Brazil: further investment of €70 million

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Brazil is South America’s leading economic power, with a sound economy and expanding presence in world markets, with high growth in energy, manufacturing and healthcare. Air Liquide has been present in Brazil for more than 65 years and continues to expand its investments in the country.

Air Liquide Brazil has recently signed two contracts with major regional firms: Coca-Cola bottler FEMSA and Suzano Papel e Celulose, investing nearly US dollars 90 million (€70 million) to develop the two projects.

Air Liquide and FEMSA have signed a long term agreement for the supply of carbon dioxide, nitrogen and compressed dry air as well as electric power, steam and chilled water for its new bottling plant in Itabirito City located approximately 400 kilometers north of Rio de Janeiro.

FEMSA is the largest bottler of Coca-Cola products in the world and the largest beverage company in Latin America. Air Liquide was already a long term partner of FEMSA, serving its bottling plant in the Brazilian city of Jundiai and in other countries of South America including Argentina and Colombia.
Carbon dioxide produced at Air Liquide’s new Itabirito plant will also help further develop the industrial market in the southern region of Brazil.

Air Liquide Brazil has also signed a long term agreement to supply 160 tonnes-per-day of gaseous oxygen to Suzano Papel e Celulose in the city of Imperatriz, in the state of Maranhao in northern Brazil. Suzano is the market leader for paper in Latin America.

The Suzano agreement is for a new Air Separation Unit (ASU) slated for start up at the end of 2013. The ASU will also produce liquid oxygen, nitrogen and argon for the region’s mining, iron and steel industries as well as the healthcare sector. This agreement marks Air Liquide’s expansion in northern Brazil.

Michael Graff, Air Liquide Executive Committee Member and Vice President for the Americas, commented: “Air Liquide is proud to serve the growing needs of major companies like FEMSA and Suzano, and to help drive sustained economic growth in this rapidly developing region of the world. Developing economies are a growth driver for Air Liquide.”