Air Products today announced that Indura, its South American joint venture, has opened a new 84-ton-per-day industrial gas plant producing liquid oxygen, nitrogen and argon in Puerto Varas, Chile.
The new facility, which will include a cylinder filling system, will serve local industry including the burgeoning aquaculture market.
The new plant’s location in Puerto Varas, which is more than 1,000 miles south of Santiago, makes it the world’s southernmost industrial gas plant serving the merchant market. Besides aquaculture, the facility will also supply the metalworking, health and food industries.
“We are proud of the opening of this new facility as we continue to build our business in this exciting growth region,” said Mike Olivares, vice president and general manager of Merchant Gases, Latin America for Air Products.
Indura has annual sales of $478 million/CLP 244 billion. Its integrated gas and retail business includes liquid bulk, small on-sites and packaged gases. In July, Air Products purchased a majority stake in Indura. Air Products already has existing interests in Latin America, through its wholly-owned businesses in Brazil, Argentina and its joint venture, Grupo Infra, headquartered in Mexico.