Kanto Air Water of AWI’s group company completed, at the end of August 2013, its comprehensive industrial and medical gas filling station named Tsukuba Gas Center which had been constructed in Tsukuba City, Ibaraki Prefecture, and it was put into a full-fledged operation from October.

Although there have so far been some filling stations dedicated for medical gases in Tokyo when we refer to AWI’s packaged gas business in the Kanto District, no comprehensive filling stations including those for industrial use have existed, except for a joint filling station with other companies. Kiyoshi Shirai of AWI’s director in charge of industrial gas-related business said, “Our own filling station was indispensable for deeper cultivation of the regional gas business.” The new filling station is AWI’s first independent filling station of own in the Kanto District, which was established at the location inside the production base of AT Silica, who produces abrading agents of silicon wafers. The filling gases include oxygen, argon, and carbon dioxide for industrial uses, and oxygen, carbon dioxide and artificial air for medical uses. AWI is planning to add to its menu mixed gases like argon/carbon dioxide and argon helium,

The liquefied gas tanks in the filling site have capacities of 18 tons for oxygen, 18 tons for nitrogen, 10 tons for argon and 20 tons for carbon dioxide.　The filling site is equipped with industrial LGC and an automatic cylinder filling line.

The filling operation is structured so that even the minimum number of worker can handle efficiently by just moving cylinders loaded on a 16-clustered pallet and then using forklifts. The divided medical line is equipped with a dedicated filling line for oxygen (LGC and small bottles) and carbon dioxide.

The construction started at the end of February 2013 and completed for a full-fledged operation at the end of August. Designing and engineering of the equipment were dealt with by Air Water Engineering. The new filling station will be engaged mainly in the supply to gas users in Tsukuba City.

Admitting that the packaged gas market has long been regarded as matured, the Air Water group is implementing renewal of filling stations in the Niigata District in this fiscal period other than Tsukuba mentioned above.

Director Shirai also said, “Considering the aging facilities, AWI has a policy to renew them at this moment for future activities aiming for reinforcement of the business foundation.”