INOX Air Products (INOXAP), Air Products’ India joint venture company, has announced that it has received a contract from ArcelorMittal Nippon Steel India Ltd. (AM/NS India) to set up its fifth cryogenic Air Separation Unit (ASU) at Hazira Plant. The installation this ASU by INOXAP at Hazira will give shape to India’s largest single-operator onsite Industrial Gas Complex on a biod-own-operate basis, which will support the first major expansion in India by ArcelorMittal, world’s largest steel company, after the acquisition of Essar Steel.
At an investment of INR 300 Cr (around $41 million), INOXAP’s fifth cryogenic ASU at AM/NS India’s Hazira plant, would have the capacity to generate 700 tons per day of Gaseous Oxygen and 300 tons per day of Gaseous Nitrogen along with other liquid gases. Once completed, the Gas Complex would have a combined production capacity of more than 9000 tons per day of industrial gases.
Sharing his views on the contract, Siddharth Jain, Executive Director – INOX Air Products adds, “We are indeed honored by the continued trust ArcelorMittal management has reposed on us for supporting them in their growth plans. The new contract for setting up yet another ASU underlines our reliability, commitment and consistency to our strategic customer. The deployment, which is projected to be commissioned in a record period of 15 months, will make us the proud operators of country’s largest onsite Industrial Gas Complex on BOO basis, that too in a plant operated by ArcelorMittal, the largest steel manufacturer in the world.”
Commenting on the contract, Wim Van Gerven, Chief Operating Officer of AM/NS India said, “We are pleased to partner with INOX Air Products for yet another Oxygen Plant at our Hazira facility as we begin our first major expansion in India post the acquisition of Essar Steel. Looking at our long term relationship, we are confident that INOX Air Products will support us in our growth journey, as we prepare ourselves to cater to the country’s growing steel demand.”
The 5th cryogenic Air Separation Unit at its Hazira Plant, would supply the Oxygen and Nitrogen gases required to meet the additional demand due to the phased brownfield expansion of AM/NS India’s capacity from the current 7.2 million tons/yr to 8.6 million tons/yr. This expansion is a part of their larger expansion plans across India.