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Air Liquide to Build Air Separation Unit for Chinese Steel Producer
Mar. 16, 2010 Air Liquide will invest about €40 million in Yichun, Heilongjiang Province (northeastern China), to supply Xilin Steel Group with oxygen, nitrogen, and argon. A 1200-tonnes-per-day Air Separation Unit will be designed and built by Air Liquide Hangzhou, the engineering teams of Air Liquide in China, and is expected to be commissioned in Q1 2012.
“We are happy that Air Liquide has decided to invest and support our growth,” said Miao Qingyuan, Chairman of Xilin Steel Group. “We will learn also from its management practices and worldwide expertise. This investment will benefit both Yichun and the Province.”
“We thank Xilin Steel Group for having chosen Air Liquide as their partner,” said Jean-Marc de Royere, Senior Vice-President Asia -Pacific, a member of the Air Liquide’s Executive Committee. “We also thank the Heilongjiang and Yichun authorities for their great support in facilitating our project. This new success in China illustrates Air Liquide’s ability to meet the expectations of Chinese customers in terms of reliability, low-energy consumption, short construction delays, and safety. Emerging economies are a growth driver of Air Liquide.”
Air Liquide notes that Heilongjiang is a leading industrial region of China, with abundant natural resources. The Province and the municipality of Yichun initiated in 2009 the “Eight Economic Districts” and “Ten Key Projects” to boost economic and social development.
Xilin Steel has become the largest iron and steel producer—and the biggest private enterprise—in Heilongjiang province.