AUG. 22-DANBURY, CT–Despite the current downturn in the semiconductor industry, Praxair Inc. has made a leap of faith by forming a new business unit dedicated to serving the industry.

Praxair Electronics will target four key areas of support for semiconductor fabricators: process consumables and services, facilities infrastructure and utilities services, chamber components, and spare parts logistics services. Praxair Electronics combines groups that had previously operated as two separate units: Praxair’s semiconductor materials and surface technologies businesses.

“This is one of Praxair’s key growth markets, and our customers are operating in a fiercely competitive, fast-moving industry,” says Thomas W. von Krannichfeldt, executive vice president of Praxair’s advanced semiconductor components.

A company spokesperson says the new business “is an effort to bring all our various businesses that are working with the semiconductor industry…together into one organization.”

“We’ve had a number of acquisitions in recent years, and some of those pieces were scattered into different parts of the organization, and this gives us a central, single face to present to the semiconductor industry,” the spokesperson says.

The acquisitions include MRC, acquired in November 1999; ICSF Technology in February 2001; and Dorsey Gage in March 2001.

However, location will not be consolidated, “not at this point,” the spokesperson says.