Matheson Tri-Gas of the US which is 100% owned by Taiyo Nippon Sanso (TNSC) is going to reinforce the air-separation facility of its Vernon Plant located in the southern part of California. The new air separation plant will be completed in 2017, making the output of Vernon Plant doubled. TNSC has been expanding its industrial gas business through Matheson Tri-Gas since 2004 including M&A activities and the new expansion of air separation plants.

According to TNSC, the state of California takes a share of about 16% of the industrial gas market across the US and its market growth rate is also expanding at a good pace up to the level exceeding the all-US average.

In February of this year, Matheson Tri-Gas bought Sim which is an independent major distributor in the Los Angeles region having been engaged to enhance the business of bulk and gas-related equipment in the region. The new plant is aimed for further business expansion there.

The new plant is dedicated to take liquid to produce oxygen, nitrogen and argon, employing a self-made facilities. The amount of investment has not been disclosed to the public.

In addition, as already reported in Gasmos, TNSC got an order for the oxygen gas on-site plant (20,000 Nm3/h x 2 for completion in 2018) for Sasol Chemicals in Louisiana. At present the cold box for the plant is under construction in its Plant Engineering Center (Kawasaki City). The first unit will be shipped in the middle of July and the second unit toward the end of the year.

Photo: Vernon Plant (The new ASU to be installed at adjacent to existing ASU)