Russia: start-up of a new unit in Tatarstan

Air Liquide is pursuing its long-term development in Russia, and starting-up a new Air Separation Unit that will produce oxygen and nitrogen in the Special Economic Zone “Alabuga” in the Volga region, Tatarstan. Tatarstan is one of the most economically developed republics in the Russian Federation. Its economy is the fifth largest in Russia in terms of gross regional product. One of the main drivers of this large regional economy is a significant manufacturing capacity: industrial production constitutes about 40% of Tatarstan’s gross regional product.

This new state-of-the-art Air Separation Unit will produce 200 tonnes per day of oxygen and nitrogen to supply the current and future needs of industrial customers in the region. It is fully standardized, highly cost efficient, comes in fully packaged modules and offers many benefits, including compact design and layout and simpler operations and maintenance.

Air Liquide is planning to further develop its business in Alabuga by creating a pipeline network and developing supply chain for its customers. Air Liquide’s overall investment in this project is around €35 million (as announced on 14 May 2009). Air Liquide has been present in SEZ Alabuga since 2008. In the first step, which started up in 2010, a unit producing 40 tonnes per day of gaseous oxygen to supply by pipeline Preiss-Damler-Tatneft’s fiberglass production unit was commissioned.

Guy Salzgeber, Vice-President North and Central Europe and member of the Air Liquide Executive Committee, commented: “The standardization of these units is an example of the innovative capacity of the Group when it comes to ensuring the efficiency of its operations and improving competitiveness. With the latest development, Air Liquide will be able to expand its industrial merchant offer in this fast-growing area in Russia. This investment is in line with the Group’s program of targeted investments in expanding industrial basins in developing economies.”