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for testing that gas pipelines are leak-
proof and special gases for calibrating
measurement equipment.
What is the role of R&D in your
activities?
Air Liquide is an innovative technology
company, whose activities participate
in the energy and environmental
transition, developments in the world
of health and the digital transforma-
tion. R&D plays an essential role in
the strategy of the Group, which has
more than 1,100 researchers. Many
research programmes concern gas
production, with issues related to
hydrogen. We pay special attention to
developing technologies and applica-
tions to improve the efficiency of our
customers’ industrial processes and
develop our sales and services.
We are also actively working on the
energy transition and hydrogen mobi-
lity, which will enable to reduce the
environmental impact of transport on
the climate.
There is currently little cooperation in
Russia in R&D, but we are developing
partnerships for liquefied natural
gas (LNG) through our engineering
department. Activities related to
innovation have great potential
development in Russia.
What is your approach to CSR?
Air Liquide aims at contributing to a
more sustainable world. The company
operates in more than 80 countries
and is developing its activities over the
long term in a responsible manner.
Its staff members comply with values
such as safety, ethics, respect for
human rights and the protection of the
environment. The Group is also very
much involved locally and carries out
specific action in every country accor-
ding to the ecosystems in which it
operates.
Concerning Russia, we support several
projects set up by charitable organiza-
tions, especially in the medical field,
to help children, the handicapped and
people suffering from respiratory
problems.
Could you tell us about your long-term
prospects, especially the construction
of a plant in Novokuznetsk?
Russia is a strategic country for Air
Liquide, due to its economic develop-
ment potential, its modernization and
the development of its activities in the
East.
Air Liquide therefore wishes to develop
its activities in Russia in the coming
years and is investing in the country to
this end. Our ambition is to strengthen
our activities in the East of Russia,
especially in Siberia. The signature of a
contract with Evraz in May 2018 to
build a plant in Novokuznetsk (in the
Kemerovo region), which should be
operational by 2021, is in line with this
process. Our plants use recent and
environmentally-friendly technologies.
They will replace the existing Evraz
plants and generate better operational
efficiency and energy savings of
around 20 %. The goal is to contribute
to the optimization of the economic
performances of our customers while
protecting the environment. We are
constantly seeking to establish new
partnerships with companies to offer
them our services and our innovative
technologies and this recent project is
a good example of this.
Air Liquide Russie
109147, Moscow, Vorontsovskaya str., 17
©DR
RUSSIA - FRANCE
