Air Liquide acquires Georgia Gulf air separation unit
Air Liquide has purchased an air separation unit (ASU) from Georgia Gulf in Plaquemine, La., the companies said on Monday.
The ASU produces oxygen, nitrogen and argon and is interconnected via pipeline with Air Liquide’s existing gas production facilities in Plaquemine, which are located within a mile of the newly acquired ASU.
The ASU will join an existing system of 13 Air Liquide air separation units and utility production facilities serving more than 30 customers along the Mississippi River via Air Liquide’s pipeline network, the company said.
Under agreements that went into effect January 1, 2012, Air Liquide will sell oxygen and nitrogen from the pipeline network to Georgia Gulf’s Plaquemine chemical plant.
Gaseous products from the ASU will be fed into Air Liquide’s pipeline network to meet demand growth.
Liquid products will be available to serve the growing demands of the local merchant market and increase the reliability of the Mississippi River Pipeline System.
“We appreciate Georgia Gulf’s confidence in Air Liquide and are very pleased to build upon our business relationship with them,” said Roger Perreault, president of Air Liquide’s US operations. “The purchase of this ASU accomplishes several important objectives, including additional production capacity in 2012 to meet expected growth in the region.”
Joe Breunig, executive vice president of chemicals at Georgia Gulf, said: “The sale of our ASU to Air Liquide will allow us to focus operational efforts on our core chemical production facilities at Plaquemine. The new supply agreements provide access to a competitively priced, reliable supply of industrial gases to our facility.”
The ASU was built in 1997 and will be upgraded to ensure long-term reliability and operational efficiency, Air Liquide said.
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