Air Liquide expands relationship with Nucor Steel in U.S.

Air Liquide Large Industries U.S. LP (Air Liquide) announces the expansion of its relationship with Nucor Steel (Nucor) in Louisiana.

Air Liquide has been selected to supply Nucor’s new Direct Reduced Iron (DRI) plant in Convent, Louisiana, and has extended its contracts to serve Nucor’s plants in Berkeley County, South Carolina and Blytheville, Arkansas.

Air Liquide will supply approximately 794 tons (720 metric tonnes) per day of oxygen to Nucor’s new Convent plant with capacity from its new Air Separation Unit (ASU) in Geismar, Louisiana, which serves the local industrial basin via Air Liquide’s extensive Mississippi River Pipeline System. The Berkeley and Blytheville agreements extend the long-term supply of oxygen, nitrogen and argon by Air Liquide to support the steelmaker’s operations at those locations.

Air Liquide has provided Nucor’s industrial gas requirements since the 1990’s. Today, seven Nucor plants in the U.S. and one in Trinidad are supplied by Air Liquide.

Air Liquide products are used by Nucor and other steelmakers to manufacture steel and DRI. Air Liquide is a leader and innovator in providing oxygen and related technologies to improve combustion processes that help make production more efficient and environmentally friendly. Substituting oxygen for ambient air in the combustion process improves overall efficiency and reduces unwanted emissions. Also, inert gases like argon and nitrogen are critical to a number of steel manufacturing processes.

Michael Graff, President and Chief Executive Officer of American Air Liquide Holdings, Inc. said: “The longstanding relationship between Air Liquide and Nucor exemplifies the importance that we place on serving customers safely and reliably, using innovation and advanced technology to help them improve productivity and meet their growing business and environmental objectives. We are proud to be a part of Nucor’s continued growth and success.”