ISO (International Organisation for Standardisation), is a voluntary system for companies around the world gain accreditation according to certain standards which meet the requirements of business and the broader needs of society.

Although entirely voluntary, ISO certification is becoming increasingly prevalent in industry today.  This is according to Abdul Shaik, Field Quality Manager at Air Products South Africa.  He explains that there are several reasons behind this.

“There are a number of drivers for ISO accreditation, including organisational procedures and operational efficiencies, as well as customer requirements,” he says.

As one of the country’s leading manufacturers, suppliers and distributors of gas and gas products, Air Products gives top priority to health and safety issues and is proud of its track record.

Sue Jansen van Vuuren, Environmental Health and Safety, and Quality Manager at Air Products, explains the company’s standpoint:  “For us, nothing is more important than safety – not production, not sales, not profits.”

She continues: “We regard the national legislation in terms of environmental health and safety as the very minimum standard.  Over and above legislative compliance, we have very well-entrenched quality management systems in place, including ISO 9001, which we have had since 1992.”

ISO 9001, Shaik explains, is a baseline quality management certification, which the company has in place at all its sites countrywide.  More recently, Air Products has achieved two further ISO accreditations:  ISO 22 000, which is a food management system utilised mainly in the food industry  and ISO 14 000, an environmental management system. “We comply to local legislation in terms of environmental safety,” says Shaik, “but it is important to us to reach over and above this by attaining ISO certification as well.”

He explains: “Being ISO compliant affects our operational efficiency by ensuring that we do not incur waste and that we operate according to carefully designed step-by-step procedures. This eliminates possible complaints, fewer failures and reworks, which in turn keeps production costs as low as possible.”

In addition, ISO certification has proved instrumental in providing the company with access to new markets.

“We get many requests from customers and prospective customers wanting to see our ISO certification,” Shaik says.

ISO, which is granted to South African companies through the SABS (South African Bureau of Standards) applies to a company’s manufacturing or production facilities, which in turn provides guarantees regarding that facility’s output and product consistency.

“It is about engineering and managing procedures according to international best practice to ensure a consistent quality output, which meets customer expectations,” says Shaik.

The start up to achieving ISO certification involves a lot of time and effort, with particular emphasis on careful documentation.

“Primary processes have to be well-documented and recorded for later scrutiny, which is quite an involved process in itself,” Shaik explains. “Thereafter, it is important to train your people on approved procedures, according to ISO standards – and then there are various ‘checks and balances’, checking incoming bulk product and raw material, and outgoing product according to specifications.”

He emphasises the importance of keeping careful records of all activities, including training.  “This is important for auditing purposes, as SABS routinely audits our systems.” Shaik says.

With regards to keeping compliant, Van Vuuren says: “Once we have achieved our ISO certification in the various areas, we conduct our own internal audits. But we realise that it’s not always possible to ensure compliance remotely, so we hold the people on the ground accountable for how they run their areas day-to-day.  It is something that is an ongoing effort – we definitely do not rest on our laurels!”

She adds that the SABS/ISO audit is generic in nature, and that Air Products’ internal auditing is run according to very strict industry-specific standards, conducted by subject experts and specialists in the various fields of gas production.

Shaik concludes: “Being ISO compliant has become a way of life for Air Products: it makes good business sense, and, more importantly, ensures that we are able to consistently provide a quality output, according to world standards – something our customers have come to expect from Air Products.”

“Air Products is leading the way in developing innovative hydrogen technologies, which can reduce dependence on other heavy fossil-burning fuels and drive economic growth,” says Seelan Gounden, General Manager Supply Chain at Air Products.

While hydrogen fuel cell technology points to a cleaner future, hydrogen use is already playing a key role in a number of industry sectors.

“Air Products is the largest producer of hydrogen to oil refineries globally which use the gas to produce cleaner burning fuels. Hydrogen enables refiners to increase the amount of fuel that can be produced from every barrel of crude oil while assisting to remove pollutants from crude oil” says Gounden.

Hydrogen has applications in many other industries such as chemical, electronics, and foods, where it is used on a daily basis. Its dynamic properties are proven to improve quality output, optimise performance and reduce costs.

Air Products, which already operates an extensive hydrogen pipeline network around the world and in South Africa is investing substantially in the development of hydrogen as a commercial energy source, notably in fuel cell technology.

“Hydrogen is the cleanest burning and most efficient fuel,” explains Gounden. “It can be used to produce electricity in a fuel cell for the cleanest option, or in an internal combustion engine where emissions are significantly reduced compared to other fuels.”

“Hydrogen is a great carrier of energy and can be produced from many renewable resources. It is carbon-free, non-hazardous and produces no greenhouse gases when used as a fuel.”

Because hydrogen is a light, clean-burning, abundant chemical, it is the first choice for fuel cells.

“Through the process of electrolysis, hydrogen can produce electricity and electricity can produce hydrogen, creating an energy loop that is ongoing and renewable.  We are proud to partner with key stakeholders and industry leaders in helping to develop and commercialise fuel cell technology.”

“Our unparalleled expertise in the safe generation and supply of hydrogen makes us a crucial partner in advancing a new era of renewable energy in South Africa and ultimately, in helping to mitigate the negative effects of climate change” says Gounden.

Companies have had to revisit old ideas, and change the way they have done things in the past. They have been forced to sit up and realise that, unless they keep their fingers firmly on the pulse of the environment in which they operate, and become finely attuned to market changes, their businesses will slowly erode and become less sustainable in the long term.

That is why, when considering long-term capital investments, it has become crucial for a company to learn to read the markets, understand the environment and be able to manage the ups and downs.  Although we all desire balance, good leadership is about equilibrium and learning to manage the push and pull of the markets. The key to good operational strategy is to identify the risk areas.

The ‘golden thread’ of Strategy

Long-term capital investment is connected closely with strategy; and strategy is a golden thread which runs through an organisation.

Just as strategy forms the basis of a company’s future intent, so too, do long-term investment choices.  Long-term investment has a significant impact on a company in several important ways: it impacts a company’s long-term performance, its future viability and sustainability, and its service levels – and therefore its reputation.

Because the key to Air Products’ Packaged Gas business is to supply cylinder gas timeously and reliably to our customers, it is important never to lose sight of the importance of the service element of the business and the effect that sound investment decisions have on our ability to deliver.  We, at Air Products, have come to realise that we are not as much a gas company, as we are a supply chain company, and, as such, have built a solid industry reputation for security of supply.

To maintain this reputation it is not only crucial to our ongoing success in a changing, and increasingly competitive market, but also to that of our customers, and their manufacturing processes.

Gas Is Vital

Gas is everywhere.  It is an age-old and ubiquitous commodity which touches every conceivable industry.  Yet, despite this indisputable fact, most of the time gas is perceived as being a relatively inconsequential part of an industrial or manufacturing project – a major element which goes unnoticed.

One sometimes needs to be reminded, however, that gas is vital to many industrial processes, in both manufacturing and mining. So much so, that certain activities, such as modern day welding, simply cannot take place without it, and if gas supply falters, a costly project could grind to a halt.

This is why, at Packaged Gas, we have to constantly examine and re-examine our investment in cylinder capacity, and to analyse our supply percentages.  If our supply-demand ratio goes ‘out of kilter’, not only would Air Products suffer by incurring unforeseen costs, but we would be losing sight of our ability to deliver customer service. All of these factors would have a negative impact on our customers’ productivity, with a knock-on effect on their capacity to deliver to their own customers. In short, getting the supply ratios right, ensures that the business remains viable in the long-term.

When considering long-term investments, it is vital, therefore, to consider both one’s reputational risk, and how best to not only sustain, but improve service levels. Long-term capital investment must go hand-in-hand with customer service improvement.

In Packaged Gas, there are many ways we tackle customer service improvement.  These include improved delivery and logistics methods and processes – such as handheld devices for instant invoicing, and telemetry. Telemetry monitors the gas levels at a customer’s facility automatically, so that gas is ordered on behalf of the customer before he even realises his supply is running low. Predicting demand accurately in this way, elevates gas to the status of a utility, like electricity or water, in the eyes of the customer.

In a dynamic and volatile economic environment, it has become increasingly important for a business to hone its strategy to one that is proactive, not reactive.  And for an organisational strategy that is proactive, leadership needs to be flexible, agile and quickly respond to change.

Like a ‘speed boat’

Packaged Gas has the ability to quickly respond to an environment in flux. We use the analogy of a speed boat: agile and able to turn around quickly according to market demand, as opposed to a large oil tanker which is less manoeuvrable.

In order to be flexible and proactive in strategic management, it is vitally important to develop an understanding and intrinsic knowledge of the key market drives as well as its current and future needs.

To do this requires two things: doing one’s homework, and developing a reliable ‘gut feel’.  In fact, growing a dependable ‘gut feel’ or instinct for the best way to react to market fluctuations, comes from doing one’s homework.  It comes from gaining information, but more importantly it is the strategic application of that information. It is the combination of market intelligence and knowledge that is the key to successful strategic decisions and the correct investment choices.

Getting the right match – on the same page

Not only is a careful assessment of the environment a key component of long-term capital investment considerations, but so too is having the right people in place. By this, I mean not only the choice of partners in a long-term investment, but also suppliers and staff.  Here it is important to understand and communicate your principles and values, as a company. There needs to be both an ethical and a cultural match with your management team, your business partners, your suppliers, your customers and, importantly, your staff.  To ensure that everyone is ‘on the same page’, there needs to be a marriage of minds, and an alignment in strategic thinking.

Conversely, without such alignment, the result can be staff attrition; and bad investment decisions can result in a negative perception of the organisation on the part of staff members and partners. However, a sound investment strategy connects all stakeholders on a positive growth trajectory.

In order for long-term capital investments to positively impact a company’s long-term performance, viability, and reliability, the approach also needs to be both innovative and bold. This is assuming that you have done your homework, your business is finely attuned to changing market conditions, and you have developed that all-important ‘gut feel’.

‘Thinking big’ and executing fearlessly

When it comes to capital investment, it is easy to get paralysed by over-cautious thinking, to let your thoughts limit your company’s growth. Here, the confidence to ‘think big’ comes into play. And once again, this comes with careful assessment of the environment, past experience, and a business acumen that is developed over time.

It is important, therefore, to innovate as part of your strategy, and then to execute fearlessly. Yet the ability to focus, think big and to boldly seize opportunities only comes with keeping one’s finger on the pulse of the market, both locally and globally – checking for, and reacting to, key indicators and measurements.

Long-term capital investments that are tied in closely to that ‘golden thread’ – a flexible and knowledge-based strategy – will have a long-lasting and positive impact on your company’s performance, customer service, and reputation.

A. Hak Industrial Services is the leading industrial services supplier to the petrochemical industry in South Africa. One of the services it offers its blue chip clients is high volume nitrogen pumping. “This methodology has many uses, from purging and displacing product in pipelines, to plant shutdown operations, where our pump units are used to supplement the on-site nitrogen supply to reduce the turnaround time,” says Stuart Baigent, Project Engineer (Sales) at A. Hak Industrial Services.

Working together with the gas (nitrogen) suppliers, A. Hak coordinates shutdown purging and displacement activities to ensure a continuous operation and gas free environment prior to commencement of mechanical works. The same principle applies during the plant start-up operation. A.Hak’s units are frequently used for pressure testing, drying, purging and leak testing operations.

During the annual maintenance shutdown for its regular client last year, A. Hak Industrial Services was called on to provide an atypically large volume of gaseous nitrogen. “This request was due to the fact that instead of shutting down only one of the two sections – East and West – at the plant, the petrochemical facility decided to concurrently shut down both sections,” says Baigent.

“The petrochemical facility uses gaseous nitrogen to remove the hydrocarbons in the high pressure system in the plant to ensure the safety of the maintenance workers on site. In a nutshell, nitrogen is an inert gas that displaces air to greatly reduce the risk of ignition and subsequent fires or explosions,” Baigent explains.

“The complete plant shutdown resulted in the demand for gaseous nitrogen far exceeding the volumes available on site. We were requested by the petrochemical facility to project manage the supply of additional nitrogen in order to meet the on site requirements,” says Baigent.

“Our scope of work included the supply of two purpose built nitrogen pump and vaporiser units fed from a temporary nitrogen storage facility erected at the pumping location in the Plant he says. In addition, A. Hak was responsible for sourcing the liquid nitrogen from three suppliers; providing storage for on-site nitrogen; and coordinating the daily nitrogen deliveries to ensure a constant availability of 10 000 Nm3/hour to be fed into the high pressure header and maintained at a pressure of 28 to 33 bar. “We approached three nitrogen suppliers, including Air Products, to provide us with both the liquid nitrogen as well as the specified storage vessels. Air Products went out of their way to accommodate all our requirements and in fact were responsible for supplying product well in excess of our initial discussions. In addition, they were the only supplier that was prepared to provide the requisite storage vessels,” says Baigent.

Of the three suppliers, Air Products was initially requested to supply 60% of all liquid nitrogen for the project. The final supply ratio exceeded this by 10%, with a total contribution of 310 tons. “Air Products also supplied three pre-filled vacuum insulated evaporator (VIE) storage tanks which were essential for ensuring a constant supply of nitrogen around the clock. The team moved these storage tanks on to site on 16 August. The vessels then underwent the appropriate testing in preparation for the commencement of Phase 1 of the shutdown on 24 August,” says Baigent.

The second phase of the shutdown, which involved the start-up of the plant, commenced on 10 September and ended on 17 September. “During this period the gaseous flow rate requirements were drastically reduced and thus the sense of urgency was alleviated,” says Baigent. Baigent says that the level of commitment and flexibility exhibited by Air Products has resulted in the company now being officially declared a preferred supplier to A. Hak.

“The service provided by the Air Products team was superb. A dedicated coordinator ensured that all our demands were met with grace and speed. Their ability to react quickly to our changing needs was exemplary and where we are in a position to select our own supplier, Air Products will be our first choice going forward.” “We were impressed by the consistent feedback from Air Products, their can-do attitude and by the way they exceeded our over all expectations,” Baigent concludes.

In a bid to enhance the safety and security of its drivers, the company has installed DriveCam in its fleet of trucks. This system records and monitors the causes of bad driving.

Distribution Manager of Air Products South Africa, Donovan O’Grady, says that the DriveCam monitoring system has positively impacted driver behaviour and attitudes, leading to a markedly lower accident rate.

“Through DriveCam, Air Products has been able to reduce accidents by highlighting undesirous driver behaviour. It has improved driver understanding and performance through review of the recorded incidents. A driver can also manually record unusual occurrences he feels necessary towards providing feedback following a trip, ” O’Grady adds.

He explains that the system is located on the windscreen of the vehicle and consists of a video recording unit, which has two cameras: one focused on the interior of the cabin and the other on the road. Video footage is recorded for a total of 8 seconds – 2 seconds prior to an event and 6 seconds after an event.

“The system is triggered either manually by the driver, or automatically in the event of some kind of sudden movement or jolt, such as taking a hard corner, braking suddenly, or a collision,” explains O’Grady.

Air Products, as a leading manufacturer and distributor of industrial gas to an extensive network in the southern African region, prizes its drivers as integral to a successful supply chain. The company’s drivers are referred to as ’operators’ and are subjected to an intensive cryogenic driver programme which entails being evaluated twice a year.

“They have to pass written tests during these evaluations to demonstrate their knowledge of how to react in a hazardous situation,” says O’Grady.

“The data that we receive from the DriveCam system enables us to modify our driver training programme. It’s given us a better understanding of what happens on the roads and, more importantly, because it is recorded it allows us to immediately address bad driving habits and techniques,” he says. The data is uploaded via a cell phone connection to the company’s data centre, and is immediately available for scrutiny. O’Grady points out that one further benefit is that footage can be used as prosecutory evidence in a court of law.

“Being monitored in this way, when they need it, has changed the attitude of our drivers,” maintains O’Grady. “And the results speak for themselves: fewer accidents and the added benefit of a reduction in fuel consumption.”

Looking after its drivers is further proof of Air Products’ commitment to operating safely and diligently in the environment they share.

This is especially true of the Packaged Gas Business Unit, which operates a responsive, ‘just-in-time’ (JIT) system, according to customer demand.

Shamo Moonsamy, Customer Service Manager: Packaged Gas at Air Products describes how the company keeps its finger closely on the pulse of market demand and is in constant touch with its customers.

“A crucial part of our operations is our daily meeting where the key stakeholders – Customer Services, Production and Distribution – come together to look at the customer requirements.

After the meeting we get in touch with the customer and keep him up to date with the status of his order.  This proactive feedback to customers is a key feature of how Air Products does business.”

The result of this interactive approach is a flexible, organic supply chain system, based on the principle of sound communication, and delivering on promises.

“We call this ‘service that delivers the difference’”, says Moonsamy, who emphasises the company’s commitment to a 24 hour service delivery.

“By keeping the channels of communication open, Air Products can deliver on our promise of the quickest possible turnaround,” he says.

This is one of the reasons why Air Products runs its own fleet of delivery trucks.

In addition, the company regards its fleet drivers as an important link in an effective supply chain, and as such, values its older, more experienced drivers.

“Again, it goes back to the people factor”, says Moonsamy.  Our drivers are very much part of the customer service ethos – they are trusted to deal with customers: and are trained in customer relationship management and in understanding customer requirements.”

Although manual processes form the backbone of the Packaged Gas supply chain, technology also plays a key role in managing the supply chain. GPS vehicle tracking systems and recording devices on trucks monitor speed, diversion from routes, delays, as well as erratic driving behaviour. This means that Air Products can keep a close eye on what happens on the roads, and thus protect its drivers as well as its vehicles.

The company is in the process of implementing new hand held technology which should affect a smoother invoicing process.  With information pre-loaded through the host system and transferred to the hand-held device, invoicing records are constantly updated and each transaction is recorded instantaneously.

The Packaged Gas business is run on a just-in-time principle and Air Products uses the Kanban system to analyse the rate of production in relation to customer demand.

“The Kanban system is based on the number of cylinders dispatched over a fixed period of time, closely monitoring stock levels and the volumes that need to be replenished in order to maintain optimum levels”, says Moonsamy.

The dynamic nature of the business means that Packaged Gas does not rely on strenuous planning.  “It is a ‘today for tomorrow’ operational ethos. And because we have to be flexible and responsive to demand, we find that a largely manual system, one that is optimised to suit the customer, works most efficiently.”

Moonsamy concludes: “We run a very lean and cost-effective operation with minimal technology: we consistently outshine the industry benchmark, when we compare our running costs against the RFA (Road Freight Association) figures.

Daily communications mean we have control over our service delivery and when it comes to our 24 hour turnaround, we really do deliver the difference!”

He explains that high pressure gas is required for laser cutting, and that Air Products introduced Maxitank to meet customers’ essential requirements. “We strive to provide unmatched customer service through the Maxitank concept. The company introduced the tank, aiming to reduce its reliance on cylinder assets.”

According to Young, each Maxitank is linked to a telemetry system which provides Air Products with up-to-the-minute tank levels.  The tank stores high purity, liquefied gas and is often selected to replace cylinders or bulk in the usage range of 0,1 to 30 metric tonnes per month.

“There were a few technical challenges in guaranteeing security of gas supply for industry through the Maxitank,” says Young, adding that Joshua le Roux, Air Products South Africa General Manager of Packaged Gas, recognised the potential for the use of a Maxitank in the laser cutting industry.

Le Roux explains: “When Maxitank was developed by Air Products South Africa, it was considered as an industry pathfinder for laser cutting applications; and is still leading the market today.”

Maxitanks are filled by an Air Products-introduced Ocar tanker. As standard road tankers are not equipped to fill both high and low pressure bulk systems and Maxitanks, each Ocar tanker was dedicated to one gas type. A dedicated filling facility is based in Kempton Park.

Air Products owns each Maxitank to ensure customer service, quality, traceability and management.

“Through our Managed Gas concept, Air Products provides customers with holistic, end-to-end management of all their gas requirements. This in turn, allows customers to focus on their core business more effectively. We furthermore provide full technical back-up service and follow-up. There is therefore a cradle-to-grave approach of ownership and accountability,” notes Young.

He continues: “Air Products provides a 24 hour, 7 day a week back-up maintenance service.” Preventative maintenance is carried out on a regular basis according to a schedule. This system is part of the ISO 9001 listing, therefore regular audits are carried out to ensure compliance.

All equipment complies with industry specifications, safety standards and is maintained in such condition. All work is carried out by trained technicians. Any addition or alterations to the installation is routed through Air Products, which has qualified personnel to design and carry out these additions or alterations.”

In addition, Young discusses on-site gas management for customers. This is encompassed in outlook services, designed to serve the needs of industrial companies that require flawless gas supply at low total cost. “Our scope of services includes on-site management of cylinder, bulk and pipeline gases, wet chemicals, maintenance services, engineering and technical consulting.”

“Air Products understands industrial gas chemistry, industry requirements, customer service and accountability. This is crucial in the cutting industry, and we are dedicated to customers’ needs,” concludes Young.

However, as Sachin Kulkarni, Air Products’ National Sales Manager for Bulk Gases says, the company is ever ready to meet new challenges and discover new markets for its products and technologies.

“It has always been one of Air Products’ main objectives to introduce innovative new technologies, which, in turn, open up new markets for our products.”

One such fresh challenge presented itself late last year, when Air Products was approached by Mark Wilson, Managing Director of Live Productions and Events, to assist in a major Christmas event at Carnival City in Gauteng. The challenge, in short, was to create 12 days’ worth of freshly-made snow to transform a 60m x 45m marquee into a winter wonderland.

This amounted to 240 tons of snow, which involved a carefully worked out logistical plan and close communication between the events company and Air Products.

One of the most popular means of making snow, explains Wilson, is the cryogenic method, which involves a combination of liquid nitrogen, compressed air and water.

“Air Products supplied the bulk liquid nitrogen, stored in tankers at –180ºC, which is instrumental in ensuring the right freezing conditions for the vaporised air to form snow”, he explains.

He comments that making snow is a process which is not as simple as it might seem, and requires the experience of technical personnel and carefully calibrated equipment. Having been one of South Africa’s specialists in snow making for a number of years, Wilson ascribes much of the success of his company to a joint venture he has with Europe’s main snow making company, Polar Europe, who supplies his equipment.

So how exactly does one make 240 tons of snow in the middle of a Gauteng summer?

Wilson explains:  “We have two or three tents, depending on the amount of snow required in which water is blasted into a fine vapour at a temperature of between -10 and -15°C.  The liquid nitrogen is used for the cooling down process,” he says. “In the tents”, Wilson continues, “we create the perfect atmospheric conditions for a proper snow storm, with perfectly formed powdered snow.  We ultimately produce the correct atmospheric conditions for snow to form naturally. This is done through the use of a snow gun, which is in fact a kind of carburettor, blending the three main elements. The end result is snow as pure as found on any Alpine mountain slope.”

Logistically, the exercise involved a daily delivery of liquid nitrogen in an Air Products cryogenic tanker at around 5am, in order to make about 20-30 tons of snow prior to the event.  This went on for a total of twelve days, with a total of 240 tons of liquid nitrogen delivered (one ton of liquid nitrogen makes one ton of snow).

“There were a few teething problems, initially”, says Wilson, “but all thanks to the Air Products team, these were quickly and efficiently sorted out: they were particularly flexible and hands-on in their approach, which is exactly what one needs in a massive project like this.”

Having worked with Air Products on previous events, it made sense to approach them again, says Wilson.  “And once again they were very professional in their approach.  The communication levels were superb, and the delivery went like clockwork.”

Wilson, in pointing out the potential hazards in handling such large volumes of liquid nitrogen, emphasised that safety was at the forefront of everyone’s minds.  “Once again, Air Products came to the party.  They provided expert advice and conducted regular inspections to ensure that the environment was a completely safe one for our customers.”

Snow Productions also teamed up with Air Products for a one day Christmas party in Menlyn, Pretoria, which according to Wilson, also went very smoothly.

Says Kulkarni: “These events were both hugely successful in creating proper alpine conditions to the Highveld – complete with tobogganing and snow ball fights – and Air Products was proud to be able to add to the festivities, truly ‘making snow while the sun shone’!”

Apart from in-house initiatives, Air Products’ quest is also to bring environmentally friendly solutions to its customers.

“Our focus is in assisting other companies in order to reduce the carbon footprint of their industrial processes”, says Dustin Mulder, Marketing Manager of Air Products South Africa. “Air Products works tirelessly on developing technologies which address environmental concerns – and the industries we have helped include paper, cement, mining, petrochemical and the food industry, among others.”

The kinds of technologies developed by Air Products are as wide-ranging as the industries themselves, from ozone technology to cyanide destruction to industrial cryogenics. But they share a common goal: to lessen the impact of industrial processes on the natural world, most particularly the air that we breathe and the water we drink.

“At a time when water scarcity looms as one of the planet’s most serious worries, Air Products is working long and hard to provide sustainable solutions to protect and nurture this valuable resource”, says Mulder.

Thus, one of the areas in which the company has made tangible inroads is in water treatment, specifically through the application of ozone technology.

Not only is ozone a powerful disinfectant, it is also highly effective in removing heavy metal toxicity and endocrine disruptors as well as any other unwelcome organic matter in drinking water.

“The use of ozone in a water treatment plant basically eliminates the need for the range of chemicals used in conventional water treatment plants”, explains Sachin Kulkarni, National Sales Manager: Bulk Gases, adding that Air Products is enjoying great success with the use of ozone in its own water cooling towers.

“The elimination of harsh water treatment chemicals means that the water can be recycled many times more, with none of the harmful by-products associated with chemical disinfectants. Our water is cleaner, we are saving more of it – and reducing our water effluent.”

Another area in which Air Products assists companies in reducing their carbon footprint, is through combustion optimisation, Kulkarni explains:

“In the cement industry, for instance, the introduction of oxygen into a lime kiln results in a significantly more efficient combustive process.  Oxygen basically enhances the capability of the flame, creating better efficiency, reducing the primary coal load, with the net result of more carbon credits.

“By adding oxygen, we can reduce the amount of fuel burnt per ton of product and increase the capacity of the kiln by about 10%.”

He adds that a further benefit of introducing oxygen into the combustive process is an improvement in the gas emissions from the stack, including a reduction in the nitrogen load, as well as a reduction in toxic gas emission into the environment, such as hydrogen sulphide and carbon monoxide.

In industrial freezing and refrigeration, Air Products has assisted the food industry in reducing its carbon footprint through the use of nitrogen.  Cryogenic technology is a much quicker and more efficient way of freezing food substances, resulting not only in reduced power usage but reduction in the kind of harsh chemicals used in conventional refrigeration.

Exciting inroads have also been made in the field of hydrogen fuelling at Air Products. As a leader in hydrogen energy technologies, the company is at the forefront of the development of hydrogen fuel station technology.  A number of demonstration projects are under way in the US and Europe, and to date, Air Products has engineered more than 80 hydrogen stations around the world.

Kulkarni comments: “Air Products has over fifteen years of experience in hydrogen fuelling – and this technology can be used for a variety of vehicles, including cars, buses and forklifts. The technology is being developed alongside hydrogen vehicle production, and because hydrogen is abundant and renewable, and produces no emissions, it is the cleanest way of meeting the world’s energy needs.”

Closer to home, Air Products South Africa has been at the forefront of cyanide destruction technology, successfully piloting a project at a local gold mine. “Having developed the technology, we will focus on marketing it”, Kulkarni says, looking to the company’s future plans.

Like its global counterpart, Air Products will also be increasing its focus on water treatment.

“There is undoubtedly a water crisis in this country, as in most parts of the world. Apart from scarcity, our water treatment plants were not built or designed to cope with the kind of pollutants we have to deal with these days”, Kulkarni comments, referring to increasing volumes of effluent in waste water, as well as the increase in levels of heavy metal, pharmaceutical waste and endocrine disruptors.

“We see the future of water treatment as of critical importance and will continue in our efforts to promote the use of ozone technology to play a fundamental role in the future of our water resources.”

But going ‘green’ is not just about technology.  Air Products also believes its people play an important role, hence the drive for a drastic reduction in electricity usage in its offices and at its plants. The company has also implemented a system for recycling waste at all its offices.

Concludes Mulder: “Environmental responsibility certainly begins at home, but, even more importantly, we believe we can have a far-reaching impact on the world through products and processes that are designed to help our customers to protect the environment.”

Because gas, in many forms, forms a vital component in a variety of mining processes, the company has established ongoing supply relationships with a number of Southern African mining operations, including some of the biggest gold, platinum and iron ore producers in the country.

This is according to Rob Richardson, Air Products’ General Manager: On-site, who asserts that the spectrum of gases applicable to mining is as wide as the variety of applications and mining processes themselves.  “Gas affects almost every aspect of mining operations, including human safety, quality control of the metals, productivity and environmental health”,

Richardson continues: “The gases used in mining include an assortment of both industrial and specialty (or high purity) gases. Industrial gases used on a daily basis are oxygen, hydrogen and nitrogen, but also include dissolved acetylene, LPG (liquid petroleum gas), carbon dioxide and argon.”

Richardson explains that oxygen, which forms the main part of Air Products’ Bulk Gases supply to the mining industry, has three important functions when it comes to metal extraction: Firstly, because it effects faster reactions, its presence in the leaching, ,roasting or smelting processes both increases yield, and reduces the processing time, thus improving overall productivity. Secondly, oxygen is used to remove impurities (such as sulphur and carbon) in metals; and thirdly, the use of oxygen provides environmental benefits by decreasing the volume of emissions, thereby making them easier to treat or recover.

Nitrogen is also used frequently in mining operations, most commonly to extinguish underground fires, but also in hot metal processes, to control oxidation, as well as to control furnace atmospheres.

Apart from these base gases, Air Products also supplies a variety of specialty blended welding gases to the industry, and recently, the company has had a great deal of success with the use of ozone in the destruction of cyanide, used in the gold leaching process.

Taking special care of its customers’ individual requirements, and focusing on an uninterrupted supply, Air Products prides itself on its market-leading supply modes.  Liquid and gaseous product is distributed using a modern fleet of cryogenic tankers and cylinder trucks to provide reliable supplies of gases to customers, including gold, uranium and ferro-chrome mines.

Where high volumes of gas product are required, special on-site plants are built for the continuous supply of gas via pipe-line.

Air Products is particularly strong in the platinum sector, where Air Products supplies the three major platinum producers in South Africa with oxygen, hydrogen and nitrogen via pipe-line.  The company has in recent years also established a strong presence in the Zambian copper belt, having established five oxygen plants to feed copper and cobalt mines in that region.

Richardson explains that the On-site business model is based on the principle of building/owning/operating a plant on behalf of a customer.  “It is important to ensure a high level of reliability when it comes to on-site gas supply”, he says. “We focus strongly on technical excellence when it comes to operations and maintenance, and consult closely with our customers to design dependable backup systems.”

One such system, commonly used at on-site plants, is to store gases in liquid form at extremely low temperatures, and then vaporise the relevant gases if and when needed.

Another system used is an on-line programme called Telalert, which assesses a customer’s requirements for bulk and cylinder gas in real time.  Richardson explains: “The system helps us to understand exactly where our mining customers are at, in terms of their gas supply.  It alerts us well before the critical stage, so we can plan our supply options timeously.”

Air Products, at the forefront of innovation when it comes to the latest gas products and technologies, is proud to have become the largest supplier in the on-site and pipeline market in South Africa, as well as a leader in the bulk, cylinder, specialty gas and chemicals supply market.

“We are especially proud that so many of the big mining players in this region have come to rely on us for both expert supply solutions and quality gas products to enhance their operations”, he concludes.