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.