“Matheson Tri-Gas of the US, fully owned by Taiyo Nippon Sanso is going to set up an air separation unit (ASU) in City of Mesa, Arizona for a planned start of operation in June 2014 and also to start its hydrogen on-site business at two locations in Florida.

Based on the expected recovery of principal cylinder business in the US, Taiyo Nippon Sanso forecasts its overseas gas business in FY2013 to attain 13.29 billion up 22.3% from the previous year.

Disregarding the stagnant domestic market, the company has clearly shown its posture to seek something necessary for growth in the US and Asia. In this case the target of business chance in liquefaction and hydrogen on-site plants is placed upon the US market which is now having a boom of energies including shale gas. With the started operation of air separation plants also in the states of North Dakota and Florida, Taiyo Nippon Sanso will have a total of 17 liquefaction plants in North America.

Liquefaction plants started operation also in North Dakota and Florida / TNSC has 17 liquefaction plants now in North America


The production capacity of the air-separation plant to be built is 400 tons per day including oxygen gas, liquid oxygen, liquid nitrogen and argon all together. The delivery to steel makers is made by pipelines and the bulk supply of liquid to the surrounding area. The plant manufactured by Taiyo Nippon Sanso in Japan will be exported. Nothing about the investment has been disclosed. In State of New Mexico neighboring Arizona, there is a newly acquired distributor, US Air Weld. Taking advantage of a synergy effect with the company, Taiyo Nippon Sanso will develop its liquid business from now on.

Matheson Tri-Gas is proceeding energetically with investments in liquefaction plant over the North American region, and started operation of a 250 ton/day plant in Lakeland, Florida in May this year; a 200 ton/day plant (liquid oxygen, liquid nitrogen and argon) in Dickinson, North Dakota.

With the addition of these plants, Taiyo Nippon Sanso now has 17 liquefaction plants throughout the US. It means that a network of production/distribution of liquefied gases has been established from California to Florida, expanding a supply area in the southern part of the US.

The liquefaction plant in Dickinson, North Dakota was built in the expectation of demand for gas in the wake of shale gas mining. Along with Evergreen which was a distributor acquired also by M&A in neighboring South Dakota, the plant is aimed to take in the demand for energy-related gases.

Implementation of H2 on-site business at three locations all over the US

On the other hand, hydrogen on-site plants are implemented at two locations in the state of Florida. These plants are aimed to reform hydrogen using natural gas as raw material in order to supply users with hydrogen gas by pipelines.

Following the supply of hydrogen to plastic manufacturers (approx. 15,000 Nm3/h) in May 2013, it is planned to supply hydrogen also by pipeline to lubricant refineries (1,000Nm3/h) in October 2013. In Mississippi they also started an on-site business to supply hydrogen (5,000Nm3/h) to a biological fuel producer. It has made them have on-site hydrogen plants at three locations in total over North America.”