Corporate News
Contract covers purchase of existing air separation units and construction of an additional unit
Total investment worth around EUR 120 million
Deal strengthens Linde's position in China
Munich, 29 November 2011 – The technology group The Linde Group has been selected to manage the entire gas supply system for steel company Hebei Puyang Iron and Steel Ltd. in Wu'an (Hebei province in the North China region). Linde will be investing around EUR 120 million in the project. An agreement outlining the terms of the deal was recently signed by both parties.
"We are delighted to be embarking on a long-term business relationship with Hebei Puyang Iron and Steel," says Sanjiv Lamba, Member of the Executive Board of Linde AG responsible for Asia. "This move also strengthens our position as a leading gases and engineering company in the dynamic Chinese market."
Under the terms of this on-site agreement, Linde acquires the steelworks' seven existing air separation units (ASUs) and pipeline network, will operate these and modernise them to incorporate the latest technical developments. In addition, Linde’s Engineering Division will build a new ASU on site with a production capacity of 30,000 normal cubic metres of oxygen per hour. Scheduled to go on stream in 2014, the new ASU will partially replace older, less energy efficient plants, also meeting rising demand for gaseous oxygen at the steelworks. The new arrangement gives Puyang Iron and Steel a much greater degree of reliability in its gas supply. The new ASU will also produce surplus liquid gases for the regional market.
Hebei Puyang Iron and Steel is a privately owned company that produces around six million tonnes of steel every year in Wu'an. This is used to create plate, hot rolled coil, strip, tube and wire rod for industries such as construction, shipbuilding and manufacturing.
About The Linde Group
The Linde Group is a world-leading gases and engineering company with around 50,000 employees working in more than 100 countries worldwide. In the 2010 financial year, it achieved sales of 12.868 billion euro. The strategy of The Linde Group is geared towards sustainable earnings-based growth and focuses on the expansion of its international business with forward-looking products and services. Linde acts responsibly towards its shareholders, business partners, employees, society and the environment – in every one of its business areas, regions and locations across the globe. Linde is committed to technologies and products that unite the goals of customer value and sustainable development.
In Greater China, Linde has close to 4,000 employees working in around 50 subsidiaries and joint ventures, and 150 operational plants in major industrial hubs across the region. Linde Greater China is headquartered in Shanghai.
For more information, see The Linde Group online at http://www.linde.com
Further information:
Media Dr Thomas Hagn |
Investor Relations Lisa Tilmann |