First MEGCs to be delivered to Hiringa Sundown JV
UMOE Advanced Composites (UAC), a global supplier of large Type IV glass fibre pressure storage and transportation modules, has reached a milestone with the first composite cylinders being produced at its new manufacturing facility in Jiaxing
The Jiaxing facility will support the production of Multi-Element Gas Containers (MEGCs), including units delivered to Hiringa Sundown Joint Venture, for the Good Earth Green Hydrogen and Ammonia (GEGHA) Project, an integrated solar-powered hydrogen and ammonia project under construction in New South Wales, Australia, and developed to supply green ammonia and hydrogen for industrial and transport use.
The project forms part of Hiringa’s hydrogen infrastructure development across Australia and New Zealand. The delivery comprises five MEGCs, two 20-foot and three 40-foot units, providing flexible, scalable storage capacity to support hydrogen transport and distribution in the project’s logistics infrastructure.
The new facility is a significant step toward UAC’s global growth strategy and will play an essential role in supporting the expansion of hydrogen and clean gas logistics across Asia and international markets, and has the potential annual capacity of up to 20,000 composite cylinders. The company is also pursuing a special permit to enable domestic market distribution, supporting future deliveries within China.
Lars Erik Lunøe, CEO of UAC, said, “Seeing our first cylinders roll off the production line in China is a huge milestone for UAC. This facility will, from the start, triple our global production capacity and create the foundation for future growth with potential for up to 24,000 cylinders per year across our operations in China and Norway. The Jiaxing facility enables us to deliver significantly higher capacity at a competitive cost level, strengthening our ability to serve customers globally as demand for hydrogen and other compressed gases accelerates.”
Alistair Tippett, head of projects and engineering at Hiringa Energy, said, “UAC has already supplied Type IV Multi-Element Gas Containers from Norway for Hiringa Energy’s first four hydrogen refuelling stations operating in New Zealand. That proven performance in our operating hydrogen refuelling network gives us confidence to source additional storage from UAC’s new state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in China for the Hiringa Sundown Joint Venture project in Australia. Access to the same high-quality, cost-competitive gas storage, produced closer to our markets, strengthens our ability to scale hydrogen infrastructure.”
The combination of glass fibre composite technology and manufacturing in China reinforces the commercial viability of hydrogen projects by lowering storage and transport costs, supporting faster scaling of zero-emission mobility, shipping, and industrial applications.
Located in the Yangtze River Delta, the plant sits within one of China’s most dynamic industrial and hydrogen development clusters. The region’s hydrogen ecosystem is growing rapidly, with around 30 hydrogen refuelling stations along 650km of major logistics routes serving heavy vehicles, ports, and logistics fleets.
While the first MEGCs produced at the Jiaxing facility will be used for hydrogen storage, the same systems can be used for compressed natural gas (CNG) applications. With production underway, UAC is reinforcing its ability to support the expansion of hydrogen and clean gas logistics across Asia-Pacific and global markets. Local manufacturing also strengthens the commercial case for glass fibre cylinders in regions such as Asia, the Middle East, and South America as the hydrogen economy scales, energy systems evolve, and demand for cost-effective storage and transportation infrastructure increases.
