on air

C o v e r s t o r y

Messer offers its

customers a wide

range of comprehen-

sive services.

8

6

Roman Aepli talks

about laser welding

and working with

Messer.

No. 12 · August 2009 The magazine for industrial gases

13

Messer provides high-

quality drinking water

in France.

C o v e r s t o r y : 8 – 11

2 : C o n t e n t s

on air 12 · 2009

Imprint

Published by:

Messer Group GmbH

Corporate Communications

Otto-Volger-Straße 3c

D-65843 Sulzbach

Editorial Team:

Diana Buss – Editor-in-Chief

Tel.: +49 6196 7760-361

diana.buss@messergroup.com

Benjamin Auweiler, Thomas

Böckler, Angelina Donati,

Christoph Erdmann,

Tim Evison, Michael Holy,

Anita Kötél, Monika Lammertz,

Angélique Renier, Joachim

Rohovec, Marlen Schäfer

Concept and Realisation:

Maenken Kommunikation GmbH

Von-der-Wettern-Straße 25

D-51149 Köln

Translation:

Context GmbH

Elisenstraße 4–10

D-50667 Köln

Many thanks to all our

contributors!

Photos courtesy of:

Franck Beloncle (cover picture

and story); Peter Ruggle, Reiner

Knittel (Interview)

Go to www.messergroup.com

for comprehensive information

about on air, as well as the con-

tact details of the editorial team.

on air is published four times

a year in German, English and

Hungarian.

In the technical centre in Mitry-Mory, France, Angélique Renier andFrank Gockel from Messer France examine a liquid that has been tested. The technical centre recently had a new spray tower installed for spray crystallisation.

The control panel at the plant in Limoges

Aepli uses a large number of shielding gases for welding from Messer.

Sulphur in powder form

E d i t o r i a l : 3

N e w s : 4 – 5

I n t e r v i e w : 6 – 7

“The FIFA headquarters in Zurich

are a highlight”

Reiner Knittel speaks to Messer customer

Roman Aepli about the new possibilities with

laser welding, his favourite projects and

working with Messer.

M e s s e r W o r l d : 1 2 – 1 3

Update on our investments

Messer invests in new air separation units.

Medical gases for the German market

Messer is now also a pharmaceutical

manufacturer.

Messer mineralises drinking water

Oxygen ensures high-quality water treatment

in Limoges, France.

G a s - o - t h e q u e : 1 4

Oxygen in sulphur chemistry

Oxygen-enriched air increases sulphur

production capacity.

G a s e t t e : 1 5

Tips, dates, key facts

Competence network in the interests

of our customers

Messer not only provides services to its customers on site, but also in the

technical centres that specialise in application tests and research. This com-

petence network provides the basis for a wide range of services.

E

E d i t o r i a l : 3

The on air editorial team spent a long time

discussing a cover story on the different ser-

vices we offer. These services are as diverse

as the gas applications and market condi-

tions encountered in the 30-plus countries in

which Messer operates as an industrial gases

specialist. The common denominator, how-

ever, is customer orientation. Nevertheless,

are the services provided by a manufacturing

company part of its product range, an extra,

something taken for granted, or a distin-

guishing feature within the market? The an-

swer is: all this and more! From page 8 of

this issue you can read about selected exam-

ples which show that service begins even before the actual work with the customer

commences. In the customer interview, Roman Aepli, who runs a Swiss metal con-

struction company, talks about the successful partnership that exists between the

two family companies Aepli and Messer – this should always be the goal and stan-

dard we set ourselves.

The French city of Limoges also seeks to build strong partnerships with its sup-

pliers in order to guarantee high-quality drinking water for the city. Messer is sup-

plying carbon dioxide, which is rigorously checked, for the purposes of treating and

mineralising the water. Close cooperation is essential when it comes to optimising

customer processes, as this can only be achieved with a comprehensive insight into

these processes. This insight can pay off: in the “Gas-o-theque” section of this issue,

our expert in chemistry and environmental technology describes how the use of

oxygen in sulphur chemistry can lead to an increase in capacity of up to 60 per

cent. In this case, the customer benefits, but so too does the environment.

Did you notice that the back of our magazine looks different? It is about our

campaign to counter the increased risk of infection with influenza bacteria by a-

voiding the customary shaking of hands when greeting and saying goodbye to

people.

Enjoy this issue.

Best regards,

Stefan Messer

Dear Readers,Editor-in-Chief:

The editorial team

Diana Buss

Corporate Office:

Benjamin Auweiler

Marlen Schäfer

Tim Evison

Application Technology:

Thomas Böckler

Monika Lammertz

Production & Engineering:

Dr. Christoph Erdmann

Asco Kohlensäure AG:

AngelinaDonati

West Europe Region:

Angélique Renier

Central Europe Region:

Michael Holy

Joachim Rohovec

South-East Europe Region:

Anita Kötél

Stefan Messer

+++ Visit us at the SCHWEISSEN & SCHNEIDEN trade fair +++ September 14 - 19, 2009, in Essen +++ Hall 6, Booth 208 B +++

There is a close connection be-

tween carbon dioxide from

Messer and French company

Ecobulles’ appliances. The manu-

facturer of water carbonators

uses the gas in conjunction with

its equipment to combat lime-

stone and regulate the pH of the

water in a natural and economi-

cal way. They therefore rep-

resent an alternative to conven-

tional water softeners. Use of

Ecobulles appliances also extends well beyond private homes, for exam-

ple in agriculture, stockbreeding and the medical sector. Ecobulles has

developed a nasal spray called “Soft Mer” (“soft sea”) which is based on

sea water permeated with carbon dioxide.

Angélique Renier, Messer France

4 : N e w s

Electronics and gases – do they go together? The answer

is yes, of course. Just how well is demonstrated by the

brochure “electronics in best hands”, which Messer

recently published in collaboration with Seidel Elektronik,

a company based in Deutschlandsberg, Austria. Available

in German and English, the brochure presents the most

important principles of wave, reflow and

selective soldering and describes

the advantages of using nitrogen

in the manufacture of printed circuit

boards.

Jens Tauchmann, Messer Group

on air 12 · 2009

Electronics in best hands

The 20-page brochure “electronics inbest hands” provides information about

the role played by gases in the entireprocess chain from semiconductor pro-

duction through to printed circuit boardmanufacture.

Softer water thanks to CO2

René Hirsch, Managing Director of Hirsch AG in

St. Gallen, Switzerland, places great importance on

having every inch of his vehicles cleaned thoroughly.

The Saab and Lamborghini dealer has therefore recent-

ly introduced the ASCOJET dry ice blasting process.

“I see myself as a perfectionist. For this reason, I want

our cars to be perfectly cleaned – all over. And that is

precisely what I find so fascinating about dry ice.

Cleaning with water is just not the same”, says Hirsch.

Thanks to the ASCOJET dry ice blasting process, the

Lamborghinis at Hirsch AG are now processed more

quickly and gently.

Angelina Donati, Asco Kohlensäure

Blasting process for sports cars

At Hirsch AG inSt. Gallen,Lamborghinisare cleaned withdry ice.

An example of the kind of CO2 injectionequipment used by Ecobulles to softenwater for private and commercial use.

In Romania, Messer has now branched

out into a new market – the furniture

industry. The first customer in this sector

is Vitafoam, a company in Moravita that

manufactures foam for beds, chairs and

sofas. The foam is made even more com-

fortable by treating it with liquid carbon

dioxide. Messer will be supplying

Vitafoam with 25 tonnes of carbon

dioxide per year as well as nitrogen in

cylinder bundles.

Paula Mocanu, Messer Romania

Messer makes furniture

more comfortable

N e w s : 5

No more need to burn

fuel oil

Eternit Schweiz AG has cut its operating costs by a

remarkable two-thirds – all thanks to carbon dioxide

from Messer. Since the beginning of 2009, Eternit has

been using the gas supplied by Messer to clean the

wastewater that is generated during fibre cement pro-

duction and lower its pH from 12.8 to around 8.5.

Until recently, Eternit had still been neutralising the

wastewater by burning fuel oil and passing the re-

sulting flue gas into the wastewater.

Robert Schlatter, Messer Schweiz

The Pančevo oil refinery in

Serbia has modernised its gas

supply system. The contract

for this was awarded to

Messer in Serbia, which devel-

oped and installed a central

gas supply system with Spec-

tron fittings as well as a pipe-

line for technical gases for

the analyser in the laboratory.

In future, Messer will supply

more than 15 types of gas

on a regular basis. One of the

reference models was the

laboratory of the Institute

for Public Health in Maribor,

which was equipped by

Messer in Slovenia.

Marija Vukovic,

Messer Tehnogas

The gas supply settings are checked regularly.

Bombardier expands cooperation

in HungaryRail vehicle manufacturer Bombardier has confirmed its

long-standing good partnership with Messer by further

expanding cooperation. As part of a major investment

programme, 60 welding stations have been installed in a newly

built workshop. Messer has expanded the gas supply system required for

this and is supplying Bombardier with the gases needed for welding –

argon, oxygen, acetylene and carbon dioxide. A three-component shielding

gas mixture from Messer ensures that the welding robots produce

quality work.

Anita Kötél, Messer Hungarogáz

One of the railway carriage components thatBombardier welds together in Hungary withthe aid of gases from Messer.

Messer modernises laboratory

This laboratory in Maribor with its Spectronfittings served as a model for the new laboratory at the Pancevo oil refinery.

6 : I n t e r v i e w

on air 12 · 2009

Aepli, the internationally active Swiss metal construction company, makes

metal and steel structures for façades and façade sheets. In an interview

with Messer, owner and Managing Director Roman Aepli reveals his favourite

project and the role of schielding gases for welding from Messer.

Ivo SutterField Sales Representative Messer Schweiz AGTel.: +41 (0) 62 886 4164ivo.sutter@messergroup.comLanguages:

YOUR CONTACT: on air: Mr Aepli, like Messer, Aepli is a third

generation family-run business. Could you tell

us a bit about the company’s long history?

Roman Aepli: That’s right, Aepli and Messer have a

similar background, although our company is not as

old. In 1913, my grandfather, Viktor Aepli, set up a

metalworking shop in Gossau, St. Gallen, which he

passed on to my father, Rudolf Aepli, in 1955. My

brother Ruedi and I took over the business in 1991.

Today, Aepli is a renowned, internationally active

company in the construction sector with almost

200 employees.

on air: The company has been divided into a metal

construction division and a steel construction divi-

sion. Why?

Roman Aepli: The division took place in 1995, with steel

construction being taken over by my brother and metal

construction by me. The reason for this was purely a

case of dividing the company bet-

ween us two brothers. Both com-

panies complement one another

very well and our public image is

very much that of a single company.

on air: Which metals do you work?

Roman Aepli: We work all metals with a thickness of

up to 25 millimetres. This ranges from copper and

brass through to steel, aluminium and chrome steel.

on air: You also use a laser in metal construction.

Which products do you use it for?

Roman Aepli: Primarily for substructures for facades

and entire facade sheets. The laser has opened up

undreamt-of possibilities, greatly enhancing our pro-

duction with cutting tools. On top of that, we also

carry out steel construction related work.

on air: Which type of laser do you have and which

Messer gases do you use for it?

Roman Aepli: We have a Trumpf Type 6050 laser,

which we commissioned three years ago. We installed

an 11,000 litre liquid nitrogen tank for this. In addi-

tion, liquid oxygen is delivered in mobile tanks. We

get the process gases for the laser, i.e. nitrogen,

helium and carbon dioxide, in cylinders. We also use

a wide range of shielding gases for welding from

Messer (see box).

“The FIFA headquarters in Zurich

Aepli & Co. Stahl- und Metallbau has been based in Gossau, Switzerland, since

1913. Now in its third generation as a family-run business, brothers Roman and

Ruedi Aepli have divided the company into Aepli Metallbau and Aepli Stahlbau.

Aepli Metallbau relies on shielding gases for welding from Messer for its laser

welding machine, particularly in the area of facade construction. Annually, the

company processes approximately 1,110 tonnes of steel, 180 tonnes of chrome-

nickel steel and 250 tonnes of aluminium.

Facts and figures about Aepli Metallbau

Steel and metal struc-tures – that is what Aeplistands for.

on air 12 · 2009

on air: Are you happy with the working relationship

you have with Messer?

Roman Aepli: Very happy. We have found an excellent

partner in Messer. The nitrogen tank is filled automat-

ically, while liquid oxygen and the cylinder gases are

delivered within half a day without any problems. All

in all we work extremely well together.

on air: Who do you produce for with the laser?

Roman Aepli: Two-thirds of what we produce is

destined for our in-house production, and one-third

is contract production.

on air: Which of the projects that have been rea-

lised with the laser stands out for you?

Roman Aepli: The new FIFA headquarters in Zurich:

the various floors are enveloped by a three-dimen-

sional facade attached to a steel structure. Many of

the parts were produced with the aid of the laser.

on air: And what are you currently producing with

the aid of the laser?

Roman Aepli: The station square and bus terminal

in Aarau (12 km away from the headquarters of

Messer Schweiz AG in Lenzburg, ed.) are being rede-

I n t e r v i e w : 7

are a highlight”

The acquisition of thelaser has opened up

undreamt-of possibilities:Aepli can now work

metals and sheet metal up to 25 millimetres thick.

veloped and roofed over. We are cutting parts for the

substructure with a thickness of 25 millimetres. The

process gas in this instance is oxygen 3.5.

on air: Is your company feeling the effects of the

current financial and economic crisis? How are you

reacting to this?

Roman Aepli: So far we have not been affected by the

crisis. We have plenty of work. The construction sector

is still strong, since most of the projects in this area

are long-term projects. If the crisis is going to hit

us at all, it will be with a long time lag.

on air: Mr Aepli, let’s hope it stays that

way. Thank you very much for talking to

us.

Reiner Knittel,

Messer Schweiz

Product overview

Messer offers the following products specifically

for laser cutting and welding:

MegaLas X4 MegaLas He30 X1

MegaLas H7 MegaLas He68 H2

MegaLas He50 MegaLas He70 N

Nitrocut® Oxycut®

Roman Aepli is incharge of the metal con-

struction division atAepli. “We have foundan excellent partner in

Messer”, he says.

8 : C o v e r s t o r y

on air 12 · 2009

Competence network in the

interests of our customersMesser places great emphasis on service, not just on site at the customer’s

premises, but much earlier than that. The technical centres that have been

set up for the specific purpose of carrying out application tests and conduc-

ting research into new processes form an international competence network

which provides the basis for a wide range of services.

Customisable for difficultsubstances and specialcustomer requirements:the Messer technical cen-tre in Mitry-Mory, France,recently had a new spraytower installed. HereFrank Gockel is picturedcarrying out test checks.

C o v e r s t o r y : 9

on air 12 · 2009

Gases often open up new possibilities. This par-

ticularly applies to the innovative manufacture and

processing of products such as powders for drug

production, in food packaging, water treatment or

cutting and welding – in short, wherever gases are

used.

Through specific tests with cryogenic gases,

Messer makes it possible to carry out precise testing

of applications prior to their implementation at the

customer’s premises. This provides conclusive results

as to the effects of applications on processes and

products. Messer can provide this service at its own

technical centres or at the customer’s premises.

Small particles with a big impact

In our daily lives, we constantly encounter powders

and particles in the form of industrial intermediates

or consumer products. Examples include basic prod-

ucts for sauces and soups or for creams, ointments

and pills. Gases are used in a variety of ways in the

manufacture of different powder and particle sizes.

Our technical centre in the French town of Mitry-

Mory has a new spray tower which is available for

tests based on spray crystallisation using liquid nitro-

gen or liquid carbon dioxide. The tower can also be

customised for difficult substances or special cus-

tomer requirements.

“Examples of sprayed product applications in-

clude: fats, fat mixtures containing solids, chocolate

powder, waxes and active ingredients in powder form

for inhalable drugs,” explains Project Manager Frank

Gockel, Manager Application Technology Food.

Under pressure

The application of carbon dioxide under high pressure

has been known for a long time. “Since CO2 is a non-

polar molecule, it behaves like an organic solvent.

The solvent properties can be enhanced by compress-

ing CO2 to a supercritical state under pressure”, says

Frank Gockel. Examples of well-known applications

include spice extraction and decaffeination. “When

searching for new areas of application, our customers

like using the service we offer by

testing the various options on our

high pressure extraction plant and

extracting or selecting new and

innovative products in a targeted

way”, adds Frank Gockel.

This includes, for example, the

extraction of coolants and lu-

bricants from production waste for

recycling purposes or the targeted

extraction of antioxidants from

vegetable matter for health care

products. Other applications such

as chilling and freezing, the packa-

ging of food under a modified

atmosphere, as well as the pel-

letising of lactic ferments and the

recovery of silicone from waste

continued on page 10

Messer offers its customers awide range of services and tests.Large-scale field trials can alsobe carried out, for example, forwastewater related applications.

A test in the new spraytower in Mitry-Mory is moni-tored by Frank Gockel.

10 : C o v e r s t o r y

on air 12 · 2009

wastewater, drinking water or process water related

applications. “As part of this service, the Messer Group

can carry out large and small-scale trials and provide

the necessary hardware, such as injection and dosing

systems for oxygen and carbon dioxide”, says Monica

Hermans, Manager Application Technology

Chemistry/Environment. The certified field trials, which

are monitored by specialists, form the basis for optimi-

sation proposals. In addition, Messer calculates the

potential consumption of all the required gases.

Cutting and welding with competence

Messer is further expanding its cutting and weld-

ing centre in the Hungarian capital Budapest. This

centre not only provides comprehensive theoretical

and practical training for the company’s own employ-

ees, but also offers partners, customers and interested

companies training in the latest cutting and welding

techniques – with TÜV certification. The theoretical

instruction is provided by internationally experienced

welding experts. In addition to the theory, however,

Messer also sets great store by the development of

welding techniques in its welding technology centre:

“We are working on optimally tailoring the

processes to the requirements of our partners”, says

Gábor Halász, Manager Application Technology

Cutting&Welding at Messer in Hungary.

In January of this year, Messer relocated its special-

ised technical centre in Germany to the premises of

Niederrhein University of Applied Sciences in order to

develop new technologies in the field of cutting and

show the great variety of applications that are tested

in the French technical centre.

The cold grinding and recycling centre

In Krefeld, Germany, the Messer Group runs a highly

specialised test centre that offers customers the possibi-

lity of processing their own products or base materials.

An example of this is the preparation of expertly prod-

uced grinding samples using liquid nitrogen or carbon

dioxide. A large number of customers avail themselves

of this service since cold grinding is suitable for a very

wide range of materials, including thermoplastics, rub-

ber/elastomers, waxes, spices and drugs. All grinding

parameters such as throughput, power consumption,

nitrogen requirement and particle size distribution are

measured, evaluated and the results made available to

the customer. The configuration of the test system as a

whole serves as a reference for actual production

systems. This allows the results to be applied to large-

scale production. In addition to the production of

grinding samples and the comparison with different

grinding techniques, it also enables estimations of the

actual production costs. Messer also offers its customers

a service whereby existing mills are optimised on site,

with all the necessary equipment such as granulate

cooler, control valves and temperature control system

provided by Messer.

Large-scale tests

Frequently a large-scale field trial is indispensable in

order to achieve conclusive results, for example for

Oliver Dietrich (right), head of the cold grindingcentre, discussing the quality of a grinding sample.

The welding centre inKrefeld was recently

relocated to NiederrheinUniversity of AppliedSciences (Germany)for the developmentof new technologies.

C o v e r s t o r y : 11

on air 12 · 2009

welding. Close contact with the university’s materials

and joining technology department is intended to fur-

ther strengthen the exchange of specialist knowledge

and collaborative work on innovative projects, with the

focus on the development of shielding gas mixtures for

a variety of materials. The German technical centre

forms part of an international network, with other

technical centres in Hungary, China and Switzerland.

Text: Editorial Team

WebshopThrough its webshop, Messer’s French subsidiary has been providing its cylinder gas

customers with an online ordering service for several years. The FEWIS telemetry system

(remote measurement of gas storage tank levels) facilitates ordering, in particular for

liquid gases, which are procured in large cylinder bundles.

Furthermore, through its partner cryo´net´, Messer has positioned itself in the market for

online sales of small quantities of dry ice in the cryogenic cleaning sector. Customers can

order dry ice in quantities of ten kilograms or more and receive their delivery the next

day. > www.cryo-ice.fr

Messer’s Hungarian subsidiary offers a similar service to its customers in and around

Budapest. The Cryo-speed-Service is very flexible and is primarily used for supplying

laboratories, universities and institutes with liquid nitrogen in a 900-litre tank.

Ice-cold serviceWhether it be for pipe freezing, soil freezing or

dry ice blasting – Messer offers its customers a

comprehensive service and supports them

with its many years of experience.

Pipe freezing: Whether in chemical factories or

district heating networks, there are valves

everywhere that need to be replaced. Messer

has developed a process of nitrogen ice plug

sealing that allows valve replacement to be

carried out without having to empty the pipes.

Soil freezing: In order to make the ground

secure, for example during excavation work or

tunnel construction, the groundwater in the

soil is frozen with nitrogen, thereby stabilising

the site. Messer possesses the necessary hard-

ware to support its partners in such opera-

tions.

Dry ice blasting: For those customers who

very rarely need to carry out special cleaning

operations and are therefore unlikely to pur-

chase their own dry ice system, Messer offers

comprehensive dry ice blasting services in col-

laboration with ASCO.

T H E P L U S P O I N T S F O R T H E C U S T O M E R :

+ Large-scale field trials or at one of the Messer technical centres

+ Expert advice

+ Training using state-of-the-art technology

+ Fast and efficient cost analyses

+ Optimisation proposals

+ Conclusive results

+ Applicability to actual production conditions

+

Plant constructionMesser’s Production & Engineering division

offers a comprehensive plant construction ser-

vice. As well as supporting customers in the

planning of new plants, the department also

evaluates and optimises the efficiency and

capacity utilisation of existing plants. The ser-

vice portfolio also covers maintenance as well

as support in purchasing plant components.

During tunnelling, as in this examplein Budapest, the soil is frozen for greaterstability.

All kinds ofpowders andgranulatesare producedusing cryo-genic grinding.

on air 12 · 2009

1 2 : M e s s e r W o r l d

E

Medical gases for the German marketGermany: Messer is now also establishing itself

as a medical gases provider in Germany.

Since April, Messer, as a pharmaceutical manufacturer

in accordance with Article 13 of the German law

governing the manufacture and prescription of drugs,

has been entitled to fill cylinders with medical oxy-

gen in Germany. At the beginning of 2009, Messer

received permission from the Federal Ministry

for Drugs and Medical Products to sell medical

gases.

Gases such as oxygen, helium, nitrous

oxide and carbon dioxide play an important

role in medicine. In this regard, two issues are

of particular importance: firstly, the large

number of different gas mixtures needed in order to

offer an optimal solution for every medical require-

ment. Secondly, the uncompromising quality of the

gases in order to satisfy the demanding standards of

the health service. Messer supplies the medical gases

market segment through more than 30 national subsid-

Update on our investments

Siegen (Germany):

The installation work has been largely com-

pleted – the project is therefore right on

schedule. We are expecting the unit to go

into operation on time in September 2009.

Salzgitter (Germany):

Construction work on the site of Salzgitter AG

is in full swing. All the foundations have been

completed. All the components and materials

for the cold box and the front end have

arrived. Our installation teams will start work

on the construction of the process plant in

the coming weeks.

Visp (Switzerland):

The air separator at Lonza in Visp has been in

operation since May 2009. The downstream

liquefier, which will produce cryogenic air

gases for Messer customers in Switzerland and

Italy, will be started up any day now.

Köseköy (Turkey):

Construction work has been completed. Delivery

of the main components is expected by the end

of August. Installation will commence immedi-

ately after delivery of components. As things

stand, the plant is due to be completed at the

beginning of November.

Completed start-ups:

Tarragona (Spain): 2008

Zenica (Bosnia-Herzegovina): Autumn 2008

Rybnik (Poland): Spring 2009

iaries in Europe. The approval of the German subsid-

iary as a pharmaceutical manufacturer has opened up

another important market and will enable the synergies

within the Messer Group to be used for the benefit of

customers.

Dr. Herbert Weindorf, Messer Group

Dr. Herbert WeindorfSenior Specialist Quality &Regulatory AffairsTel.: +49 (0) 6196 7760-182Fax: +49 (0) 6196 7760-502herbert.weindorf@messergroup.comLanguages:

YOUR CONTACT:

The service portfolio not onlycovers the filling and distributionof medical gases, but also theinstallation of special fittings.

Installation of the plant in Resita(Romania) is almost complete.

Across Europe, Messer is investing in new gas production facilities, so-called air separators.

CO2

M e s s e r W o r l d : 1 3

on air 12 · 2009

But the exceptional quality of the water is not only

explained by the location. A significant contribution

is also the effective and constantly monitored

treatment process. During this process, the water is

first decanted, filtered and finally disinfected with

ozone.

After being purified and made drinkable in this

way, the water is then mineralised. “Because the

water from the Limoges region flows over granite,

it is insufficiently mineralised and could therefore

attack the water pipes”, explains Florian Follut, a

water engineer at Messer France. “If not corrected,

this ‘natural aggressiveness’ would have a negative

impact on the taste and colour of the water and

dissolve some of the metals in the water pipes

(solubilisation)“, explains Jean-Luc Vialleseche, who is

in charge of the city’s treatment station. This can be

prevented by injecting lime and carbon dioxide and

thereby increasing the calcium content of the water.

Messer has installed two 32-tonne tanks with

food-grade liquid CO2, which provide a regular and

continuous supply to the city’s treatment station.

Strict guidelines

In France, Messer produces CO2 from various chemical

and biological sources. Obtained and purified as a

by-product, the carbon dioxide is subjected to strict

testing.

In addition, a system of emptied safety lines

prevents any risk of cross-contamination between

tanker lines and customer tanks. The solution

behaviour of CO2 in water has also been optimised.

By winning suppliers as partners, the city of

Limoges is underlining its commitment to guarantee-

ing a high-quality water supply.

Angélique Renier, Messer France

Messer mineralises drinking waterFrance: The quality of the drinking water in Limoges is among the best in

France. The city supplies more than 170,000 private users and 500 compa-

nies and factories. The raw water comes from five different storage reservoirs

at the foot of the Massif Central in the centre of the country.

Station manager Jean-LucVialleseche (left) and FlorianFollut, a water engineer atMesser in France, inspectthe water treatment stationin Limoges.

CO2 CO2

CO2

on air 12 · 2009

Oxygen in sulphur chemistryToday, sulphur is primarily used in the chemical and pharmaceutical indus-

tries, but it is also used in heavy industry for the alloying of steels. As part

of the sulphur production process, Messer enriches air with oxygen, increas-

ing capacity by up to 60 per cent.

Today, more than 98 per cent of elemental sulphur

technical production (approx. 48 million tonnes prod-

uced in 2007) is based on synthetic production from

oil and natural gas. The most important sulphur pro-

duction process from a technical point of view is the

so-called CLAUS Process. The first step involves the

splitting of sulphur compounds contained in the oil

into hydrogen sulphide (H2S) and hydrocarbons in a

process called hydrocracking. The “sour gas” that is

separated by amine scrubbing is subsequently con-

veyed to the CLAUS Process. The sour gas that is

obtained from natural gas can also be processed into

sulphur in a similar way. In the CLAUS Process, part

of the H2S gas is usually converted into sulphur diox-

ide (SO2) with atmospheric oxygen, which is then

converted into sulphur with H2S. Many existing plants

have reached their capacity limit in recent years

because of much stricter requirements with regard to

maximum SO2 emissions and simultaneously rising

sulphur content in the crude oil being used. In order to

increase the capacity of existing processes while keep-

ing investment costs to a minimum, it is possible to

operate CLAUS plants with oxygen-enriched air. In this

connection, Messer and a partner company have de-

1 4 : G a s - o - t h e q u e

Dr. Walter BachleitnerMesser Austria GmbHSenior Specialist Chemistry & EnvironmentTel.: +43 (0) 66 4819 5040walter.bachleitner@messergroup.comLanguages:

YOUR CONTACT:

Sulphur (in this case inpowder form) is used in the chemical and pharmaceutical industries to produce, amongst others, sulphuric acid, dyes, insecticides and fertilisers.

veloped a process in which the oxygen is added to the

post-combustion zone of CLAUS combustion chambers.

A plus for the environment

The modified process leads to an increase in capacity

of up to 60 per cent. With investment costs at only

about one per cent of those associated with new

CLAUS plants, the modified process is very cost-effec-

tive and absolutely competitive compared with other

processes on the market. In addition to the marked

increase in capacity, there are other advantages to be

gained from modifying conventional plants in this way.

The main one is the complete conversion of ammonia

and high-molecular hydrocarbons on account of the

higher combustion temperature (>1350 °C) – a big

plus for the environment.

Walter Bachleitner,

Messer Austria

G a s e t t e : 1 5

The encyclopaedia is worth 78 euros and contains all the

important information, facts and figures on the history of

German family enterprises. To enter, simply find the page

containing the full photo whose excerpt is shown here, and

send the page number in an e-mail with the subject line

“Competition” to

B U D A P E S T - B A M A K O R A L LYAdventure for a good cause

... the encyclopaedia of German family enterprises:

M E S S E R E N H A N C E S C U L T U R A L E V E N T SSpectacular spec ia l effects

Congratulations to Helga Romp from EGN Entsorgungsgesllschaft Niederrhein mbH in Grevenbroich (Germany)

who submitted the right answer – “Page 7” – for Issue No. 11 and has won a Messer model truck.

In Serbia, Messer is arousing delight

and astonishment with increasing

regularity – albeit indirectly. This is

because many spectacular special

effects – be it in films, at concerts,

on TV or in the theatre – are created

using gases. Helium-filled balloons

that are released from nets and

gradually drift down onto the audi-

ence, dry ice fog and nitrogen for light

beam effects are just a few examples

of the variety of ways in which

Messer enhances audience enjoyment

at cultural events.

Partnerships with famous Serbian

artistes further ensure awareness of

the Messer brand among a wide cul-

tural audience.

Marija Vukovic, Messer Tehnogas

* This competition is not open to Messer employ- ees and their families.

The Budapest-Bamako Rally is the largest amateur rally in the world. Naturally, the participating drivers and

teams need to have a sense of adventure – after all, a not inconsiderable part of the route goes through the

Sahara Desert as far as the capital of Mali. But besides adventure, the rally drivers have another important

motivation: to support poor and needy children in Mauritania and Mali. As leader of the Bud Spencer Bamako

Team, Csaba Szögi, an IT consultant at Messer in Hungary, took part in this year’s rally from mid-January to

early February and delivered a Red Cross donation in Bamako. Messer supported the

team financially and also donated writing materials and t-shirts for orphans.

Anita Kötél, Messer Hungarogáz

www.messergroup.com/cs/specialeffects>

Special stage effects from Messer

The Bud SpencerBamako Team andMesser provided support for orphans in Bamako. CsabaSzögi (back left) trav-elled as team leader.

www.budapestbamako.org | www.budspencerbamako.extra.hu>

Closing date:

1 October 2009

diana.buss@messergroup.com>

C O M P E T I T I O NWin . . .