Air Liquide strengthens its presence in India with a new contract and a 20 million US dollar investment

01-Dec-2005

Among emerging countries, the Indian economy is booming, mainly driven by robust domestic consumption and also good growth in exports. The manufacturing sector in India is now growing at around 10% each year. The glass market, with applications in automotive glass but also in building construction (malls, office complexes, airports, housing etc.), is forecast to grow at around 12% each year over the next five years.

In this context, Air Liquide India announces the signature of a 15 year contract with the glass manufacturer Asahi India Glass Limited (AIS). Air Liquide will supply gaseous nitrogen and hydrogen to the new AIS green field integrated glass plant under construction at Roorkee in Uttaranchal state, about 170 kilometres north-east of New Delhi. Nitrogen and hydrogen are used on continuous basis in tin baths during the glass manufacturing process to maintain an inert atmosphere. To serve AIS and meet the growing requirements of the local market, Air Liquide will invest 20 million US dollars in a new Air Separation Unit (ASU) with a capacity of 250 tonnes per day. This new unit will start operations in June 2006 to supply nitrogen gas by pipeline to AIS, and also liquid oxygen, nitrogen and argon to various other customers in northern India.

This unit will be entirely designed and installed by the Indian Air Liquide Engineering & Construction centre located at Hyderabad. Air Liquide India intends through this additional capacity to support promising development in targeted key areas in India by combining proximity to customers with innovative solutions based on the Group's technological know-how.

https://www.chemeurope.com/en/news/50595/air-liquide-strengthens-its-presence-in-india-with-a-new-contract-and-a-20-million-us-dollar-investment.html