Industrial gas giants invest in Asia

Stimulated by the rapid growth of industrial gas markets in Asia, industrial gas giants such as Air Liquide, Linde, and Praxair have thrown out investment plans in the Asian market.

Air Liquide recently stated that the company will invest more than 22 million euros (about 32 million U.S. dollars) to build and operate an air separation unit in the Calamba Premiere industrial park in the province of Lake Neihu, Philippines, and plans to test it before the end of 2012. It produces nitrogen and more than 200 tons/day of liquid gas (mainly oxygen and nitrogen) to meet the growing demand of local high-tech manufacturers. SEMPHIL, a subsidiary of Samsung Electro-Mechanics Korea, has signed a long-term supply contract for industrial gases with Air Liquide.

Praxair India also announced that it will build and operate an air separation unit in Jamshedpur, India. It is expected to be completed and put into operation in the first half of 2012. The design will produce 130 tons of gaseous oxygen and 65 tons of gaseous nitrogen per day. Usha Martin, India’s largest and world’s second-largest wire and cable producer, has awarded Praxair India a contract for the supply of oxygen and nitrogen.

Linde, Germany, said that the company's MOX-Linde Industrial Gas subsidiary has opened an air separation unit with an investment of US$67 million in Gudang, Malaysia. The device is one of the largest air separation plants in Malaysia and the only commercial gas installation in the southern part of Malaysia. It produces more than 500 tons of gas and liquid per day.