May 7, 2013 (LBO) - Sri Lanka's Ceylon Oxygen a unit of Germany's The Linde group said it had commissioned a 62 tonnes per day air separation plant that will increase output three times.
The 1.3 billion rupee (9.3 million euro) plant located in Sapugaskande, in the outskirts of Sri Lanka's capital Colombo, will produce oxygen, nitrogen and also argon for the first time. The new air separation plant will use less energy and will meet the entire demand for argon in the country, chief executive Niran Pieris said. Argon is mainly used in specialist welding and also for medical uses, he said. "There may be opportunities for export also in the future," he said. Pieris said the plant would be able to meet market demand for the next 10 years. Sri Lanka's industrial gas market could be around 400,000 cubic metres a month, he said. The company produces industrial and medical gas and distributes welding equipment. It also installs gas equipment and pipelines. The company supplies hospitals, ship building and repair, steel, glass, food and chemical sectors. The existing 24 tonnes a day plant could be re-started around 2020 if necessary or it could be relocated to Sri Lanka's North or East if demand picks up in the future, he said.