Linde Gas North America and Air Products have formed Hydrochlor, a 50-50 joint venture to supply high-purity anhydrous hydrochloric acid (HCl) to the electronics and other industries. Hydrochlor will build a facility on Dow’s Freeport, Texas, site to process and package HCl supplied via pipeline from The Dow Chemical Company. The new production and filling plant is being developed to alleviate concerns regarding the continuity of supply for high purity HCI. It is scheduled to be commissioned in the second quarter of 2012 and is designed to allow for expansion to serve growth in market demand. Hydrochlor will sell HCl to the joint venture partners exclusively, and they in turn will continue to market HCl independently.