Air Liquide increases presence in eastern Europe

05 March 2008 10:24  [Source: ICIS news]

MUMBAI (ICIS news)--Air Liquide is increasing its capacity to deliver innovative industrial gases in the growth markets of eastern Europe, the France-based industrial gases producer said on Wednesday.

“Investments to support key markets in the region reached €70m [$106m] in 2007,” the company said.

For the metals market in Hungary, the company would operate an on-site oxygen supply unit at steel producer DAM's facilities at Miskolc in the northeast. The site is scheduled for commissioning in mid-2008, it said.

In Bulgaria, Air Liquide said it owned and operated all the existing air separation units on customer Cumerio's site at Pirdop in the southwest, with a combined capacity of 800 tonnes/day of oxygen, making it one of the largest in the nation.

The company signed a 15-year supply contract with both companies.

For the automotive market, Air Liquide recently commissioned an on-site unit in Győr in northwest Hungary to supply nitrogen for Dana Hungary and has similar projects for Timken and Delphi in Poland.

For the shipyard industry, the company has commissioned a new 1,000 tonne/year acetylene unit to supply Aker Yards at Braila in western Romania under a 10-year contract, it said.

“Given the future perspectives of these eastern Europe markets, we intend to continue increasing our investments in the years to come,” said Salzgeber, vice-president of Air Liquide's European industrial business.

($1 = €0.66)

By: Isha Jha
+65 6780 4359

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