December 02, 2008

Linde expands gas supplies contract with voestalpine

It is reported that the technology group The Linde Group has entered into a long term supply agreement with the Austrian steel producer voestalpine to deliver industrial gases to its Linz production site. The relevant contract which involves the construction of an additional on site air separation plant was signed recently. The amount being invested is EUR 62 million.

The contract, which will extend and supplement existing supply agreements will be managed by Linde Gas Austria. The new air separation plant is due to come on stream in January 2010. It will supply the voestalpine steelworks in Linz by pipeline with up to 30,000 cubic meters each of gaseous oxygen and nitrogen per hour. The plant is also expected to produce liquefied oxygen, nitrogen and argon as well as smaller quantities of krypton and xenon for the open market.

Dr Aldo Belloni a member of the Linde AG Executive Board said "Since 1994, when Linde assumed responsibility for the operation of voestalpine's air separation plants, we have continued to develop our collaboration with the company. We are delighted that this project will enable us to continue to support the expansion of our most important Austrian customer."

The Linde Group is a world leading industrial gases, medical gases and engineering company with around 49,000 employees working in more than 70 countries worldwide. Following the acquisition of The BOC Group plc, the company has gases and engineering sales of around EUR 12 billion per annum.