Air Liquide France’s $150 million investment in a 100,000-ton-class air separation plant has commenced operations in the Zhangjiagang Metallurgical Park

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On January 9, Air Liquide France launched the construction of a air separation plant with a capacity of 100,000 tons, requiring an investment of $150 million, in the Zhangjiagang Metallurgical Park. Once completed, it will be able to produce 1.34 million tons of liquid oxygen, 2.39 million tons of liquid nitrogen, and 60,000 tons of liquid argon – totaling 3.8 million tons – making it the largest of its kind in the global steel industry. The project incorporates an energy storage system, resulting in significantly lower carbon emissions compared to traditional approaches; the annual output value is expected to be 1.5 billion yuan. During the same period, Air Liquide and Shagang Group signed a strategic partnership for low-carbon metallurgy, aiming to achieve comprehensive collaboration in green processes, energy recycling, and low-carbon supply chains. Since 2004, Air Liquide has invested over $330 million in Zhangjiagang in total; this expansion further strengthens its position as a leader in the global industrial gases industry, serving as a model for the green transformation of China’s steel industry.