No. 4 / July 2007 - Messer

on air
No. 4 · July 2007 The magazine for industrial gases
8
6
Manfred Neuböck
on gas applications in
aircraft construction.
Cover Story
Gases are used in
many different ways
in winemaking.
14
CO 2 helps
flowers and vegetables
grow faster.

2 : Contents
Editorial : 3
News : 4-5
Interview : 6-7
“Nitrogen on tap”
Manfred Neuböck, the Chief Technology
Officer of FACC, on gas applications in aircraft
construction and working with Messer.
Messer World : 12-13
Everything to do with CO2 Messer acquires the CO2 specialist
Asco in Switzerland.
E
The allure of growing markets
Peru’s economy is booming.
Gas-o-theque : 14
An advantage ripe for the picking
Growing plants and vegetables cheaply and
easily with carbon dioxide.
Gasette : 15
Tips, dates, things to know
Cover Story : 8-11
Gas – the good spirit of wine
There is a growing interest in gas applications in today’s wine
technology. Wine growers can use gases in the different stages of
winemaking. An overview.
Marlen Schäfer from the Corporate Office at Messer (left) and
Anita Kötél from Messer Hungarogáz with the precious raw material
from which wine-growers make fine wine. Gases from Messer help
ensure perfect wine enjoyment.
Engine cowl at FACC
Stefan Messer (l.) and Thomas Trachsel
CO 2 promotes tomato growth.
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,
Dr. 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
Photo credits:
Coca-Cola GmbH; FACC
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.
on air is published four times
a year in German, English and
Hungarian.
on air 04 · 2007

The editorial team
Editor-in-chief:
Diana
Buss
Corporate Office:
Benjamin
Auweiler
on air 04 · 2007
Marlen
Schäfer
Application Technology:
Thomas
Böckler
Monika
Lammertz
Production & Engineering:
Dr. Christoph
Erdmann
Western Europe region:
Marc
Dierckx
Central Europe region:
Michael
Holy
Southeastern Europe region:
Anita
Kötél
Joachim
Rohovec
Dear Readers,
Editorial : 3
Wine connoisseurs are used to testing
and judging the appearance, bouquet
and flavor of wines. Meanwhile, the
wine growers rely on their know-how
and a little luck to ensure that their
product is of the best possible quality.
Gases can have a positive effect on quality
at every stage between harvesting
and bottling, and can give the wine its
special character. In this issue of on air,
you can read about wine treatment
from the grape to the “invisible cork”.
A smooth gas supply is absolutely
vital, and this is certainly the case at Stefan Messer
FACC, a global supplier to the aerospace
industry. In an interview with on air, Manfred Neuböck, the Chief Technology Officer
of FACC, describes it as having “nitrogen on tap”. The Austrian company uses the
inert properties of nitrogen to ensure safe manufacturing processes, and has decided
in favor of installing nitrogen generators at its own premises.
on air shows you the diversity of applications with industrial gases worldwide:
in Polish steelworks, French canteens, Swiss warehouses, Romanian soft drinks,
Croatian glass furnaces, Peruvian mining trucks or Belgian greenhouses. Huge benefits
are “ripe for the picking” as a result of the natural fertilization of flowers and
vegetables with pure carbon dioxide. This saves energy and costs, and the CO2 is
completely absorbed by the plants.
I hope you enjoy reading this issue of on air!
Best Regards,
Stefan Messer

4 : News
Gormet also uses liquid argon and liquid carbon
dioxide in its production processes.
Rapid success with customer
Speed can be a decisive factor. The willingness of
Messer in Romania to make decisions at short notice
has convinced Gormet, the Romanian subsidiary of the
German company IEV, to enter into a long-term partnership.
The metalworking company in Cluj needs the
liquid gases argon, oxygen and carbon dioxide as well
as acetylene in its production processes; and Messer
was able to help out at short notice.
Florentin Bombita, Messer Romania Gaz
Reliable fire prevention
Extinguishing fires with water usually causes a lot of damage to stock.
In 2004, Emmi Frischprodukte from Ostermundigen in Switzerland decided that
it would rather prevent fires than extinguish them. This is achieved by reducing
the oxygen content in the warehouse from 21 to 13 to 17 per cent through the
controlled addition of nitrogen into the air. In this atmosphere, it is practically
impossible for a fire to start. The conditions
in the warehouse are then similar to those
encountered at an altitude of 3,000 meters.
It is therefore safe for people to enter the
warehouse. Messer has so far installed another
six fire prevention systems in Switzerland.
Robert Schlatter, Messer Schweiz
Substantial damage can
be avoided by preventing
fires in warehouses instead
of extinguishing them.
All works supplied
In the Huta Sendzimira works of Mittal Steel in the Polish city of Krakow,
nitrogen has been used for heat treatment since the beginning of May – another
milestone in a dynamic collaboration. Mittal Steel is by far the biggest steel
producer in Poland. Messer has been supplying the Huta Cedler plant with liquid
nitrogen and hydrogen for six years,
while the Huta Sendzimira steel plant
has been receiving cylinder gases since
2005. At the beginning of 2006, both
sides expanded this collaboration
significantly: Messer has since been
supplying gas to all the Polish steel
plants of Mittal Steel.
Danuta Dzierzak, Messer Polska
Messer supplies gas to all the
plants of Mittal Steel, Poland’s
largest steel producer.
Perfect for precooked meals
Staff restaurants, hospitals and school canteens
are benefiting from the new Snowline technology,
a joint development by Messer and its partner
Electrocalorique. Centrally prepared meals are
chilled in special carts during transportation to
the consumer and later heated automatically.
An integrated computer system regulates the
temperature through the injection of dry ice snow.
The heating element is only activated shortly
before consumption, thus ensuring that the fresh
part of the meal is cool while the cooked part is
served hot.
Marc Dierckx, Messer France
The Snowline technology
ensures that different
foods are kept
at the right temperature.
on air 04 · 2007

The pharmaceutical industry not only uses
nitrogen for inerting but also for reducing solventcontaminated
waste gas.
Pharmaceutical manufacturer
protects the environment
The most important Hungarian pharmaceutical
manufacturer, Richter Gedeon, uses solvents in the
production of pharmaceutical products and chemical
materials, as well as nitrogen for inerting. Richter
wanted to reduce the solvent-contaminated waste
gas for the sake of the environment. Successful tests
with DuoCondex have shown that emissions can
be reduced by cooling the condensers with liquid
nitrogen. The solvents that are condensed out are
collected in the DuoCondex plant and either recycled
or disposed of in a special furnace.
Anita Kötél, Messer Hungarogáz
Oxyfuel technology heats glass furnace
on air 04 · 2007
Sparkling carbonic acid for Coca-Cola
A major step forward has been taken
in the fiercely competitive Romanian
beverage market. Since March, the
soft drinks producer Coca-Cola has
been procuring its carbon dioxide from
Messer in Romania. Key to this success
was our excellent relationship
The glass manufacturer Vetropack in Croatia was looking for an efficient
heating alternative while repairs were being carried out on its glass furnace flue.
The solution came in the shape of an oxygen burner and Oxyfuel technology.
Messer supplied and installed all the hardware for this project and kept the plant
supplied for 40 days with a total of 2.1 million cubic meters of liquid oxygen.
Miljenka Debeljak, Messer Croatia Plin
Photo: Coca-Cola GmbH
Installation of hardware
at the glass-packaging
manufacturer Vetropack.
Messer is the largest gas
producer and supplier in
Croatia, employing
around 250 people at
seven locations.
News : 5
Youngest subsidiary in China
The youngest of Messer’s 15 subsidiaries in China,
Zhangjiagang Messer (ZhMG), celebrated the official
opening of its air separator in the Zhangjiagang
Chemical Park. ZhMG also produces hydrogen in the
industrial park, which is located 150 kilometers to the
north west of Shanghai.
As part of the ceremony, ZhMG donated motorized
bicycles to the Zhangjiagang child welfare service in
order to make the long journey to school easier for five
pupils with slight disabilities. The donation was accepted
by Gu Huijuan, president of the child welfare service.
Yolanda Zhou, Messer China
with Coca-Cola in Serbia. Until the
transport capacity for liquid CO2 has
been expanded in Romania, deliveries
will be carried out by the Serbian
company.
Paula Sterian, Messer Romania Gaz
An advertisement from
1954 still works today.
Five motorized bicycles were donated to children with
slight disabilities in order to make their long journey
to school easier.

6 : Interview
“Nitrogen on tap”
Lightweight construction with fiber composites is a mega-trend in
the aerospace industry. Composites already account for up to 50 per cent of
the structure of the Airbus A 380 and Boeing 787. FACC is benefiting from this.
on air spoke to the Chief Technology Officer of FACC, Manfred Neuböck, about
the project, Messer’s nitrogen generators and new gas applications.
on air: What role does nitrogen play in the production
of fiber composite components?
Manfred Neuböck: With our products, it is important
to produce precisely molded parts – for example
the engine cowling – that are as lightweight as
possible but robust at the same time. All the parts
produced in our factories are hardened in gas-tight
pressure vessels. These so-called autoclaves are
inerted with nitrogen for quality assurance and fire
safety reasons.
on air: What are the advantages of the new nitrogen
generator?
Manfred Neuböck: The supply from on-site nitrogen
generators is considerably cheaper than having liquid
nitrogen delivered by tanker. Even nitrogen with a
purity of 96 per cent is optimal for us. That is why we
Photo: FACC
have now installed the third of these units.
on air: What was the key factor in your decision?
Manfred Neuböck: Messer were very committed
and thorough in dealing with the brief set out in our
tender specifications. And that is why they were able
to provide such an optimally designed solution for
the supply of nitrogen. That is what convinced us.
on air: What stood out for you in the project’s implementation?
Manfred Neuböck: We were amazed at the comprehensive
prefabrication of all of the nitrogen generator’s
components. Not just the process equipment,
but also the container with the compressor, process
management system and analyzers were delivered
complete and ready for start-up. The start-up team
proved to be extremely flexible, even when faced with
Worldwide clientele
Fischer Advanced Composite Components AG (FACC), which
was founded in 1989, is a globally operating company specializing
in the development and production of fiber composite
components for the aerospace industry. At its four production
plants in Upper Austria, FACC produces, among other
things, structural components and systems for the fuselages
and tail units, engine cowlings as well as the interiors of commercial
aircraft. With 1,282 employees, the company generated
a turnover of 182.5 million euros in the last financial year.
FACC exports nearly 100 per cent of the lightweight structural
components it produces. It numbers among others the
large aircraft manufacturers Airbus, Boeing and Bombardier
among its worldwide clientele.
FACC employees fitting an engine cowling.
on air 04 · 2007

special requirements, such as the change to the piping
layout and the positioning of the heater.
on air: Were your operational procedures adversely
affected?
Manfred Neuböck: No. Deliveries were made in normal
trucks and we were notified of the deliveries in good
time. Messer managed well with the storage area that
had been designated beforehand. The integration into
our nitrogen network and operating resources supply
system was completed by our people as part of their
normal daily schedule.
on air: How is control and maintenance of the plant
organized?
Manfred Neuböck: Very professionally. We now have
nitrogen virtually “on tap”. Our Facility Manager,
Christoph Jell only has to organize a daily ten-minute
on air 04 · 2007
At four factories
in Upper Austria, FACC
manufactures, among
other things, structural
components and interiors
for commercial aircraft.
Christopher Jell (l.)
and Walter Bergauer (r.)
starting up the new nitrogen
generator.
The Chief Technology
Officer of FACC, Manfred
Neuböck (r.), answers
Uwe Rosenow’s questions:
“Messer were able to provide
an optimally designed
plant solution.”
inspection round. The plant is continuously monitored
by Messer via a remote control system. The on-site
maintenance team from Messer in Austria checks our
plant at regular intervals.
on air: Given all these positive experiences, would you
consider purchasing any other products from Messer?
Manfred Neuböck: On the basis of our solid working
relationship, we have transferred the supply of all
welding and test gases required by us to Messer. And
we also use dry ice blasting machines for cleaning the
molds. Messer supplies the CO2 for this. The excellent
growth prospects in our markets will further boost the
potential for gas applications. We therefore look forward
to developing our partnership in the future.
Interview: Uwe Rosenow, Messer Austria
Interview : 7
YOUR CONTACT PERSON:
Dr. Christoph Erdmann
Head of Sales On Site Europe
Messer Group GmbH
Tel.: +49 (0) 6196 7760-155
christoph.erdmann@messergroup.com
Languages:
Photo: FACC

8 : Cover Story
Wine cellar in Hungary:
gases give more freshness
Gas – the good spirit of wine
Wines with a fresh, fruity character are in high demand these
days. Essential to their production are quick and careful wine
preparation, must purification, controlled fermentation
and oxidation, as well as thorough hygiene. One
noticeable development in the wine technology
of today is the growing interest in gas applications.
on air 04 · 2007

The use and combination of gases depends on the
character of the wine and the expectations of the consumers.
Carbon dioxide is particularly suitable for the
treatment of rosé and white wines. For red wines, on
the other hand, nitrogen is used to a greater extent.
The gases that are used in the treatment of wine can
be divided into two groups. The first group includes
inert gases such as nitrogen and argon. They do not
react with the individual components of the wine. The
second includes gases such as oxygen and carbon
dioxide, which influence the character of the wine.
Nitrogen and carbon dioxide are used in winery
management. Both gases are used separately as well as
in combination with each other. Carbon dioxide, however,
dissolves much more readily in liquids than nitrogen.
Wine growers can use gases in the various stages
of wine production – from the grape harvest through
to improving the shelf life. Here is an overview:
Grape harvest
If temperatures during the grape harvest are over
25 degrees Celsius, there is the danger that the grapes
will start to ferment prematurely. Here, the use of carbon
dioxide snow offers the ideal solution for cooling
the grapes. The advantage of this method compared
with normal ice cooling is that there is no water formation
when carbon dioxide snow melts.
on air 04 · 2007
Wine processing
The removal of the atmospheric oxygen from the must
provides microbiological protection against oxidation
and prevents premature fermentation. This is done by
either putting dry ice pellets directly into the press or
adding them to the prepared must.
Cold maceration
The technology of cold maceration facilitates an
enhanced extraction of fruit aromas. With this process,
the wine growers prolong fermentation through low
must temperatures. In order to prevent oxidation, they
treat the ripe, healthy grapes with carbon dioxide prior
to processing.
Must purification
Flotation technology is one of the most modern
methods of must purification. During this process,
the must is continuously filtered before being
mixed with nitrogen or carbon dioxide in a pressureresistant
container. Finally, the must is exposed to
atmospheric pressure. This pressure causes the clear
liquid to be separated from the suspended solids.
Storage
The inerting of tanks – the removal of atmospheric
oxygen from the liquid – provides protection against
Cover Story : 9
At one of our customers, PVS Pavelka in Slovakia, treatment with dry ice snow prevents premature fermentation of the grapes.
The company can look back on many generations of family tradition. Gases from Messer play a role in the success of the winery.
continued on page 10

10 : Cover Story
Source:
Hungarian article in trade journal.
György, Dr. Lo“rinc, Ákosné,
Dr. Nagy – Miklós, Dr. Kállay:
Védo“gázok a borászatban,
Borászati Füzetek 1997/4 sz.
Wine growers in Tokaj, Hungary’s top wine-growing region, also use gas mixtures such as
carbon dioxide and nitrogen.
oxidation. Carbon dioxide in the form of gas or snow is
used for white wine. Nitrogen or a mixture of nitrogen
and argon is used in red wine tanks.
Freshening
Wine growers use carbon dioxide to freshen the wine.
This creates a fresher taste and fruitier aroma.
Homogenization
Carbon dioxide is used for the effective mixing of different
vintages or types of wine. This prevents oxidation
of the different wines.
Bottling and gastronomy
A special gas mixture also offers oxidation protection
after the bottle is opened (see also Vinocor box).
Vinocor, the invisible cork – protective gases in m
In Austria, too, quality-oriented wineries are increasingly
using protective gases in wine production.
In particular, high-purity nitrogen and Vinocor, a mixture
of high-purity nitrogen and carbon dioxide, are used.
The Federal Office of Viticulture in Austria has tested
Vinocor and confirmed that the wine retains its very good
quality for two to three weeks if Vinocor is added within a
few hours of opening.
This procedure avoids the changes in taste and color
caused by oxidation and preserves the existing quality of
the wine.
Symposia for wine growers in Hungary
The possible uses of gases in wine production were
explained by Messer application engineers at symposia in
Hungary, which is known for its strong wine. Wine growers
from the important wine-growing regions of Tokaj
and Villány showed great interest in new technologies.
Additional expert support was provided by the Corvinus
University in Budapest: professors from the Faculty of
Wine Technology highlighted the advantages of using
gases in the treatment of wine and presented their latest
research findings.
László Kapás satisfies himself as to the
quality of the red wine.
on air 04 · 2007

+
+
+
+
+
THE PLUS POINTS FOR THE CUSTOMER:
Prevention of unwanted oxidation through cooling of grapes with CO 2
Effective purification of must using N 2 and CO 2
Inerting of containers
Fresher wines with fruity aroma through addition of CO2 Protection of fine wines after opening of bottles
odern winery technology in Austria
The Vinocor-Gastro appliance is specially
designed to meet the needs of
the professional user. It is extremely
robust and can either be mounted on
a wall or a stand. A hose line connects
it to the gas cylinder containing
the gas mixture. In almost
every case the gas cylinder is
situated directly under the bar. Dispensing
of the gas is electronically
controlled.
Walter Laimer, Messer Austria
The Vinocor-Gastro
appliance in action.
A female wine grower in Tokaj
Cover Story : 11
The Tokaj wine-growing region covers an area of approximately 5,000 hectares and lies
in the North East of Hungary. The special wine varieties, fertile soil and exceptional climate
all contribute to the fact that very fine, mostly white, wines are produced in this area.
The Dereszla wine-growing estate in Tokaj is run by a French-Hungarian team. Edit Bay
is the wine grower – not an easy job: “It helps if you view wine growing and the care and
treatment of wines as a calling, because there is a lot of work involved, not just during and
after the harvest, but the whole year round”, explains Bay. In spite of the sometimes heavy
workload, she gets a lot of
enjoyment from being a
wine grower. “The successful
cultivation of a new
variety of wine, a rich vintage,
a fine wine or the approving
smile of wine
drinkers makes all the hard
work worthwhile”, says
Bay.
Edit Bay (left) sees wine
growing as a calling.
Whether red or white wine –
there is a wide range of uses
for gases and gas mixtures in the
production of wine.
YOUR CONTACT PERSON:
László Kapás
Technology Manager Food
Messer Hungarogáz
Tel.: +36 1 4351 144
laszlo.kapas@messer.hu
Languages:

12 : Messer World
Thomas Trachsel (r.),
long-standing owner of
Asco Carbon Dioxide,
hands over the business
to Stefan Messer.
Investment in expertise.
Messer acquired the
CO2 specialist Asco on
May 31, 2007.
Everything to do with CO 2
from one source
Switzerland: Getting “everything from one source” is a valuable advantage
for customers. One of the ways in which Messer meets this requirement is
through its associated partner companies. Messer has expanded its portfolio
with the acquisition of Asco Carbon Dioxide Ltd, the Swiss technology com-
pany specializing in all things CO 2.
A successful example of enhanced customer service:
as a sister company of the industrial gas specialist
Messer, Messer Cutting & Welding offers gas fittings as
well as cutting and welding technology under the same
brand around the world. As an important supplier of
carbon dioxide, the Messer Group has now also grown in
the area of CO2 and dry ice technology. The acquisition
on May 31, 2007 of Asco Carbon Dioxide Ltd, based in
the Swiss town of Romanshorn, has expanded our product
portfolio through the addition of systems and technologies
covering all aspects of the production and
application of carbon dioxide.
Leading the field in CO2 pellets
Asco designs and markets systems for the production
of dry ice discs and pellets, the production of carbon
dioxide, CO2 recovery systems for dry ice machines as
well as vaporizers, CO2 pumps and other CO2 hardware.
Above all, Asco leads the field in the area of cleaning
with dry ice through the development and marketing
of blasting machines (Ascojet) as well as the manufacture
of CO2 pellets. The company is a technology leader
in dry-ice-blasting systems, which are used, among other
things, for cleaning industrial machines.
New markets
Asco Carbon Dioxide Ltd was founded in 1975. Thomas
Trachsel, its former CEO, retains a 49 per cent shareholding.
Trachsel, who will continue to make himself available
to Asco as a director and minority shareholder, points
out: “The Messer Group’s acquisition of the majority of
shares in Asco combined with its marketing expertise will
open up new markets for Asco in the core regions of the
Messer Group, which I will actively and continuously support.”
The new CEO of Asco is Wolfgang Pöschl, who will
also continue in his role as CEO of Messer Schweiz AG.
Diana Buss, Messer Group
on air 04 · 2007

The allure of growing markets
Peru: The Peruvian economy is booming, with no end in sight.
That is reason enough for Messer Gases del Peru to venture into growing
markets such as shipbuilding, the manufacturing sector and mining.
“We have a lot to do. There are many potential areas
of activity for Messer, from the distribution of gases
and gas mixtures produced in Peru through to the sale
of production plants and the installation of pipelines”,
says Fernando Mesarina, Sales Manager for Lima.
In Yanacocha, the largest gold mine in the world,
Messer has already successfully installed a gas pipeline
system and is also supplying nitrogen as a tire-filling
gas for the huge mining trucks at the mine in Barrick.
Messer has also sold the largest nitrogen membrane
unit in Peru to Antamina, a leading copper and molybdenum
mine.
More productivity with Messer
Motores Diesel Andinos S.A. (Modasa) is an important
customer from the growing markets. The company
used to manufacture diesel engines for heavy goods
vehicles and generators. Modasa has opened a new
plant in Lima and is now one of the leading manufacturers
of vehicle bodies for long-distance coaches as
well as of generator engines for the Andes region.
Messer Peru had previously supplied Modasa with
oxygen, carbon dioxide, welding gas mixtures, argon,
welding rods and electrodes. Following the meeting
with Hector Garcia, CEO of Modasa, Messer Peru
began work on the installation of a gas supply system
designed to increase the customer’s productivity. The
installation of Peru’s first multi-plasma cutting system
made by Messer Cutting & Welding was also agreed.
Similar history
Shipbuilding for the fishing industry is an important
market in Peru. Construcciones Maggiolo, a leading
Peruvian shipyard and Messer customer, was able to
lower its production costs for shipbuilding and maintenance
while increasing its productivity thanks to
on air 04 · 2007
Shipbuilding is one of the traditional
markets in Peru.
Messer switching from the supply of oxygen in cylinders
to the bulk supply of liquid oxygen.
At a joint meeting, Nicola Rubini Maggiolo, CEO of
Construcciones Maggiolo, proudly presented the history
of his successful business and was fascinated by
the similarities between his third-generation family
company and the history of the Messer Group.
Juan Bedoya, Messer Gases del Peru
Messer World : 13
Messer supplies nitrogen
for the huge mining
trucks in Barrick.

14 : Gas-o-theque
Peppers,
tomatoes and
other vegetables thrive
with CO2 fertilization.
YOUR CONTACT PERSON:
Jean-Claude Claeys
Sales Manager Bulk Gases
Tel.: +32 22570994
jean-claude.claeys@messerbenelux.com
Languages:
An advantage ripe for the picking
Getting a bigger, quicker and earlier harvest (than others) – the objectives
of greenhouse cultivation for horticultural enterprises are primarily
economic ones. Plants are therefore often fertilized with carbon dioxide
in order to boost their growth. It is easier and cheaper to do this with
pure CO 2 – at any time of the year.
Plants form biomass through photosynthesis:
temperature, nutrients, water, light and carbon dioxide
from the air influence their growth. If one of these
factors is below the optimum level, vegetables and
flowers will grow more slowly and remain smaller. In the
greenhouse atmosphere, the concentration of carbon
dioxide steadily declines during the day due to the CO2 consumption of the plants. However, this deficiency
can be corrected with an artificial CO2 supply in com-
Johan De Backer (r.) (DeBacker company) in
conversation with Jean-Claude Claeys (l.):
“Together with Messer we have found the optimum
CO2 supply for our plants.” In the last year,
Messer has won more than 25 new customers for
the enrichment of greenhouse atmospheres with
CO2 in Belgium and the Netherlands.
bination with light. Traditionally, the greenhouses are
heated with natural gas. The CO2 that is generated
in the combustion process is cleaned and fed into the
greenhouse. But natural gas is expensive, and in the
summer months there is usually no need for heating.
However, it is in the summer months, that the “biological
clock” of plants is set for growth – with rising
carbon dioxide consumption. The use of pure carbon
dioxide from cylinders or storage tanks to replenish
CO2 levels in greenhouses saves costs. What is more,
this CO2 is captured as a by-product from industrial
processes and is completely absorbed by the plants.
Monika Lammertz, Messer Group
Healthy growth: flowers, too,
benefit from CO2 fertilization.
on air 04 · 2007

COMPETITION
Win...
… a set of Balmain ballpoint pens
featuring the Messer logo
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 e-mail your answer to us.*
diana.buss@messergroup.com
Congratulations to Seid Kapetanovic, Sarajevo (Bosnia-Herzegovina), the winner of the USB stick.
CONFERENCE
Messer at Biofuels 2007
Messer is actively involved in this year’s Biofuels conference
in Vienna. The subjects that Messer will address
in particular at the conference include inerting with
nitrogen, for example as product protection with biodiesel
or explosion protection with flammable liquids,
as well as fire fighting in silos.
More than 300 delegates from 36 countries have
registered for the three-day conference (October 29 to
31), including representatives of biofuel producers,
experts from the agricultural industry and providers
of cutting-edge technology.
> joachim.rohovec@messergroup.com >
Trzebinia in Poland is home
to the first biodiesel plant in
Central and Eastern Europe.
Further information at
www.wraconferences.com/wra117overview.html.
CAR NAVIGATOR
Navigate your way around a car
>
Gasette : 15
Entry deadline:
September 17,
2007
* This competition is not open to
employees of Messer or their relatives.
?
Your opinion please!
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
On the Messer website – www.messergroup.com – the Messer experts
explain 15 technologies specifically for the car industry. An interactive tool
shows the applications of industrial gases in cars, ranging from the chassis
and the drive units to the electronics. Processes covering every aspect of
production are also described. Here the experts on electronics soldering,
grinding debris disposal, wastewater treatment, fire protection and retained
austenite conversion have their say.
www.messergroup.com/de/Produkte_und_Loesungen/Automobile/index.html
On the Messer website, experts explain
gas applications for cars.
>
diana.buss@messergroup.com

Coming up in the next issue:
DuoCondex – environmental protection with freezing temperatures:
the DuoCondex process developed by Messer utilizes the intense cold
of liquid nitrogen for waste gas cleaning and solvent recovery.
People at Messer: exchange programs enable Messer employees to spend
several months abroad familiarizing themselves with a colleague’s job.