Air Liquide company Airgas has opened a new liquid carbon dioxide and dry ice facility in Stockton in California.

The plant is a zero runoff/discharge site and technology at the site will arrest and recycle all process and rainwater that comes in contact with the equipment.

Engineered to have a minimal environmental impact, the facility converts gaseous carbon dioxide into around 500 tons of liquid carbon dioxide a day.

Gaseous carbon dioxide is a byproduct of ethanol and is usually discarded.

Dry ice facility, which is built adjacent to liquid carbon dioxide plant, will convert around 250 tons per day of liquid carbon dioxide into dry ice.

Food and beverage grade carbon dioxide is used in brewing, carbonated beverages, winemaking, flash freezing, and food packaging while dry ice is used for safe transport in food and agriculture sectors and a wide range of life science and industrial processes.

On the launch of the plant, Airgas has announced to make a $5,000 donation to a local high school or junior college welding program.

Matt Whitton – Airgas NCN Regional President said: “The Airgas business model is built on the foundation of local customer service.

“We stay close to our more than 1 million customers and strive to meet their needs by working collaboratively with them and our partner suppliers to help their companies succeed.

“We announced our plans to build this facility in March 2018 to have three strategically located CO2 plants in Northern, Central, and Southern California and today, we deliver on that commitment.”

Airgas supplies industrial, medical and specialty gases, hardgoods and related products, safety and ammonia products, and process chemicals.

Air Liquide offers gases, technologies, and services for industry and health, and is present in 80 countries. It employs about 66,000 and serves over 3.6 million customers and patients.

In 2018, Air Liquide posted revenue of EUR21 billion and its life and environment solutions represented more than 40% of sales.

  Air Liquide, Airgas, California, Matt Whitton, Stockton, USA