Air Liquide

Air Liquide is a French-based multinational company that specializes in industrial gases and services for industry, health, and the environment. It is the world's largest supplier of industrial gases, with operations in over 80 countries and more than 65,000 employees. The company's main products are oxygen, nitrogen, hydrogen, and helium, as well as speciality gases, such as carbon dioxide, argon, and hydrogen sulfide.

Air Liquide has a wide range of activities, from the production and distribution of industrial gases to developing and engineering systems for their customers. The company also offers a number of services such as welding and cutting gases, speciality gases, and medical gases. Air Liquide is also involved in energy-related activities, such as hydrogen production, energy storage, and fuel cells. The company also offers a range of medical and environmental services, such as air and water purification, carbon capture and storage, and green energy production.

Air Liquide is committed to providing innovative solutions to its customers, and to protecting the environment through its sustainability program. The company is also committed to supporting research and development in a number of areas, including healthcare, energy, and the environment.

1902: On November 8, a public limited company was incorporated with a capital of 100,000 French francs subscribed by 24 shareholders. Industrial gas production and distribution have remained at the core of Air Liquide’s business since its founding.

1903: Delorme issued 725 new shares and offered 100 of these shares for sale.

1906: By the third quarter of the year, L'Air Liquide had overcome its financial problems, and during that year the company earned its first dividends.

1916: As early as L'Air Liquide entered into a joint venture with Rockefeller and Hollingsworth to form L'Air Reduction Company in the United States.

1930: Claude regarded the oceans as the most abundant yet untapped source of energy on the globe, and during the 1930's he began experimenting with thermodynamic principles to take advantage of this energy source.

1950: He was released from prison in 1950.

1960: During the 1960s gas sales declined, and most of the major industrial gas manufacturers began to diversify their companies.

1970: Unlike most industries, gas producers usually perform well during a recession; the real cost of gases actually declined during the 1970s.

1985: The company entered into a joint venture with Whemo Denko of Japan to supply NASDA, the Japanese Space Agency, with liquid hydrogen.

1986: L'Air Liquide, however, acquired Big Three Industries of Texas for $1.6 billion. Business attitudes in France began to shift over the year in reaction to policies previously implemented by the former Socialist government. The sale of agricultural fertilizers, utilizing air gases, declined, as part of an overall decline in the agricultural sector as a result of poor weather conditions and a weaker United States dollar.

2007: The Delaware Research & Technology Center (DRTC), one of Air Liquide’s nine major R&D centres worldwide, was established in Newark, Delaware.

2008: Air Liquide SA, the parent company of the Air Liquide Group, and Air Liquide Santé International, its healthcare subsidiary, launched the Air Liquide Foundation.

2011: From the start, the Foundation supports many employee-sponsored “micro-initiatives” in dozens of countries, such as education projects in Japan after the March tsunami.

2013: The Foundation’s five-year mandate is renewed.

2018: A 2nd five-year renewal of the Foundation is validated.

2019: The Foundation decides to pursue longer scientific partnerships.

2020: As a response to the COVID-19 crisis, the Foundation receives extra funding from its sponsors, both for scientific research on the disease and for emergency aid to fragile populations.

2021: For the first time, the Foundation gets direct funding from Air Liquide shareholders for four projects.

2022: © Air Liquide Foundation 2022

According to Air Liquide, the company mission is: “ to aim to deliver innovative gas solutions and technologies to customers, driving their performance and helping them reduce their environmental impact". 

As believed by Air Liquide, the company vision is: “to protect vulnerable lives by offering effective products and services and providing considerate support for patients".

Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) achievements in key corporate sustainability 2022 ratings

Large Industries: Air Liquide generates about a third of its sales revenue by supplying the large industry (26% in 2017), including chemicals, petrochemicals, metallurgy and refining. Air Liquide supply them with gas and energy by direct pipeline. Its pipeline network in the largest industrial basins is the longest in the world (more than 9000 km).

Industrial Merchant: Small and Medium Enterprises use gas in small and medium quantities, in very diversified sectors (food, heat treatment of metals, manufacture of glass or welding-cutting of metal parts, etc.). These gases are delivered and stored in liquid form, packaged in bottles or produced directly on the customers' site. Air liquide also produces solid carbon dioxide (dry ice) under the name "Carboglace" (in France). Air Liquide GIS (Industrial Gas Services) and Air Liquide Santé hold a fleet of over twelve thousand tankers worldwide.

Healthcare: Air Liquide's activities in the health sector, through Air Liquide Healthcare, represented 18% of its gas and services sales revenue in 2016. The group provides medically prescribed home and hospital treatments for patients with chronic illnesses such as COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease), sleep apnea or diabetes.

The main medical gases manufactured are:

oxygen (O2), to fight against hypoxia (insufficient amount of oxygen in the blood);
nitrous oxide (N2O) and xenon (Lenoxe), used as anesthetics;
the (O2/N2O) mixture for the treatment of pain (Kalinox);
nitric oxide (NO) used to treat pulmonary arterial hypertension (Kinox).
liquid nitrogen for cryotherapy;
medical CO2 for laparoscopy.

Spaceflight: Air Liquide has a plant located just outside Kennedy Space Center that provides gaseous nitrogen via two systems, an air separation system for standard daily needs and a launch support system for periods of higher demand. During the Artemis 1 wet dress rehearsal the level of flow was insufficient, something that will be solved by a planned upgrade of separation equipment.

Electronics: Air liquide supplies semiconductor manufacturers, flat panel displays and the photovoltaic industry with ultra-high purity gases, also called "carrier gases", chemical liquids and equipment for the application of these fluids. For its activity in the electronic sector, the group employs more than 3,000 people.

Engineering and construction: The main activity of Air Liquide Engineering & Construction is the design, engineering and construction of processing facilities and associated infrastructure. It is the primary engineering partner for plants operated by the Air Liquide Group, but also a technology provider and engineering partner to third parties as well.

Air Liquide Engineering & Construction employs more than 3,000 workers across 15 engineering centers around the world, and owns over 1,600 technology and process patents. This portfolio includes both the historical Air Liquide cryogenics and related technologies, as well as the acquired Lurgi AG technologies, notably syngas, methanol, Rectisol, and other licensed technologies.