Southern Africa: several successes

  • Press Releases

Southern Africa has enjoyed renewed growth over the past two years. It has a diversified economy, supported by coal and metal mining.

Air Liquide Southern Africa has achieved several successes over the past three months, which will translate in investments in excess of 20 million euros.

In the Durban area, the investment of a new liquefier, that will more than double existing capacity, has been committed to meet the growing demand of this basin, where needs in pulp and paper, wastewater treatment, as well as the inerting of chemical products storage are growing.

A new CO2 recovery and purification unit will also be installed in the Cape Town region to supply the local food industry as well as the recently developed wine market with Aligal range. Following recent CO2 shortages in South Africa, Air Liquide is committed to more than double its capacity over the next two years.

VitalAire, a pioneer in the development of homecare supply to patients in South Africa since the 1980s, has just won the state tender for oxygeno-therapy in the country. VitalAire South Africa is the leader in respiratory homecare with 7,000 patients.

Finally, Air Liquide has just received a Letter of Intent from Tati Nickel for the supply of over 600 tonnes per day of oxygen. Tati is a joint venture between the group LionOre and the government of Botswana, specializing in the extraction of nickel. Two new Air Separation Units (ASUs) will be added to the existing Air Liquide capacity in Botswana, which is already dedicated to the mining industry, and will reinforce Air Liquide’s leadership in the country.

Pierre Dufour, Executive vice-President of the Air Liquide Group, declared: “These recent successes significantly reinforce Air Liquide’s position for new projects in the region, in the field of industrial gases as well as in healthcare. The increase of our production capacity is part of the plan to accelerate investments in emerging markets and of the Group’s commitment to pursue its growth strategy in dynamic areas”.