No.5 / December 2007 - Messer Group

on air
No. 5 · December 2007
The magazine for industrial gases
6
Václav Trubač on
waste gas treatment
8
Cover Story
Medical gases:
Indispensable in
modern medicine
14
More than a mere
training exercise:
job-swapping

2 : Contents
Cover Story : 8–11
More than just the air that
you breath – medical gases
Gases are used in a variety of applications in modern-day medicine.
Messer not only supplies the necessary medical gases, but also the requisite
hardware.
Wojciech Pastuszczyn, a member of the Applications Technology
sales force at Messer Poland, presenting a mobile medical oxygen
cylinder, together with the accompanying mask.
Editorial : 3
News : 4–5
Interview : 6–7
Removing CFCs from the air:
state-of-the-art technology
Václav Trubač, Plant Director at the
Slovakian company Elektro Recycling
on a waste gas treatment process.
Messer World : 12–14
Cost-efficient heat treatment –
metallurgically beneficial and flexible
E
The patented Endolin process –
an economical alternative.
Using carbonic acid to
neutralize waste water
The power plant in the Estonian town of
Narva is exploiting the benefits of neutralizing
waste water with CO 2 .
More than a mere training exercise
An international job-swapping scheme
promotes communication, common values
and better cooperation.
The DuoCondex plant at Elektro
Recycling in Slovakia
The Narva power plant in Estonia
Imprint
Published by:
Messer Group GmbH
Corporate Communications
Otto-Volger-Strasse 3c
D-65843 Sulzbach
Germany
Editorial Team:
Diana Buss – Editor-in-chief
Tel.: +49 6196 7760-361
diana.buss@messergroup.com
Benjamin Auweiler, Thomas
Böckler, Marc Dierckx,
Christoph Erdmann, Michael
Holy, Anita Kötél, Monika
Lammertz, Joachim Rohovec,
Marlen Schäfer
Concept and Realization:
Maenken Kommunikation GmbH
Von-der-Wettern-Strasse 25
D–51149 Cologne
Germany
Translation:
Context GmbH
Elisenstrasse 4-10
D-50667 Cologne
Germany
Many thanks to
all the contributors!
Go to www.messergroup.com
for comprehensive information
about on air, as well as the
contact details of the editorial
team.
Job-swapping scheme in Hungary
on air is published four times
a year in German, English and
Hungarian.
on air 05 · 2007

Editorial : 3
The editorial team
Editor-in-chief:
Diana
Buss
Corporate Office:
Benjamin
Auweiler
Marlen
Schäfer
Application Technology:
Thomas
Böckler
Monika
Lammertz
Production & Engineering:
Dr. Christoph
Erdmann
West Europe region:
Joachim
Rohovec
Dear Readers,
When used in the treatment of sick
patients, nitrogen and oxygen gain new
status as medical products or even pharmaceuticals.
Indeed artificial respiration
using pure oxygen can save lives. And
other gases have also long since been
routinely deployed in general medical
healthcare.
Yet other technologies are also being
pressed into service to the lasting benefit
of both man and beast, namely to protect
our planet’s water, soil and the atmosphere
from contamination and irreparable degradation.
Stefan Messer
Each day in Europe almost as many disused fridges land on the scrap heap
as are purchased – a trend, which is spawning veritable mountains of refrigerators
across the sites of specialist recycling companies. The recycling of CFC-contaminated
refrigerators requires technologies capable of capturing the climate-damaging
greenhouse gases emitted in the crushing process. Using cryogenic nitrogen the
waste gases emitted from the crushing plants can be effectively purified of solvents
and freons, separated from the air and captured. The technological capacity to
recycle refrigerators in compliance with EU clean air directives has also raised a
further exciting prospect: namely, recovering valuable raw materials, such as
aluminium and copper.
Environmental protection is also high on the agenda at the Estonian oil
shale-fired power station Narva. To regulate the pH value of its waste water prior
to discharge into the river separating Estonia and Russia, the introduction of carbonic
acid renders the use of hydrochloric acid superfluous.
Marc
Dierckx
Central Europe region:
I hope you all enjoy reading this latest issue of on air!
Best regards,
Michael
Holy
Southeastern Europe region:
Stefan Messer
Anita
Kötél
on air 05 · 2007

4 : News
DaimlerChrysler: The green and sound
proofed way to clean engine components
Using the Ascojet 2001RS dry-ice blaster, the
complex task of manually removing silicon
Fresh products require a
continuous refrigeration chain.
Dry-ice bags - a vital
link in the refrigeration chain
Freshness and protection are accorded the highest
priority in the transportation of perishable goods.
Not least because a set of legally stipulated temperatures
must be observed across the entire refrigeration
chain for fresh products. The Slovenian company
Mercator uses dry-ice bags to ensure the energy-independent
refrigeration of its goods during transport.
Available in various capacities ranging from 500 g to
4 kg, the bags are expertly, safely and cost-efficiently
filled with dry-ice snow in a Cryo2pack5 facility.
Monika Lammertz, Messer Group
residues from engine parts can now be undertaken
in a highly efficient, yet environmentally
friendly manner. Asco Carbon Dioxide has
supplied DaimlerChrysler’s engine assembly
plant in Bad Cannstatt with a complete dryice
cleaning solution equipped with a soundinsulating
cabinet.
This task can now be integrated into the
work processes of the assembly hall – free of
any noise pollution. Further operational safety
is also ensured by an integrated, externally
controlled CO 2 extraction unit.
Marco Pellegrino, Asco Carbon Dioxide
A complete one-stop solution:
soundproof dry-ice cleaning.
On-site efficiency
For customers requiring a continual supply of gas, on-site plants generating
oxygen, nitrogen and argon offer clear benefits. Besides providing maximum
supply security and energy efficiency, they also eliminate the costs of road
transport and the associated noise pollution and other adverse environmental
impacts. Messer is currently constructing air-separator units at the steel producers
ArcelorMittal in Bosnia-Herzegovina, TMK in Romania and at the Switzerland-based
Lonza AG. In Spain a further air separator is being commissioned
to boost capacity of the pipeline network at the Tarrogona chemicals plant.
In addition, Messer is also building air separators in France and Poland
as part of a joint venture.
Dr. Christoph Erdmann, Messer Group
Reaping the benefits of
an on-site air separator –
the computer model of a
new facility in Poland.
Messer supporting children’s charity
“Games Without Frontiers” in Serbia.
Making kids happy
Humanitarian aid organizations are reliant upon outside
support, as demonstrated by the “Small Big
People” day in Serbia. Staged at Ušće Castle in June by
the relief organization “Games Without Frontiers”, the
event was designed to give deprived youngsters from
the children’s home in Kulina an exciting and memorable
day. Messer Serbia was actively involved in the
preparations and also donated T-shirts and helped to
launch the helium-filled balloons.
Marija Vuković, Messer Tehnogas
on air 05 · 2007

News : 5
Nitrogen for mobile telephones
The company OLHO-Technik uses dry ice to remove
residues from its plastic parts.
Using snow to clean plastic
Based in the Czech Republic, the company OLHO-
Technik Czech is profiting from a new snow-blaster
which uses carbon dioxide to clean plastic components
for the auto industry. Applied to the component’s surface
using compressed air, the snow’s fine particles
remove the residues created in the manufacturing process
such as mould release agents and fats. In contrast
to conventional water-based cleaning methods, this
new process dispenses with costly drying and thus
saves time. Messer Czech Republic acquired the new
customer on the strength of a recommendation from
the lacquer plant producer Venjakob and the snow-gun
manufacturer mycon.
Due to the unabated trend towards the miniaturization of components and
circuit boards, Elcoteq Tallinn, a producer of mobile phones, wireless modules,
cordless telephones and equipment for communications networks, requires
substantial quantities of nitrogen for soldering in its assembly process. This is
supplied to the Estonia-based company by Messer. A subsidiary of Elcoteq SE,
Europe’s largest electronics contract manufacturer for communications technology,
Elcoteq Tallinn now ranks among Messer’s leading electronics customers
in the region.
Natalia Vinogradova, Elme Messer Gaas
Elcoteq uses
nitrogen for soldering
miniaturized
components,
such as circuit
boards for mobile
telephones as shown.
Josef Filip, Messer Technogas
Pure water from
pure oxygen
The introduction of pure oxygen into their modern
industrial waste water treatment plants has been as-
Osisting the chemicals company Spolchemie and the
2
cellulose producer Biocel to effectively treat their effluent.
Based in the Czech Republic, both companies
were faced with an ever-rising pollution load. The
introduction of higher quantities of oxygen into the
biological purification stage has been achieved with
deployment of Messer’s state-of-the-art injector
technology, which ensures simultaneous admission
of oxygen and agitation of the waste water.
Dr. Ivo Vágner, Messer Technogas
State-of-the-art technology ensures the admission
of oxygen and the simultaneous agitation of effluent
in industrial treatment plants.
Innovative
ideas secure a
leading edge
The rise in the export of
tropical fruits and vegetables
from Peru has
prompted a marked
increase in the demand
Liquid carbon dioxide – evaporated
directly in containers –
for nitrogen and CO 2 for
inerting and refrigerating
goods during ship-
cools fruit at twice the speed.
ment. By switching from gaseous to liquid carbon
dioxide, the fruit can be cooled at twice the speed
in the refrigerated containers. This new method of
directly evaporating CO 2 has also won over the company
Maersk Peru, a subsidiary of one of the world’s
largest container shipping companies.
Juan Bedoya, Messer Gases del Peru
on air 05 · 2007

6 : Interview
Removing CFCs from the air: state
Customers apply the DuoCondex process to treat waste gases or to
recover solvents from waste gases. The Slovakian company Elektro Recycling
is now the first user to deploy this technology to purify the gases emitted by
its refrigerator recycling plant. on air spoke to Plant Director Václav Trubač
about his firm’s cooperation with Messer.
YOUR CONTACT PER-
Dr. Friedhelm Herzog
Head of Technology Management
Industry
Messer Group GmbH
Tel.: +49 (0) 2151 7811-225
friedhelm.herzog@messergroup.com
Languages:
on air: You are the first customer in Slovakia to apply
Messer’s waste gas treatment process. Are you collaborating
on any other joint projects?
Václav Trubač: To date we have been recycling some
75,000 fridges a year and the numbers are increasing
steadily. So, to meet this demand, we have been
cooperating with a team of Messer specialists to
examine the feasibility of doubling the plant’s operating
time from its original 8 to 16 hours, and even
switching to continuous operation. Currently, the
Elektro Recycling management team is considering
expanding operating times in individual situations to
boost processing capacity if required.
on air: Why did you decide to collaborate with Messer?
Václav Trubač: I was already familiar with Messer
from my previous employer – where our experience
had been very positive. There we applied nitrogen
in bio-technological production, particularly for
isolating penicillin.
At Elektro Recycling we were convinced by the
DuoCondex’s ability to efficiently remove chlorofluorocarbons
(CFCs) from the waste gas emitted by the
refrigerator crushing plant. We purchase liquid nitrogen
and gaseous oxygen.
on air: Do you require much expertise on industrial
gases to deploy these gases?
Václav Trubač: Taking delivery of liquid nitrogen requires
only minimal supervision on our part. The automatic
telemetry monitoring system of the 30 cm 3 container
ensures that Messer replenishes our supply of
nitrogen as soon as levels in the container fall below
a certain limit. We use the oxygen to dispose of mercury-containing
lamps – at which we are specialists.
For us the gases are an indispensable means to an end.
Their application
Plant manager Václav
Trubač, (left) explaining to
Matej Pokrievka, Sales Manager
Chemicals/Environment at
Messer Tatragas, Slovakia,
the details of Elektro
Recycling’s plant.
on air 05 · 2007

Interview : 7
-of-the-art technology
Václav Trubač (left) and Matej
Pokrievka immersed in conversation:
“The input and technical advice
from Messer’s staff have been
of very high quality.”
is as routine as using water or electricity and does
not require us to have any special expertise.
on air: How would you describe the cooperation
between your company and Messer and its staff?
Václav Trubač: The input and technical advice from
Messer’s staff have been of the highest quality and
they have always responded promptly to
any inquiries and requests. Not only are any
troubles remedied in the shortest possible
time, but all the necessary measures for
instituting improvements are also promptly
implemented. Our experience demonstrates
that cooperation also encompasses technical
developments and modifications and
does not end with the delivery of the product.
on air: Could you envisage expanding your cooperation
with Messer?
Václav Trubač: Yes, certainly. Currently Elektro
Recycling is reviewing plans to build a new facility for
recycling waste products generated in the disposal of
electronic equipment and cooling appliances. Should
the new plant require the application of technical gases,
then we will of course approach Messer, because – as
already mentioned – cooperation with them to date
has been professional and of a high standard.
Waste gas treatment plus explosion protection
Elektro Recycling s.r.o., based in Slovenská L’upča in Slovakia, specialises – as the
name implies – in the recycling of electrical waste and cooling appliances.
Employing 35 staff, Elektro Recycling processes some 75,000 refrigerators annually,
and deploys the DuoCondex process to purify the CFC-containing waste
gases. This process yields a two-fold benefit: even with the extremely volatile
CFCs, the residual pollution load in the waste
gases lies below 20 mg/m 3 ; whilst at the same time
the crushing machines are inerted by the nitrogen
evaporating in the condensators, and thus protected
against dust and pentane explosions.
The safe removal of electrical
waste and refrigerators: to treat
the CFC-contaminated waste
gas the Slovakians use Messer’s
DuoCondex process.
on air 05 · 2007

8 : Cover Story
In addition to medical
oxygen (O 2 ), Messer
offers a diverse range
of gases for medical
applications, including
the requisite hardware.
More than just the air that
you breathe – medical gases
Medical gases have become indispensable in modern-day medicine. Whether
as breathing gas or as anaesthetic, in medicinal baths or in diagnostics, they
are applied widely. However, hospitals, doctors and patients require not only
gases, but also the necessary hardware to use them.
on air 05 · 2007

Cover Story : 9
Messer offers major customers such as
hospitals a centralized supply of oxygen
in large, vacuum-insulated tanks.
Very few manage to count to the end. Anyone
who has undergone an operation is familiar with the
anaesthetist’s request as he places the mask over the
mouth and nose: “Now slowly count to ten.” Most
patients fall silent before they reach five as the anaesthetising
gas kicks in.
The use of gases in modern medicine consists of
much more than routine procedures – it can often prolong
or even save lives. But it is not only breathing or
anaesthetic gases which find application: for example,
„Gases are also deployed in minimally invasive surgery
or for medicinal baths,” explains Matthias Thiele,
Head of Messer's European Healthcare Business.
“Cryosurgery and diagnostics using imaging (MRI)
depend upon these gases’ properties,” Thiele adds.
Medical labs also use gases and gas mixtures. For
the wide range of speciality gases, gas mixtures and
breathing gases applied in medicine and in healthcare
generally, two aspects are of crucial importance.
Firstly, providing a customized and optimized solution
to meet every requirement; and secondly, ensuring that
the quality of the gases conforms to the high standards
governing the health sector.
Breathing easier – medical oxygen
Respiration is patently one of the most essential of the
human body’s vital functions. After just two minutes, a
lack of oxygen can cause irrevocable damage to
organs. Consequently, artificial respiration in ambulances,
in the operating theatre and in hospital wards
constitutes indispensable, life-saving treatment.
Depending on the specific area of application, air, pure
oxygen or oxygen-containing gas mixtures can be used
as breathing gas.
Anaesthetists also use oxygen as an integral element
in their anaesthetic gas mixtures. For example,
it serves as an essential carrier gas to which nitrous
oxide (laughing gas) and inhalation anaesthetics can
be added. Oxygen is also used by doctors to treat problems
in the natural absorption of oxygen in the lungs.
“In the liquid state, which oxygen assumes at minus
183 °C, it takes up a mere 1/854 of its gaseous
volume,” explains Matthias Thiele. It is hardly surprising,
therefore, that this is the preferred state in which
to store this gas. Messer offers bulk customers, such as
hospitals, a centralized oxygen supply on-site. Stored
in large, vacuum-insulated tanks, the liquid oxygen is
evaporated as required and then piped through to special
withdrawal points from where it can be administered
to patients via high-precision connecting devices.
In addition to bulk deliveries, Messer also offers
its customers smaller system units. This includes, for
example, the Oxystem, an oxygen cylinder supplied as
a unit with integrated pressure and control console,
available in two-, five-, ten- or twenty-litre sizes.
Medical oxygen is also supplied in an even wider
variety of sizes (one- to fiftylitre
cylinders).
In combination with a
pressure regulator, the
smaller models of these
The innovative oxygen
system Oxystem is ideal
for rescue and resuscitation
situations.
Continued on page 10
on air 05 · 2007

10 : Cover Story
“Messer is the patient’s competent partner in
the supply of medical gases, and offers individual
solutions particularly in the field of respiration –
whether applied in hospitals, old people’s
residential homes, at home or in ambulances.”
(Matthias Thiele, Head of Messer’s European Healthcare Business)
The necessary
hardware – such as
this nasal cannula –
is included in the
delivery package.
cylinders are ideally suited for rescue and resuscitation
situations.
For the freedom of patients
“To ensure customers are able to fully enjoy
the practical benefits of this system,
including high supply security, space-saving
features, easy handling, clearly organized
cylinder management and high cost-efficiency,
Messer offers a complete one-stop
service package, ranging from advice and
planning to installation and maintenance,”
explains Thiele. In addition to the supply of
medical gases, centralized medical gas supply systems
and withdrawal and connection fittings, Messer’s core
competences also include oxygen concentrators and
liquid systems for the home care sector. The oxygen
concentrator “NewLife”, for example, uses cuttingedge
technology to separate the nitrogen from the
ambient air (air comprises 78 percent nitrogen and 21
percent oxygen) and supplies patients with the
required quantity of the residual oxygen.
These concentrators are available both for
in-patient and out-patient applications.
The same applies to the liquid oxygen
system “Companion”, which stores medical
liquid oxygen in a fixed container and which, in
combination with a supply unit, doses the oxygen and
dispenses it in gaseous form. Messer’s delivery service
provides on-site refilling. The patient can regulate the
quantity of the oxygen supply using an adjustable flow
controller. As these systems operate independently
from all energy sources, the patients can move around
freely with them attached.
Breathing gas requires certification
To facilitate optimal use of the various oxygen
systems, Messer also offers a range of consumables,
such as humidifiers, nasal cannulae and oxygen masks,
in addition to extension tubes and matching connectors,
adapters and other accessories. Messer is an
accredited supplier in the field of respiration. Even in
Serbia, despite its being a non-EU state, Messer has
been awarded European certification for the production
of medical oxygen. As the largest Serbian supplier
of breathing air, Messer is the only company licensed
to supply in the neighbouring EU states.
Editorial team
The liquid oxygen system “Companion 31”
comprises a fixed unit (to the rear),
which stores the oxygen in liquid form,
and a portable unit, which dispenses the
oxygen in gaseous form to the patient.
on air 05 · 2007

Cover Story : 11
+
+
BENEFITS FOR THE CUSTOMER
+ High supply security
+ Space-saving features
+ Easier handling
+ Transparent cylinder management
Highly cost-efficient
Wojciech Pastuszczyn, a member of the sales force in Application Technology
at Messer Poland presents the mobile oxygen cylinder, including a breathing mask.
An overview of the gas types
applied in healthcare
YOUR CONTACT PERSON:
O
is produced and supplied in liquid and gaseous
2
form. It is
Medical oxygen
used in respiration therapy and, together with laughing
gas, in anaesthetics.
Liquid nitrogen
N 2
has a boiling point of –196 °C, making it an ideal medical
cooling agent. It is primarily used in cryotherapy and cryosurgery.
For example, as a refrigerant, the evaporating
CO
He
2
N
CO
2 O
2
nitrogen alleviates rheumatic complaints, and is also suitable
for the storage of living biological materials.
Helium
is used for cooling magnetic resonance imaging scanners.
Due to its low boiling point (–269 °C), it must be transported
and stored in vacuum super-insulated containers.
Breathing air/compressed air
is supplied in its gaseous state, and is a key component in
respiration therapy.
Laughing gas (nitrous oxide/dinitrogen monoxide)
is supplied in liquid and gaseous forms. Mixed with oxygen
or air, it plays a vital role in analgesia (for alleviating
sensitivity to pain), anaesthetic induction and combined
anaesthesia.
Carbon dioxide
N O 2
is mainly used – in its gaseous state – in minimally invasive
surgery (minor injuries) and for medicinal baths.
Customer-specific gases
are tailored to meet the specific needs of the customer
in terms of content and quality. They are used as calibration
gases for analysis devices, pulmonary function
tests, blood analysis, as well as for cooling magnets in
magnetic resonance tomography.
O 2
Matthias Thiele
Head of European Healthcare Business
Messer Group GmbH
Tel.: +49 (0) 172 620 59 88
matthias.thiele@messergroup.com
Languages:
Nasal cannulae (left) as
well as oral nasal masks are
among the accessories supplied
by Messer.
on air 05 · 2007

12 : Messer World
E
Cost-efficient heat treatment –
metallurgically beneficial and flexible
Worldwide: Under the patented Endolin process, special inert gas atmospheres
comprising endogas nitrogen mixtures are applied in the heat treatment
of steel and non-ferrous alloys in industrial furnaces. Endolin now
represents the economical alternative in situations where the application
of pure hydrogen is too complicated or expensive.
YOUR CONTACT PERSON:
Hans-Peter Schmidt
Technology Manager Metallurgy
Messer Group GmbH
Tel.: +49 (0) 2151 7811-233
hans-peter.schmidt@messergroup.com
Languages:
Endolin mixtures can be produced in areas rich in
reserves of natural gas or propane, rendering the
transport and storage of reactive gases unnecessary.
Endogas is manufactured in generators from natural
gas and air, for example, and consists mainly of hydrogen,
carbon monoxide and nitrogen. Required
for further dilution, the nitrogen is either stored in
liquid form in tanks or can be generated on-site.
The Endolin mixture, which is homogenized
outside the furnace, has a very low
water content, which
can only be achieved with the
addition of technical nitrogen.
Consequently, it boasts
a markedly higher reduction potential than conventional
gas mixtures.
Reaction gas in the furnace
One way of introducing the gas into the furnace is
to feed the endogas and nitrogen separately into different
areas in order to generate a targeted flow profile.
This reduces unwanted deposits of dust. A further
advantage of this gas injection system is that the
concentrations of hydrogen and carbon monoxide are
substantially higher in the furnace and lower in the
cooling tunnel. Consequently there will be a higher
quantity of the reaction gas in the furnace. The levels
in the cooling tunnel remain well below the explosion
limit – thus enhancing safety. Due to the use of state-
Outstanding results coupled with higher costefficiency:
Endolin is an inert gas atmosphere used
in heat treatment.
of-the-art measurement and dosing technology, the
desired furnace atmosphere can be reliably monitored
and regulated, and is a key component of the Endolin
process. Carbon steels can only be annealed under
special furnace atmospheres, and by virtue of the
installed sensor technology no decarburization of the
boundary zones is required. As it may be possible to
recarburize the damaged steel, quality flaws can easily
be remedied.
In addition to the said annealing of metal alloys,
this new gas injection technology can also be applied
in sintering and soldering techniques.
Hans-Peter Schmidt, Messer Group
on air 05 · 2007

Messer World : 13
Experts from Messer examine
the properties of water purified
with carbon dioxide.
Using carbonic acid to neutralize waste water
Estonia: Strongly alkaline water is produced in the burning of oil shale
in the Estonian town of Narva. Yet the addition of liquid carbon dioxide
transforms this hazardous waste product into environmentally friendly,
pH-neutral surface water.
The Narva Elektrijaamad power plant in Estonia fires
oil shale to generate electricity. Oil shale is a sedimentary
rock containing oil, which when burned supplies
energy. It leaves behind a residue of ash, which
is transported by means of water hydraulics from the
furnace to the waste dump. The transport water is
channelled into a circulation system and temporarily
stored in a lake abutting the dump. To control the
water level in the lake, the water must be discharged
into the Narva, the river demarcating the Estonian-
Russian border. As the transport water is highly alkaline
due to the deposits of ash it must be neutralized
prior to discharge into the river.
CO 2 as an alternative
The river is of considerable ecological and economic
significance (as a source of drinking water) to Narva,
Estonia’s third-largest city. Under the original plans,
the alkaline waste water was to be neutralized
through the addition of hydrochloric acid. Vladimir
Sikerin from Messer in Estonia proposed an environmentally
compatible alternative, which the power
plant operators ultimately opted for. This alternative
was waste water neutralization using CO 2 – a solution
which boasts a number of advantages. It is more costefficient
in terms of investment and consumption,
there is no ecologically hazardous increase in the
salinity of the water from chlorides or sulphates, and
the CO 2 can easily be dosed. Some 2000 kilograms of
liquid carbon dioxide are channelled into the waste
water each hour, where it dissolves completely into
carbonic acid. The mild carbonic acid neutralizes the
alkaline water and, furthermore, as a natural element
of drinking water, is entirely safe for human beings,
animals and plants. And because the carbon dioxide is
added in liquid form, it does not require prior evaporation,
which yields a saving of some 200 kilowatts of
energy – another crucial cost-related and environmental
benefit.
Diana Buss, Messer Group
Photo: AS Narva Elektrijaamad
The AS Narva
Elektrijaamad power
plant in Estonia treats
its effluent with CO 2 .
YOUR CONTACT PERSON:
Dr. Monica Hermans
Technology Manager Chemicals/Environment
Messer Group GmbH
Tel.: +49 (0) 2151 7811-221
monica.hermans@messergroup.com
Languages:
on air 05 · 2007

14 : Messer World
E
A basis of trust extending
beyond the workplace:
Marlen Schäfer (right), with
her temporary Hungarian
colleagues Krisztina Lovas
and Tibor Déry.
More than a mere
training exercise
Hungary: Messer’s very popular offer to participate in an international
job-swapping programme fosters better communication, a greater
understanding of common values and friendly cooperation. And best of all:
it is open to everyone!
YOUR CONTACT PERSON:
Dr. Jürgen Herrmann
Head of Human Resources
Messer Group GmbH
+49 (0) 6196 7760-351
juergen.herrmann@messergroup.com
Languages:
“My main task is to build up the Hungarian Intranet.
As I don’t speak the language that sounds a little crazy,
doesn’t it? But everything is working out brilliantly!
Thanks to this assignment I am getting a better feel
for the language. For example, I’ve learned that news
is ‘Hírek' in Hungarian and brochures are called ‘Prospektusok'.”
This and other interesting facts and news
can now be read by Messer staff on the Group’s Intranet
blog. In the summer of 2007, Marlen Schäfer (49),
in charge of Marketing Services in the Corporate Communications
Department, swapped jobs with a Hungarian
colleague for two months and wrote an in-house
blog on her experiences. First launched in 2006, the
international job-swap scheme is proving increasingly
popular, and not merely because of the interest aroused
by these first-hand reports. And clearly Messer’s focus
extends beyond the ranks of the company’s junior
management, as the offer is open to all staff members.
Reinforcing corporate values
In launching the exchange programme, the company
hopes to achieve more than just enhancing the skills
and qualifications of their employees: forging a greater
understanding of the cultural and social differences
and cross-border communications is one declared
objective. “The international staff-exchange scheme
supports the implementation of other values from
within our corporate philosophy,” explains Dr. Jürgen
Herrmann, Head of Human Resources, “such as fostering
and deploying our own talent, and cross-border
team building. All our companies throughout Europe
and in China are participating in the exchange.” The
subsidiaries and the departments at head office have
advertised potential jobs, but the demand among staff
has exceeded supply. “Our flat hierarchy has helped us
with the speedy implementation of job rotating,” adds
Herrmann. And it is also to the benefit of the company:
it is not only the staff who benefit from the
opportunity of getting to know a new country and a
new working environment. Since her temporary placement
at Messer Budapest, Marlen Schäfer has established
a mutual bond of trust with her Hungarian
colleagues which extends far beyond the workplace.
And she has retained a smattering of Hungarian. For
example, she signs off her report in her blog with the
words: “Viszontlátásra” and “Köszönöm szépen” –
goodbye and many thanks!
Diana Buss, Messer Group
on air 05 · 2007

Gasette : 15
>
COMPETITION
Win...
... a Messer Truck – scale 1:50
Here’s what to do. On which page of this
issue of on air does this picture appear?
Find the page and you could be the lucky
winner! Simply email your answer to us.*
diana.buss@messergroup.com
Entry deadline:
14 th January 2008
* This competition is not open to
employees of Messer or their relatives.
Congratulations to Volker Maaß, Herose GmbH, Bad Oldesloe, the winner of the ballpoint pen set.
>
NEW WEBSITE
New design for a modern company
The development of Messer Group’s website is continuing apace. Content-wise,
the site plans to focus more strongly on products and technologies, and a simplified
navigation system now enables visitors to reach their destinations more quickly.
Background information on a specific topic
can now be found virtually at a glance.
And, if after having read about a particular
topic you would like to contact Messer, no
problem. The right-hand side of each page
contains links which will guide you to the
right contact person.
www.messergroup.com
The revamped
start page
>
?
Opinions wanted!
What did you particularly
like about on air? What
did you not like? What
would you like on air to
cover in the near future?
Please write to us at …
info@messergroup.com
Messer disposes of the
residues from empty gas cylinders
in a specialized gas works in
Gumpoldskirchen (Austria).
DISPOSAL OF RESIDU-
Helping the environment
Residues of gas which are returned in cylinders or bundles by customers
from across the whole of Europe are expertly disposed of in Messer’s specialized
gas works in Gumpoldskirchen, Austria. Meeting all environmental and technical
safety stipulations, the facility is licensed to treat highly toxic and flammable
substances, such as ammonia, carbon monoxide, hydrocarbons
and organic compounds. Pure gases, such as laughing gas, can also
be disposed of in an environmentally friendly fashion. For further
information visit:
>
http://www.messergroup.com/de/Produkte_und_Loesungen/
Fachbroschueren/Verschiedenes/index.html

Coming up in the next issue:
Competence that forges unity. Be it conventional welding, laser welding or inert
gas welding – for news on the latest product developments and an interview with
the company Senn, be sure to obtain your copy of on air No. 6.
Helping to protect the environment. The cooking oil refinery Mladost in Serbia manufactures
biodiesel. Nitrogen is needed to inert the tanks and facilitate safer production.