Air Products, Lehigh Valley, Pa., held a dedication ceremony for a liquefied natural gas (LNG) heat exchanger manufacturing facility in Manatee County, Fla. The facility, adjacent to the Port of Manatee, provides ready access to port services and will facilitate global shipping of what is typically very large equipment. The company expects the facility to double manufacturing capacity and allow Air Products to manufacture the even larger LNG heat exchangers.

Air Products has manufactured LNG heat exchangers as large as 15.5 feet in diameter, 180 feet long, and weighing as much as 500 tons at its existing Wilkes-Barre facility for more than 45 years. In July 2012, the 100th coil-wound heat exchanger made at the location was shipped from the facility.

Air Products’ LNG process technology and equipment converts natural gas by liquefying it, making it possible to ship it economically. The LNG is re-gasified for energy use.