Air Liquide Industrial U.S. LP receives food safety certification for liquid nitrogen and carbon dioxide facilities

In its continued commitment to maintain the highest standards of safety and quality, Air Liquide Industrial U.S. LP (“Air Liquide”) announced today that thirteen of its facilities in the U.S. – seven carbon dioxide liquefaction facilities and six liquid nitrogen plants – have received the Food Safety System Certification 22000 (“FSSC 22000”), an internationally-recognized standard for food safety systems.

Air Liquide supplies carbon dioxide and nitrogen to customers in the food and beverage industry for a wide range of applications. Both products are used in a variety of packaging, preservation, temperature control and food processing applications. Additionally, Air Liquide supplies beverage-grade carbon dioxide, a key ingredient of carbonated beverages.

“Air Liquide is dedicated to growing and adapting to the needs of our customers,” said Mark Lostak, president of Air Liquide Industrial U.S. LP. “Attaining the FSSC 22000 certification for our facilities nationwide further demonstrates our ongoing commitment to safety and continuous improvement in the manufacturing and distribution of our products that our customers have come to expect.

Air Liquide expects to have all of its liquid nitrogen plants and carbon dioxide liquefaction facilities that supply the U.S. food and beverage industry FSSC 22000 certified by the end of 2013.

FSSC 22000 is recognized as the international standard for food safety systems by the Global Food Safety Initiative (“GFSI”), a business-driven initiative for the continuous improvement of food safety management systems to ensure confidence in the delivery of safe food to consumers worldwide. FSSC 22000 is governed by a Board of Stakeholders comprised of representatives of trade and industry, authorities, and other parties in the food supply chain.

In October 2012, Air Liquide received the FSSC 22000 for carbon dioxide liquefaction facilities located in: Delaware City, Del.; Martinez, Calif.; Wilmington, Calif.; Sioux City, Iowa; Wood River, Ill.; Washington, Ind.; and, Donaldsonville, La. In November 2012, the company’s nitrogen production plants in the following locations received the certification: Orlando, Fla.; Mapleton, Ill.; Cleburne, Texas; Chattanooga, Tenn.; Tucson, Ariz.; and, Oklahoma City, Okla.