(openPR) - Messer, the industrial-gas specialist, recognised for workplace safety in Europe.

The largest privately managed industrial-gas specialist, Messer, with headquarters near Frankfurt am Main, Germany, has been recognised by the European Industrial Gases Association for longstanding accident-free operation of its plants in seven countries. The production, sale, transport and not least the use of technical gases in the areas of industry, research and science calls for a high degree of safety. Messer received seven awards for accident-free operations at this year’s meeting of the European Industrial Gases Association (EIGA) in Brussels. Particularly impressive were the Eastern European subsidiaries: Messer’s Polish subsidiary received the 2008 Safety Award for achieving the best safety at work. This coveted award only goes to companies that have achieved the lowest number of accidents in the industry over the previous twelve months. The Messer company in Slovakia was recognised for 15 years’ accident-free operations, the Serbian for ten years without an accident, and the Croatian and Hungarian plants for five years’ work without a single accident to report. Messer operations in Switzerland and Spain received honours for plant-safety and for five years’ operation without an accident. EIGA association members work together to achieve the highest possible standards for safety and environmental protection for the production, transport and use of gases.

Since June 2008, the Messer Group has also been a member of the European Road Safety Charter working group. With its signature of the European Charter, Messer has committed itself to supporting the joint aim of the initiative of the European Union of cutting by half the number of traffic fatalities on European roads by the year 2010.

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.

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