Abstract
Industrial gas industry is the back bone of the industrial sector. Industrial
gases are used in the manufacturing process of virtually all the major
industries. Industrial gases were discovered during the later half of the
eighteenth century. The main gases are oxygen, nitrogen, argon, hydrogen and
some specialty gases.
These gases are present in the natural air and are extracted from there
through a separation process while some gases are produced through chemical
synthesis. The gas separation techniques used are cryogenic and non-cryogenic.
The cryogenic methods are the traditional and most popular. Under the
cryogenic method separation depends on cooling as well as pressurizing the air
till it becomes liquid.
The energy, electronics, and health care sectors continue to drive worldwide
growth for gas firms. The main driving factors for the growth of industrial
gases are demand for improving product quality and environment performance.
The big four players of this industry are Air Liquid, Linde, Praxair and Air
Products & Chemicals and these together command a large share of the market.
The industry is capital intensive and requires a huge capital while the
earnings are spread a longer period as gases are normally provided on
contracts that lasts upto fifteen years. These factors prove as barriers of
entry for new players.
This report analyzes the state and growth of this industry. It discusses the
various separation techniques used. The report talks about the recent
happenings in the industry, the trends and the size of the industry. It also
discusses the major players in this industry and the market share they command.
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