French industrial gases giant Air Liquide broke ground on a new air separation unit in Huizhou, south China's Guangdong Province, on Tuesday, a project that will add 800 tonnes per day of liquid oxygen, nitrogen and argon supply to the Pearl River Delta market.

The facility, expected to start operations in 2027, will be built in the Huizhou New Material Industrial Park, which focuses on advanced synthetic materials, high-end chemicals and frontier new materials.

Air Liquide said the unit will use its latest technology to produce high-purity liquids for customers in the semiconductor and advanced manufacturing sectors, while also serving petrochemical and medical industries.

Rui Coelho, CEO of Air Liquide China, said the investment reflects the company's commitment to the local market and its strategy of supporting China's transition toward high-quality and low-carbon development.

Air Liquide will continue to provide safe, reliable and efficient solutions to help its customers grow their businesses sustainably, while contributing to the long-term development of the industrial ecosystem in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, Coelho said.

The company has continued expansion in the area since the early 1990s. It now operates companies in Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Maoming, Qingyuan, Foshan and Dongguan, serving more than 2,800 customers.

The Huizhou plant will further expand and optimize the group's local gas supply capacity, operational reliability and efficiency, the company said.