Air Liquide invests $160m in Arizona semiconductor gas plant

Air Liquide announced it will invest over $160 million in a new ultra-high purity gases plant in Arizona to supply the fab expansion of an advanced semiconductor node manufacturer. The plant is set to be operational in 2028 and will produce ultra-pure, low-carbon hydrogen with carbon capture technology among other gases needed for chip production. Air Liquide will operate the hydrogen production and carbon capture units on-site at the semiconductor manufacturer's fab. Carbon dioxide captured at the site will be liquefied and purified to support the customer's needs. Matthieu Giard, member of Air Liquide's Executive Committee supervising operations in the Americas, said that as semiconductor manufacturers increase their reshoring activities, Air Liquide hopes to support their growth ambitions. According to the Arizona Commerce Authority, since 2020, Arizona has won more than 60 semiconductor expansions representing over $210 billion in capital investment. Several major chip manufacturers including TSMC, Intel, Microchip Technology and Applied Materials have projects in the state. The growth in the sector comes amid the need for more advanced chips to support AI infrastructure and high-performance computing.