Italy: Commissioning of a New Oxygen Production Unit
Air Liquide is announcing the commissioning of a new high-pressure and high-purity
gaseous oxygen production unit in Italy. It was installed in Castelnuovo del
Garda, near Verona, where Air Liquide already operates another Air Separation Unit.
With a production capacity of around 800 tonnes per day, the new unit will bring the
total production capacity on this site to 1,100 tonnes of oxygen per day. The total
investment amounts to around Euros40 million.
This new production capacity will enable Air Liquide to meet the increasing demand
of its customers who are connected to the 700 km long pipeline network that
extends into Po Valley, between Genoa and Padua. This network notably supplies
the steelmaker Arvedi, located in Cremona, as well as many customers in northern Italy.
This new standardized "YangO2 unit" was designed and built by Air Liquide Hangzhou,
Air Liquide's Engineering & Construction center in China. It is the first production unit of its kind to be installed in Europe.
Augustin de Roubin, Vice-President Southern and Eastern Europe of the Air Liquide
Group and member of the Executive Committee, commented: "The decision to invest
in a new production unit in Italy, in a strategic industrial area for Group activities,
demonstrates our will to develop in this country. With 12 production units
installed in the region and more than Euros100 million invested in Italy over the past
5 years, Air Liquide intends to support the development of its customers and
consolidate its leadership in Italy."
Air Liquide is the world leader in gases for industry, health and the environment, and is present in over 75 countries with 42,300 employees. Oxygen, nitrogen, hydrogen and rare gases have been at the core of Air Liquide's activities since its creation in 1902. Using these molecules, Air Liquide continuously reinvents its business, anticipating the needs of current and future markets. The Group innovates to enable progress, to achieve dynamic growth and a consistent performance.
Innovative technologies that curb polluting emissions, lower industry's energy use, recover and reuse natural resources or develop the energies of tomorrow, such as hydrogen, biofuels or photovoltaic energy... Oxygen for hospitals, homecare, fighting nosocomial infections... Air Liquide combines many products and technologies to develop valuable applications and services not only for its customers but also for society.
A partner for the long term, Air Liquide relies on employee commitment, customer trust and shareholder support to pursue its vision of sustainable, competitive growth. The diversity of Air Liquide's teams, businesses, markets and geographic presence provides a solid and sustainable base for its development and strengthens its ability to push back its own limits, conquer new territories and build its future.
Air Liquide explores the best that air can offer to preserve life, staying true to its sustainable development approach. In 2009, the Group's revenues amounted to Euros12 billion, of which almost 80% were generated outside France. Air Liquide is listed on the Paris Euronext stock exchange (compartment A) and is a member of the CAC 40 and Dow Jones Euro Stoxx 50 indexes.
