons per year, producing silane at the same or even higher level of purity currently offered in the market.