OXEA and Air Liquide renewed a 12-year Oberhausen supply agreement, strengthening syngas reliability, sustainability initiatives, and chemical production growth.
OXEA GmbH and Air Liquide have strengthened their long-standing industrial collaboration by renewing a major agreement for the supply of synthesis gas and hydrogen at the Ruhrchemie Industrial Park in Oberhausen. The renewed partnership represents a significant step toward ensuring long-term operational reliability, sustainable production, and continued growth in specialty chemicals manufacturing at one of Germany’s most important chemical production sites.
Under the renewed contract, Air Liquide will continue supplying syngas and hydrogen to OXEA’s integrated production facilities at the Oberhausen industrial complex. To support the extended agreement, Air Liquide plans to invest more than €20 million in upgrading and modernizing its existing Partial Oxidation (POX) plant. These improvements are aimed at increasing operational reliability, strengthening supply security, and ensuring long-term efficiency at the site, which serves as Air Liquide’s largest production hub in Germany.
The Ruhrchemie Industrial Park has been central to oxo chemistry production for decades and remains one of OXEA’s most strategically integrated manufacturing locations worldwide. The facility plays a vital role in producing oxo intermediates and downstream specialty chemicals that are used across industries including coatings, lubricants, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, and other industrial applications. Air Liquide’s large-scale POX facility currently has the capacity to produce around 340,000 tonnes of syngas and hydrogen annually, providing critical feedstocks necessary for OXEA’s manufacturing processes.
For OXEA, the contract extension reinforces the resilience of its global supply chain and supports its long-term business strategy. The company aims to strengthen its oxo intermediates segment while accelerating growth in its Oxo Performance Chemicals business. By ensuring a stable and dependable supply of essential raw materials, OXEA can improve operational efficiency, optimize asset utilization, and continue delivering high-quality products and reliable service to customers worldwide.
The partnership also highlights the growing emphasis both companies place on sustainability and lower-carbon industrial operations. One of the most notable developments at the Oberhausen site has been the integration of a carbon capture and liquefaction system with the POX unit. Since 2021, this initiative has enabled Air Liquide to reduce carbon dioxide emissions from the facility by approximately 50%. The captured CO2 is subsequently repurposed for use in the food and beverage industry, demonstrating how circular economy principles can be successfully incorporated into large-scale chemical manufacturing operations.
Albrecht Schwerin, Chief Operating Officer at OXEA, emphasized that the agreement underlines the importance of long-term industrial partnerships in maintaining stable and efficient production systems. He noted that close collaboration with Air Liquide enables OXEA to uphold high safety and operational standards while continuing to pursue innovative industrial projects at the site.
Jorge Castro Roldan, Vice President of Global Procurement at OXEA, added that the extended agreement significantly strengthens the company’s core intermediates platform and supports the expansion of its performance chemicals portfolio. According to him, securing a more reliable feedstock supply through targeted investments improves downstream value creation and enhances the company’s ability to provide consistent performance and long-term value to customers globally.
Air Liquide’s association with the Oberhausen industrial complex dates back to the late 1960s, when the company began producing oxygen, nitrogen, and argon at the site. Since 2010, Air Liquide has operated the POX plant responsible for producing syngas and hydrogen. Sebastian Jureczek, Managing Director of Air Liquide in Germany, stated that the renewed partnership and planned investments reaffirm Air Liquide’s commitment to maintaining high standards of safety, reliability, industrial innovation, and sustainable manufacturing in Germany.
The renewed agreement establishes a 12-year commitment between the two companies, focused on operational excellence, resilient supply chains, and lower-carbon industrial production at a strategically important European chemical manufacturing hub.
