(openPR) - The industrial gas producer Messer takes over majority share of CO2 specialist Asco in New Zealand

On 4 July, the privately managed industrial gas specialist Messer signed a contract of purchase to take over the majority share of 51% of Asco Carbon Dioxide Ltd. in New Zealand, a constructor of production plants for carbon dioxide. Asco constructs CO2 production plants in New Zealand primarily for markets in which carbon dioxide cannot be obtained as a by-product from industrial plants or agriculture. The head office of Asco Kohlensäure AG is in Romanshorn, Switzerland, where blasting systems for cleaning using dry ice are produced, along with the dry ice itself. “In future, Asco in New Zealand will focus on delivering to locations where, for logistical reasons, carbon dioxide needs to be produced on site for use in all sectors, above all in food processing and industry,” comments Hans-Gerd Wienands, CFO of the Messer Group.

Thomas Trachsel, to date sole owner of Asco Carbon Dioxide and previously sole owner and CEO of Asco Kohlensäure AG, will continue to have a 49% share in Asco in New Zealand. Messer took over the majority share in Asco Kohlensäure AG from Thomas Trachsel on 1 June 2007. Thomas Trachsel pointed out to the employees of Asco Carbon Dioxide Ltd. that the integration of Asco Kohlensäure AG and Asco Carbon Dioxide Ltd. into the Messer and MEC Groups will strengthen Asco’s market position on a long-term basis. As of 1 September 2008, the two parts of the company of the technology leader for CO2 production and dry ice blasting systems will be reunited and become one of the affiliated companies of the Messer entrepreneurial family. “We consider it important to offer our customers all the products and services which are relevant for our sector from a single source,” continues Hans-Gerd Wienands. In addition to the industrial gas producer Messer, the entrepreneur Stefan Messer from Frankfurt also owns the Messer Eutectic Castolin Gruppe (MEC). The umbrella of MEC covers Messer Cutting & Welding, a specialist for thermal cutting, oxy-fuel technology and gas supply systems, Castolin Eutectic, a provider of wear protection and joining technology, and BIT Analytical Instruments, a contract manufacturer for precision medical instruments.

Messer Group GmbH
Vice President
Corporate Communications
Diana Buss
Gahlingspfad 31
47803 Krefeld

Phone: +49 (0) 2151 7811-251
Fax: +49 (0) 2151 7811-598
Email: diana.buss@messergroup.com
www.messergroup.com

Messer is one of the leading industrial gas companies, and is active in over 30 countries in Europe and Asia, as well as Peru, with over 60 operating companies. Its international activities are managed from Frankfurt am Main, whilst management of core technical functions – logistics, engineering, production and applications engineering – is undertaken from Krefeld. In 2007, about 4,400 employees generated consolidated sales of €705 million.
From acetylene to xenon, the Messer Group has one of the most diverse product portfolios on the market – it produces industrial gases such as oxygen, nitrogen, argon, carbon dioxide, hydrogen, helium, shielding gases for welding, specialty gases, medical gases and many different gas mixtures.
The Messer Group has state-of-the-art research and competence centers in which it develops applied technologies for the use of gases in almost every sector of industry, in food technology and environmental technology, medicine as well as research and science.