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Air Liquide Plans New Investments in Europe
12/24/2007 - Air Liquide plans to design and install three new air separation units to support a recently signed 15-year contract with ArcelorMittal.
Air Liquide recently signed a 15-year contract with ArcelorMittal for the renewed and extended supply of all the oxygen, nitrogen, argon, and compressed-gas needs of its Dunkirk and Mardyck sites (France, Nord-Pas de Calais).
To meet the increased demand from ArcelorMittal and the growing Dunkirk industrial basin, Air Liquide will install a new air separation unit (ASU) with a production capacity of 1100 tonnes of oxygen per day. The new unit, which will be integrated into the existing air separation units and pipeline network, will be put into use in the 4th quarter of 2009.
Air Liquide’s new oxygen production unit will enable ArcelorMittal to increase its steel production capacity to more than 7.5 million tonnes per year, and to improve the Dunkirk site’s energy efficiency and economy.
In 2009, Air Liquide will also put an additional air separation unit into operation on its existing site in Fos sur Mer (France, Bouches-du-Rhône) with oxygen, nitrogen, and argon production capacity of 1100 tonnes per day to support the region’s growing industrial demands in air gases and to modernize its production equipment.
The company will also put a new air gas production unit into operation at the end of 2009 on the Mons site (Belgium, Wallonia), replacing an existing unit. With a production capacity of 1100 tonnes of oxygen per day, the new unit will reduce electrical consumption by nearly 20% compared with the current consumption, thus contributing to Air Liquide’s sustainable development objectives.
“These new investments respond to the high demands of the clients, who include steelmakers, refiners and chemical companies,” said Guy Salzgeber, Vice President European Operations and member of Air Liquide Group’s Executive Committee. “They are part of the policy of Air Liquide, which will invest around 2 billion euros each year between 2007 and 2011, to accelerate its growth and to respect its commitments in terms of sustainable development.”
Air Liquide Group’s Engineering and Construction Department will design and manufacture all three new units, which represent a total investment of 130 million euros.
Air Liquide’s Large Industries business line proposes gas and energy solutions in main fields including refining and natural gas (where hydrogen is used to desulphurize fuels and to break up hydrocarbons, and oxygen is used to gasify oil residues); chemistry (with air, hydrogen and carbon monoxide used for manufacturing); metals (e.g. oxygen to improve energy performance and to reduce emissions, and argon to manufacture stainless steel); and energy (where oxygen is used to transform coal and natural gas into fuel or liquid chemical products).
With nearly 40,000 employees in 72 countries, Air Liquide is a world leader in industrial and medical gases and related services. The Group offers innovative solutions based on constantly enhanced technologies and produces air gases (oxygen, nitrogen, argon, rare gases, etc.) and many other gases including hydrogen.
Air Liquide is committed to sustainable development and helps to protect life. Founded in 1902, Air Liquide has successfully developed a long-term relationship with its shareholders built on trust and transparency and guided by the principles of corporate governance. Since the publication of its first consolidated financial statements in 1971, Air Liquide has posted strong and steady earnings growth. Sales in 2006 totaled 10,949 million euros, with sales outside France accounting for almost 80%.
