France's Air Liquide Receives Class A Investor Certificate for Industrial Gas Production Project in Pirdop

The French industrial and medical gas manufacturer Air Liquide Bulgaria received a Class A investor certificate from InvestBulgaria Agency (IBA) at an official ceremony in Sofia. IBA Executive Director Mila Nenova presented the certificate to Air Liquide Bulgaria General Manager Felicitas Zimmerhof for the company's investment in a new industrial gas production facility in the western town of Pirdop.

The facility under construction aims to meet the gas consumption needs of the Aurubis Bulgaria copper plant. The certificate is valid until May 30, 2028.

This is a joint investment project that Air Liquide is implementing in both Bulgaria and Germany, worth  EUR 100 million. This investment will cover a new Air Separation Unit (ASU) in Bulgaria and the modernization of four existing units in Germany. However, its focus is on the investor's production facilities in the Sredna Gora area. The investment will start in June 2024, and the plant is expected to be operational in 2027.

Located in Western Bulgaria, the new ASU will replace older units to produce increased volumes of oxygen and nitrogen for Aurubis, the French company said in a press release. It will also produce argon for Industrial Merchant markets across Europe. This state-of-the-art new ASU will consume 7% less electricity than the ASUs it will replace. Aurubis and Air Liquide will work together so that part of the energy needed to run the site will be of renewable origin. This has the potential to save substantial CO2 emissions every year, the French company said in a press release.

In addition to providing large volumes of oxygen and nitrogen for the increasing production of copper and other metals by Aurubis, the French company also expects the project to strengthen Air Liquide's industrial infrastructure and market share in Bulgaria.  

Vessela Todorova-Mosettig, Director of the French-Bulgarian Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Bulgaria, said that Air Liquide is a key player in France and is now expanding its presence in Bulgaria.

Air Liquide Bulgaria General Manager Zimmerhof said that the company has been a partner in Bulgaria's industrial growth for over 25 years, providing services to the predecessor of Aurubis. Air Liquide is developing its customer network and serving various sectors of industry. With its Pilar project, the French company is taking a significant step towards a sustainable future, she added. According to her, the presence of an air separation system [for the components contained in the air and their isolation, author's note] is a sign of the investor's commitment to efficiency and sustainability. The investment is also part of the corporate strategy to achieve carbon neutrality in the Bulgarian market by 2050. According to Zimmerhof, the Class A investment certificate awarded demonstrates the support of the Bulgarian government and highlights the importance of the project's contribution to Bulgaria's economic and technological development.

Before handing the certificate, IBA Executive Director Nenova said that this is a very important project – industrial, high-tech, innovative. The cooperation between Aurubis and Air Liquide gives an idea of the existing opportunities for international cooperation in Bulgaria, she added.   

Michel Roseau, the newly appointed head of the economic section at the French Embassy in Sofia, said that Air Liquide's ambitious project in Pirdop highlights the company's long-term presence in Bulgaria and that this presence is successful. It is also an example of how long-term cooperation brings beneficial results for everyone. 

He added that the investment will contribute to the creation of new highly skilled jobs and will encourage the development of low-carbon industry in Bulgaria, so that the country can meet the European Commission's high requirements in the field of low-carbon economy and achieve low carbon emissions by 2050. According to him, this project will pave the way for stable economic growth and improve Bulgaria's economic capacity. He described the investment as a sign of the excellent level of French-Bulgarian cooperation.     

The ceremony for the presentation of the Class A investor certificate was also attended by representatives of the German Embassy in Bulgaria and the management of the German-Bulgarian Chamber of Industry and Commerce.

Air Liquide is a global company in the field of gas separation. The company is present in over 60 countries, where it serves more than 4 million customers and employs around 66,500 people. It has been present in Bulgaria since 1999 and has three production bases in the country, located in Pernik, Pirdop, and Targovishte. With its 100 employees, the company serves over 600 customers.