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AKARTA: French-based Air Liquide, the world’s leading gas supplier for industry, health and environmental services, says it will invest around 55 million euro (US$72.78 million) to expand its business in Indonesia, which will be partly used to build an air separation unit in Cikarang, West Java.

The plant, slated to be commissioned by 2013, will be able to produce more than 2,000 tons of oxygen, nitrogen and argon gas per day, which will be allocated for Indonesia’s second largest steel maker Gunung Steel Group (GSG), the firm said in a statement.

Recently, Air Liquide commissioned a 190 ton per day (tpd) air separation unit in the industrial area to serve the needs of Gunung Garuda, GSGs subsidiary, and has been building another two separation units in Cilegon, Banten, to supply gas for the steel and chemical industry in the surrounding Cilegon Basin.

“These new investments will enable us to provide innovative solutions based on quality, reliability and efficiency and to serve the fast growing West Java area,” Jean-Marc de Royere, the senior vice president of Air Liquide Asia-Pacific, said.