Messer Group (Bad Soden/Frankfurt, Germany; www.messergroup.com) is investing €15 million in a modern air-separation unit (ASU) in Škofja Loka, Slovenia, which will also make a contribution to protecting the environment. Ground is to be broken at the start of 2016, and it is expected that the plant will be ready within one year. When the air separation unit, which will produce nitrogen, oxygen and argon, is fully commissioned at the Trata industrial estate, up to 20 new jobs will be created.
“Within 12 months, we intend to build a modern air-separation unit. During this construction period, we will be creating large numbers of jobs in this area. Our target is to use the new plant to strengthen our competitiveness and be ready for future developments in the country,” said Danilo Lukač, managing director of Messer in Slovenia.
Messer will be supplying the oxygen directly to the company Knauf’s mineral-wool manufacturing facility. The air supply will help to reduce emissions of sulfur and carbon dioxide, and smaller quantities of filter dust and waste will be generated by Knauf. The ASU will be built in close proximity to the Knauf area on a site covering about one hectare. One benefit of this direct oxygen supply is that neither transport vehicles nor a complex pipeline system will need to be used.