Presentation

The world leader in this sector, Air Liquide benefits from dedicated in-house development and engineering teams, differentiating proprietary technologies and rigorous processes for selecting investments and carrying out projects.

The Large Industries business line provides oxygen, nitrogen, argon, hydrogen and carbon monoxide through a network of plants and pipelines. The Group also operates cogeneration plants to supply customers with steam and electricity.

The chemicals industry uses mainly oxygen, hydrogen and carbon monoxide in its manufacturing processes, as well as nitrogen to inert its installations.

The refining industry requires hydrogen to desulfurize fuels and break up heavy hydrocarbons. The demand for hydrogen is growing due to the combination of increasingly stringent emissions legislation and the use of heavier hydrocarbons.

In the metals industry, Air Liquide supplies large volumes of oxygen to steel producers notably, the use of which improves their energy performance and reduces significantly their CO₂ emissions. The majority of new projects are currently located in developing economies.

Numerous industries linked to energy or chemicals use large quantities of oxygen to transform coal, natural gas or liquid hydrocarbons into syngas for the production of chemical products, synfuel or electricity.

Remember

The Large Industries business operates under long-term contracts, where costs are indexed, in particular, to energy costs. These contracts, which include take-or-pay clauses, offer considerable visibility of future revenue and protection in the event of a significant fall in customer volume consumption (below the minimum take-or-pay level). The long investment cycle and high capital intensity require a solid balance sheet. The signing of new contracts is a strong predictor of future growth. Air Liquide is developing a pipeline network strategy in the industrial basins in order to provide customers with greater supply reliability while optimizing operating costs.