“In September, Air Water has started commercial operation of its 11th VSU in Hofu City, Yamaguchi Prefecture, which is a high efficiency, compact liquid nitrogen/oxygen co-production plant, following the other plants over the country already located in Niigata, Kumamoto, Fukui, Aichi, Fukushima, Kanagawa, Ehime, Shizuoka, Nagano and Osaka prefectures.

The plant has a production capacity of 600Nm3/h LO2 and 1400m3/h LIN. As the investment amounting to 1.4 billion aims at a contribution to restoration from the Great East Japan Earthquake, AWI has applied for Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI)’s subsidy of 200 million which is provided for capital investments by industries in the growing fields to create addition of values to support the future employment of Japan.

Unlike the other ten existing plants, the new plant is characteristic in its pipeline supply of liquid nitrogen to Bell Polyester Products of the neighboring bottle manufacturer.

With the start of commercial operation at this time, the company aims to reduce the supply cost for liquid users over the Kyushu district including Yamaguchi Prefecture.

The company is planning to expand the business concept of VSU in which compact but efficient plants (nearly similar efficiency as large plants) are built up in a limited space so that transportation cost can be saved by local production for regional consumers.”