Air Liquide Signed a Record 52 New Contracts for the On-site Production of Gases for Its Industrial Merchant Business Line In 2022

January 26, 2023 02:45 AM Eastern Standard Time PARIS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Regulatory News:

Air Liquide (Paris:AI) signed 52 new long-term on-site contracts for its Industrial Merchant business line in 2022, after a record number of 48 new contracts in 2021 and continuous progress for more than five years. On-site production solutions represent a competitive and environmentally friendly solution for customers requiring a local and reliable gas supply. They contribute to the resilience of the Industrial Merchant business line and more generally to the objectives of the Group's strategic plan ADVANCE, which inseparably links financial and extra-financial performance.

The 52 new contracts signed in 2022 will serve our customers in nitrogen, oxygen or hydrogen especially in the glass, metals, water and waste treatment as well as secondary electronics growing markets. In 2022, the Group also launched a new generation of on-site oxygen production units, whose breakthrough technology is 10% more energy-efficient than the previous generation. The number of long-term on-site based contracts signed each year by Air Liquide has doubled between 2015 and 2022.

Based on proprietary technologies and engineered by the Group, these on-site gas production units are installed, operated and maintained directly at customer sites. This means that gases are not liquefied for transport and the number of trucks and kilometers driven to deliver to customers are reduced, which in turn saves energy and reduces CO2 emissions. Signed for typical durations of 10 to 15 years, on-site contracts contribute to the stability of the Industrial Merchant sales over the long-term.

Matthieu Giard, Vice President and Executive Committee Member of the Air Liquide Group, supervising the Industrial Merchant business line, said: 'On-site gas production solutions ensure our customers a local and reliable supply of small essential molecules such as nitrogen, oxygen and hydrogen. They are increasingly successful, especially for markets facing the world challenges of energy transition and digitalization. Air Liquide is constantly innovating to make them ever more competitive, energy efficient and environmentally friendly. They contribute to the implementation of the Group's ADVANCE strategy, which inseparably links financial performance and sustainable development.'

Air Liquide's Industrial Merchant Business Line

Air Liquide's Industrial Merchant Business Line delivers industrial gases and innovative solutions, including application technologies, equipment and services. From independent professionals to large industrial companies, our 33 000 employees serve over 2 million customers daily across 62 countries. In 2021, revenues were € 9,487 million.

A world leader in gases, technologies and services for Industry and Health, Air Liquide is present in 75 countries with approximately 66,400 employees and serves more than 3.8 million customers and patients. Oxygen, nitrogen and hydrogen are essential small molecules for life, matter and energy. They embody Air Liquide's scientific territory and have been at the core of the company's activities since its creation in 1902.

Taking action today while preparing the future is at the heart of Air Liquide's strategy. With ADVANCE, its strategic plan for 2025, Air Liquide is targeting a global performance, combining financial and extra-financial dimensions. Positioned on new markets, the Group benefits from major assets such as its business model combining resilience and strength, its ability to innovate and its technological expertise. The Group develops solutions contributing to climate and the energy transition—particularly with hydrogen—and takes action to progress in areas of healthcare, digital and high technologies.

Air Liquide's revenue amounted to more than 23 billion euros in 2021. Air Liquide is listed on the Euronext Paris stock exchange (compartment A) and belongs to the CAC 40, CAC 40 ESG, EURO STOXX 50 and FTSE4Good indexes.

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