Trade News
Munich, 19 February 2016 – The Turkish steel producer Erdemir Group and the German technology company The Linde Group have signed a Letter of Intent to form a joint venture in order to build a new air separation unit (ASU) in Iskenderun, southern Turkey. From 2017 onwards, the new plant – which will be the largest ASU operated by an industrial gases company in Turkey – will supply up to 1,700 tonnes of oxygen and nitrogen per day to a steel mill run by Isdemir, an Erdemir subsidiary, through a Build, Own, Operate (BOO) business model. This is the first international joint venture undertaken by the Erdemir Group, Turkey’s first and largest integrated flat steel producer, in its 50-year history.
“We are very pleased to partner with Erdemir, Turkey’s number one steel company,” said Dr Wolfgang Büchele, Chief Executive Officer of Linde AG. “By making this investment, we demonstrate our commitment in the growing Turkish market and our ability to add value thanks to our clear customer focus.”
Ali Pandir, the Erdemir Group Chairman, said: “Our vision of becoming a world-class company calls for a search for excellence in everything we do. Such an excellence concept includes maximum reliability and efficiency as well as minimum costs. We believe that partnering with the best-in-class companies such as Linde will help us approach our vision."
The state-of-the-art ASU will be designed and constructed by Linde´s Engineering Division. The joint venture will also be responsible for the operation and maintenance of Isdemir’s existing industrial gases production facilities.
About The Linde Group
In the 2014 financial year, The Linde Group generated revenue of EUR 17.047 bn, making it the largest gases and engineering company in the world with approximately 65,500 employees working in more than 100 countries worldwide. The strategy of The Linde Group is geared towards long-term profitable growth and focuses on the expansion of its international business with forward-looking products and services. Linde acts responsibly towards its shareholders, business partners, employees, society and the environment – in every one of its business areas, regions and locations across the globe. The company is committed to technologies and products that unite the goals of customer value and sustainable development.
For more information, see The Linde Group at www.linde.com
