Air Liquide invests €200M in Korea to back SK hynix’s AI chip project
In order to supply SK hynix’s new packaging and testing fab “P&T7”, located in Cheongju, in the Chungcheongbuk province, Air Liquide will build and operate a state-of-the-art nitrogen production unit.
France’s Air Liquide has signed a long-term contract with SK hynix. The Group will bring its solutions to the South Korean company’s industrial project dedicated to advanced packaging of HBM. The investment of nearly EUR 200 million follows the acquisition of DIG Airgas earlier this year.
In order to supply SK hynix’s new packaging and testing fab “P&T7”, located in Cheongju, in the Chungcheongbuk province, Air Liquide will build and operate a state-of-the-art nitrogen production unit. Set to begin operations in late 2027, the facility will supply high-purity gases and high-purity compressed air to the fab in charge of the advanced packaging of HBM chips, a key component of AI development, Air Liquide said in a press release.
By combining Air Liquide’s proprietary technologies for ultra-high purity carrier gases with DIG Airgas’s local footprint and customer relationships, Air Liquide will expand its footprint in the region, it said.
“Thanks to the integration of DIG Airgas, which brought us a secured portfolio of nearly 20 projects, our teams now combine local agility and global innovation to accelerate Air Liquide’s growth,” Ronnie Chalmers, Air Liquide Group Vice President, in charge of supervising Asia-Pacific, said. “We are proud to support the ambitions of our partner SK hynix as they play a leading role in the AI revolution.”