February 26, 2007 – Air Products has agreed to refurbish semiconductor equipment owned by or consigned to Babcock & Brown Electronics Management, an equipment leasing firm, out of Air Products’ Chandler, AZ facility. Repair and refurbishment will be performed prior to resale, adjusted to meet customers’ requirements for reliability and refurbishment “to the most recent configuration possible,” and in some cases involving the tool OEM.

Combining forces for refurbished tools will result in better availability of high-quality used and refurbished equipment that minimizes risk to customers, noted BBEM senior exec Mike Herman, in a statement. “The combined resources of Air Products and BBEM further strengthen the BBEM strategy of becoming a global supplier of semiconductor capital equipment and of maximizing cost efficiency and ROI at all stages of equipment life,” he said.

The venture is “a natural fit” for Air Products, which services more than 1000 tools worldwide with its legacy tool service business, and boasts experience in refurbishing, repairing, decommissioning, and relocating tools, added company VP Corning Painter.