UPPER MACUNGIE TWP., Pa.- Lehigh County based Air Products is growing its footprint in the Sunshine State.
The industrial gas company has announced plans to build, own and operate a new air separation unit (ASU) in the city of Cocoa in Florida.
An ASU is a facility that separates air into its main components: oxygen, nitrogen, and argon.
According to a news release, Air Products has about 70 ASUs across the U.S., including one in Orlando, Florida that produces medical and industrial gases.
The new ASU in Cocoa “will provide a clear opportunity to further enhance our support for space launch providers in Florida,” said Francesco Maione, Air Products’ President, Americas, Helium and Rare Gases, in the release.
Earlier this month, the Artemis II mission, which took four NASA astronauts around the moon, was powered by liquid hydrogen and liquid helium supplied by Air Products. The 10-day mission originated at Florida’s Kennedy Space Center.
The new plant is expected to be operational in the second half of 2028. The products it makes—liquid oxygen, liquid nitrogen and liquid argon—will also support industries that include metals processing and fabrication, medical and chemical, Air Products said.
Air Products’ global headquarters is in Upper Macungie Township. The company will release its first quarter fiscal 2026 earnings on Thursday, April 30.