Air Liquide said that it will install a new air separation unit (ASU) in Kosi, Uttar Pradesh (UP), India with an investment of nearly INR 350 crores (€40 million).

According to the French industrial gases company, the air separation unit will be dedicated to industrial merchant activities in Kosi. It will produce 350 tonnes per day, with the capacity of oxygen being a maximum of 300 tonnes.

The air separation unit in Kosi will be built, owned, and operated by Air Liquide India. It is intended to begin operations by the end of next year. It is intended to fully operate on renewable energy by the end of this decade.

The French industrial gases company said that the new air separation plant will support small-and-medium sized customers of liquid and packaged gases across Northern India.

It is expected to enable Air Liquide to cope with the rising demand of the automotive, heat treatment, metal fabrication, photovoltaic, and electronics industries, and local hospitals needing high-purity medical gases.

Upon its commissioning, the Kosi site will become the largest liquid gases plant in Uttar Pradesh, said Air Liquide.

The French company currently owns and operates four air separation units across North and West of India and will finalize the construction of a fifth unit in Nagpur this year.

Pascal Vinet — Senior Vice President of Air Liquide Group said: “The construction of a new plant in Uttar Pradesh is a very important milestone for Air Liquide in India. This new significant investment will give us the ability to better serve our customers, while also investing in the long-term growth opportunities of this key State.

“It also shows our confidence in the sustained growth of the Indian industry. This investment is in line with Air Liquide’s Sustainable Objectives as this ASU is meant to ultimately solely run on renewable energy.”

  Air Liquide, India, Kosi, Pascal Vinet, Uttar Pradesh