Gases and Services for Industry

Industrial gases and services, the group's main business, represent, together with engineering, more than 88% of group sales.

For its gas business, Air Liquide's goal is to meet all requirements, ranging from those of small businessmen to very large industrial companies.

For its regional or local customers, Air Liquide has set up Regional Customer Service Centres in Australia several years ago. This new organization enables the many teams set up locally to better focus on customer requirements and provide them with real added value, by simplifying their management, improving their productivity, reducing their costs and helping them protect the environment.

In this same way, Air Liquide offers services to customers in such major industrial sectors as steel and iron, chemicals, oil refining, glass, energy and paper pulp. Air Liquide has set up special teams with responsibility for these markets. They continuously exchange experience and information concerning markets and new technologies to offer customers a products and services package which best matches their specific requirements. These teams share our technological advances with our customers, while offering them the same high level of service everywhere in the world.

In addition to standard gases and services, such as oxygen and nitrogen supplied by pipeline, Air Liquide also provides its major industrial customers with an expanded offer which includes such products as hydrogen, steam and electrical power. Their combined production can provide big savings.

Gases and Services for Healthcare

Air Liquide Healthcare is developing a line of special in-patient and homecare products and services.

It can supply hospitals with medical gases (i.e. oxygen, nitrogen, nitrous oxide and carbon dioxide) from the source of production to the patient's room or operating room. A wide range of services, which may even include complete handling of medical gases in the hospital (involving procurement management, facility maintenance and remote-monitoring) may also be provided. TAEMA brand anaesthesia and resuscitation equipment and ALM brand operating tables and lighting systems, complete our line of hospital products. Air Liquide Homecare a specialized homecare service, was developed to meet the specific needs of patients requiring oxygen therapy, ventilation, or aerosol therapy treatment.

In 2003, healthcare sales represented 16% of total group sales.