Russia: acquisition of a gas company in the Moscow area

Russia is a growing economy in the process of modernizing its industrial production infrastructure. Fast growing markets such as metal, automotive, welding, glass and food require increasing amounts of gases. The Moscow area shows great potential. It accounts for about 15% of Russia’s total population and more than 20% of the country’s manufacturing sector, and is also the center of the Russian electronics and high-tech industries. The market for medical gases is also attractive and growing.

Air Liquide has just completed the acquisition of 75% of the shares of LOGIKA, a regional industrial gas company located in Moscow that produces bulk and packaged gases for industrial and medical markets. The remaining 25% will remain in the hands of Ruselectronics, a subsidiary of the State Corporation Rostechnologii.

The company will invest in a new state-of-the-art Air Separation Unit, which will produce liquid oxygen and nitrogen, and in a new cylinder filling center. The overall investment will amount to around €40 million.

This deal with Ruselectronics is a first step in the partnership between Air Liquide and the State Corporation Rostechnologii.

Guy Salzgeber, Vice-President North and Central Europe and member of the Air Liquide Executive Committee, commented: “This partnership with a major industrial player will strengthen our position in Russia, especially in the Moscow area. It illustrates our strategy of focusing geographic expansion on key growth regions. This agreement is consistent with the Group’s long-term strategic development program in Russia, with investments of €1 billion planned by 2015. Developing economies are one of the growth drivers of the Group.”

Alexey Alyoshin, First Deputy General Director of Rostechnologii, stated: “This partnership will create an opportunity to implement leading technologies in Russia, which are practiced by Air Liquide, the world leader in its field. It is an opportunity for Logika to reach a new technological level in short terms, which will meet the needs of State Corporation Rostechnologii of high quality industrial gases with mutual benefit.”