R & D Capacity
Air Products pursues a market-oriented technology development through research and development, principally in its laboratories located in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Germany, the Netherlands, Spain, Japan, China, Korea, and Taiwan. The Company also funds and cooperates in research and development programs conducted by a number of major universities and undertakes research work funded by others, principally the United States government. The Company’s research groups are aligned with and support the research efforts of various businesses throughout the Company. Development of technology for use within the Industrial Gases business focuses primarily on new and improved processes and equipment for the production and delivery of industrial gases, as well as new or improved applications for industrial gas products.
The Company conducts development of industrial gas applications for atmospheric gases such as oxygen, nitrogen, and argon (primarily recovered by the cryogenic distillation of air) and process gases such as hydrogen, carbon monoxide, helium, syngas, and specialty gases, for a wide range of industrial customer segments in metals, glass, chemical processing, energy production and refining, food processing, metallurgical industries, medical, and general manufacturing.
Research and development expenditures were $132.0 million in 2016. The Company owns less than 4,000 foreign patents, including approximately 970 United States patents.