Jul 20 2010
Air Products (NYSE: APD) today announced the opening of a new office in Abu Dhabi and the creation of a new legal entity, Air Products Gulf Gas LLC, underlining the importance of the Middle East region in its global growth strategy.
Air Products has been serving customers in the Middle East for over 50 years, and already operates a helium and cylinder gases filling and distribution facility, as well as a specialty gases center in the Jebel Ali Free Zone. The company has offices in Doha, Qatar and Dubai; works closely with the region's petrochemical, gasification and refining industries; and has built, owned and operated air separation units (ASUs) and hydrogen production plants throughout the Middle East. In 2009 the company brought onstream the first "over-the-fence" gas supply in Abu Dhabi at the Emirates float glass plant.
The new Air Products office, which will be located in the city center, will enable the company's packaged (cylinder) gas business to directly offer its range of innovative cylinders, gases and technology to a wider customer base.
Simon Little, general manager, Air Products Middle East, said, "Alongside our existing businesses in the Middle East, Abu Dhabi is strategically important for Air Products. In recent years, we have quickly built a leadership position supplying gases, equipment and operations expertise into sectors such as GTL (gas to liquids), LNG (liquefied natural gas) and refining. The opening of the new office to serve Abu Dhabi's cylinder gas customers is an important step in our strategy to continue to grow our packaged gases business in the UAE."
The new legal entity has been formed through a joint venture between Air Products (49%) and The First Abu Dhabi Management Services LLC (51%).