This project will boost the supply of essential liquid gases like oxygen, nitrogen, and argon across the US Southwest, while also providing liquid nitrogen for Nikkiso's local manufacturing needs.
The Nikkiso Clean Energy & Industrial Gases Group, a part of Nikkiso Co., Ltd, announced on November 24, that it has been awarded a major contract by Matheson Tri-Gas, Inc. for the construction of a state-of-the-art air separation unit (ASU) in Las Vegas, Nevada. MATHESON is a wholly owned subsidiary of Nippon Sanso Holdings Corporation.
The new facility, which is slated to become operational in 2027, will produce high-purity liquid oxygen, liquid nitrogen, and liquid argon. These products are critical components across a wide range of essential industries, including healthcare and medical facilities, metal fabrication, large-scale construction, and the food processing sector. The output from the Las Vegas ASU will be distributed to customers across a four-state region, encompassing Nevada, California, Utah, and Arizona.
This latest venture represents an extension of a long-standing and successful collaboration between Nikkiso CE&IG and MATHESON. Both companies highlight the synergy created by combining Nikkiso’s expertise in developing and deploying reliable, scalable air separation technologies with MATHESON’s robust capabilities in the supply and distribution of a diverse portfolio of packaged and specialty gases.
George Pappagelis, President of Process Systems at Nikkiso CE&IG, emphasized the importance of the continuity in their working relationship. "This project builds on several years of partnership between Nikkiso CE&IG and MATHESON, and again combines our expertise in building scalable, reliable air separation units with MATHESON’s capabilities in the supply of a range of packaged and specialty gases," he stated.
Mark Weir, Vice President of Onsite for MATHESON, echoed this sentiment, underscoring the customer-centric focus of the agreement. "We value this collaboration to work with Nikkiso in support of our customers located in the southeast region of the United States," Weir commented.
A unique and highly beneficial feature of the agreement is an innovative internal supply arrangement. Nikkiso CE&IG has secured the rights to source liquid nitrogen directly from the new ASU for its own nearby manufacturing facility in Las Vegas. This internal supply chain will be crucial for the rigorous testing of Nikkiso’s cryogenic pumps before they are shipped out for deployment and installation worldwide.
Pappagelis further noted the strong relationship that led to this novel internal supply agreement, stating, "The strong relationship between our two companies has also led to an innovative agreement which includes the supply of liquid nitrogen for our nearby manufacturing site, meaning this project will benefit not just Nikkiso CE&IG and MATHESON, but both companies’ customers as well."
