Oct 21 2013
White Martins, the Brazil-based subsidiary of Praxair, Inc., has started up a new 800 tons per day air separation plant in the state of Minas Gerais, located in southeastern Brazil. Under a long-term contract, Praxair’s new plant will supply industrial gases to ArcelorMittal, the world’s leading integrated steel and mining company.
The energy-efficient air separation plant will enable ArcelorMittal to serve customers across all major steel-consuming industries, including automotive, mining, construction, and household appliances and packaging. Praxair is ArcelorMittal’s main industrial gases supplier in Brazil, delivering gases to five of its facilities located in Espirito Santo, Minas Gerais and Sao Paulo states.
The Minas Gerais plant will also supply local merchant liquid customers in the Brazilian southeast in such segments as mining, primary metals, automotive, manufacturing and healthcare. Minas Gerais is Brazil’s third largest state economy and contributes over 9% of Brazil’s GDP, with the industrial sector being a major contributor.
“Praxair and ArcelorMittal have had a long-term relationship in Minas Gerais and around the world and this project positions us well to continue to grow together in the future,” said Domingos Bulus, president of White Martins.
About White Martins Gases Industriais Ltda.
White Martins is the leading industrial and medical gases company in South America, operating in Brazil and eight other countries in the region. It has supplied a comprehensive range of industrial gases and technologies to customers in a wide variety of industries for more than 100 years.
About Praxair
Praxair, Inc., a Fortune 250 company with 2012 sales of $11 billion, is the largest industrial gases company in North and South America and one of the largest worldwide. The company produces, sells and distributes atmospheric, process and specialty gases, and high-performance surface coatings. Praxair products, services and technologies are making our planet more productive by bringing efficiency and environmental benefits to a wide variety of industries, including aerospace, chemicals, food and beverage, electronics, energy, healthcare, manufacturing, metals and many others. More information about Praxair, Inc. is available at www.praxair.com.
About ArcelorMittal
ArcelorMittal is the world's leading integrated steel and mining company, with a presence in more than 60 countries. ArcelorMittal is the leader in all major global steel markets, including automotive, construction, household appliances and packaging, with leading R&D and technology, as well as sizeable captive supplies of raw materials and outstanding distribution networks. With an industrial presence in over 20 countries spanning four continents, the Company covers all of the key steel markets, from emerging to mature.
Through its core values of sustainability, quality and leadership, ArcelorMittal commits to operating in a responsible way with respect to the health, safety and well-being of its employees, contractors and the communities in which it operates. It is also committed to the sustainable management of the environment. It takes a leading role in the industry's efforts to develop breakthrough steelmaking technologies and is actively researching and developing steel-based technologies and solutions that contribute to combat climate change.
In 2012, ArcelorMittal had revenues of $84.2 billion and crude steel production of 88.2 million tonnes, representing approximately 6 percent of world steel output.
ArcelorMittal is listed on the stock exchanges of New York (MT), Amsterdam (MT), Paris (MT), Luxembourg (MT) and on the Spanish stock exchanges of Barcelona, Bilbao, Madrid and Valencia (MTS).