| - PROCESS GAS SOLUTIONS |
| - INDUSTRIAL AND SPECIAL PRODUCTS |
| - BOC EDWARDS |
| - AFROX HOSPITALS |
| - GIST |
| BOC Edwards | 2004 £ million |
Change on previous year |
Change on previous year1 |
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| Turnover | 816.5 | +19% | +27% |
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| Operating profit | 46.8 | +492% | +588% |
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| Adjusted operating profit2 | 47.8 | +158% | +181% |
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| 1. At constant currency. 2. Adjusted operating profit excludes exceptional items. |
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BOC Edwards
The improvement in BOC Edwards' most important market, the semiconductor industry, led to order intake growth from the start of the year. This fed through into higher sales from the second quarter onwards. Sales of chemical management equipment for new 300mm semiconductor fabs and for fab expansions increased, helped by the introduction of the LiquiSys flow control product line. Kachina saw higher sales of its value-added services that reduce its customers' cost of ownership. Our nitrogen trifluoride plant in South Africa increased both production and sales.
Together with Gist, BOC Edwards won a major gas and chemical supply chain services contract from a leading semiconductor manufacturer, which is a major shift in the industry's approach to supply chain management.
The liquid crystal display (LCD) industry, producing flat panel display products for a variety of uses, sustained its recent growth. This generated increased sales of vacuum products throughout Asia as well as higher gases sales to plants in Taiwan backed by multiple new gases contracts. On-site fluorine generators have been installed with a number of LCD and semiconductor manufacturers, the most comprehensive installation being at LG Philips' sixth generation flat panel manufacturing facility in Korea.
The Japanese market was buoyant. BOC Edwards sells vacuum and other semiconductor equipment directly into this market while gases sales are made through our Japan Air Gases joint venture with Air Liquide. We strengthened our position in China with leading semiconductor and LCD manufacturers, including winning the vacuum and exhaust business for the first 300mm wafer fab to be built in China. There was a similar market improvement in Taiwan for equipment and materials. At the Hsinchu science park we invested in three new plants, expanding our gas supply and pipeline network to serve new 300mm foundry and LCD customers. Equipment sales in Korea developed well.
Our pharmaceutical systems business had a good year. It saw increased demand for its large, complex freeze drying and loading systems. Some general vacuum markets improved, notably scientific instruments, but others in industrial sectors such as aerospace metallurgy remained depressed.
New vacuum product development included a range of pumps for the forthcoming generation-7 LCD plants; pumps for semiconductor applications that are smaller, use less power and have better monitoring, sensing and control capability; and new turbo and scroll pumps for the general vacuum market. New slurry delivery and copper abatement systems, a new wet scrubber and additional exhaust products were added to the range.
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