Woodkirk Stone
PARIS–(COMMERCIAL THREAD) – Regulatory news:
Air Liquide (Paris: AI) has completed the acquisition of Sasol’s 16 air separation units (ASUs) located in Secunda in South Africa announced on July 29, 2020. Air Liquide will operate this site – the largest oxygen production site in the world – with a plan to reduce its CO emissions2 from 30% to 40% within ten years. As part of this operation, Air Liquide welcomes the more than 220 employees who will continue to operate these ASUs, joining the Air Liquide team at Secunda, where it already operates 17e USS.
The initial investment is around 8 billion South African rand (around 480 million euros). The 16 ASUs will be operated by Air Liquide Large Industries South Africa (ALLISA) with a total installed capacity of 42,000 tonnes per day. Since 2018, Air Liquide has operated a 17e ASU for Sasol at the Secunda site, with a total production capacity of 5,000 tonnes per day. The 16 ASUs taken over from Sasol will be included in Air Liquide’s accounts as of today.
Air Liquide will bring to the site its expertise in the implementation of very controlled operational practices, advanced technologies, modernization investments and digital capacities to optimize the operation of ASUs and energy consumption. In addition, Air Liquide and Sasol have launched a call for tenders (RFP) to continue supplying 600 MW of renewable energy to Secunda operations by 2025. This RFP is part of the joint commitment to continue the purchase of a total of up to 900 MW of renewable energies by 2030. The implementation of all these solutions will allow Air Liquide to reduce CO by 30 to 40%2 emissions linked to the production of oxygen within 10 years, in accordance with the Group’s climate commitments.
Benoît Potier, Chairman and CEO of Air Liquide, declared: “The finalization of this agreement is a key step in our ambition to work with Sasol, our partner for 40 years, to combine operational efficiency and reduction of CO emissions.2 while making a significant contribution to the economy of South Africa. We are happy to welcome the Sasol employees who are joining us and look forward to modernizing the site and implementing our decarbonisation plan. In line with our strategy, and with our commitment to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050, this operation demonstrates our desire to act now in favor of the climate and local ecosystems.
World leader in gases, technologies and services for Industry and Health, Air Liquide is present in 78 countries with approximately 64,500 employees and serves more than 3.8 million customers and patients. Oxygen, nitrogen and hydrogen are small molecules essential for life, matter and energy. They embody Air Liquide’s scientific territory and have been at the heart of the company’s activities since its creation in 1902.
Air Liquide’s ambition is to be a leader in its industry, to offer long-term performance and to contribute to sustainable development – with a strong commitment to climate change and the energy transition at the heart of its strategy. The company’s customer-centric transformation strategy aims for profitable, steady and responsible growth over the long term. It is based on operational excellence, selective investments, open innovation and a network organization set up by the Group around the world. Thanks to the commitment and inventiveness of its people, Air Liquide relies on the energy and environmental transition, health changes and digitalization, and brings more value to all of its stakeholders.
Air Liquide’s sales amount to more than 20 billion euros in 2020. Air Liquide is listed on the Euronext Paris stock exchange (compartment A) and belongs to the CAC 40, EURO STOXX 50 and FTSE4Good indices
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