Praxair, Inc. started up a world-scale air separation unit at its plant, near Lake Michigan, in Burns Harbor, Indiana.

The 2,400-ton-per-day ASU, part of Praxair’s ongoing investment in the company’s northwest Indiana operations, will help further improve efficiency and continue to provide the reliable supply of pipeline oxygen and nitrogen required by refining and steel customers in the region, company officials said.

“This investment further strengthens Praxair’s supply reliability in the region, enabling us to help our customers grow and be more efficient,” said Joe Abdoo, North Region Vice President of Praxair’s U.S. industrial gases business. “We also welcome new customers, who require large volumes of oxygen, nitrogen or hydrogen, to investigate the benefits of supply from Praxair’s pipeline system, which runs through several sites in Indiana and Illinois that are readily available for development.”

“We appreciate the relentless efforts of our project team, contractors and employees, as well as the support we have received from the Town of Burns Harbor over the last two years to bring this ASU on-line,” continued Abdoo.

Over half of the operating iron blast furnaces in the United States are located in northwest Indiana and supplied from Praxair’s 130-mile pipeline system, officials noted. Increased use of oxygen in many applications enables improvement in productivity and efficiency, which is a key objective of steel producers and refineries seeking to optimize their production assets.

“Praxair’s industrial gases help manufacturers in northwest Indiana and beyond, providing an important resource that is supporting our state’s growing economy,” said Jim Schellinger, Indiana Secretary of Commerce. “With one in five Hoosiers working in the manufacturing industry, Indiana is home to the highest concentration of manufacturing in the nation. We’re excited that Praxair selected Indiana for its new air separation unit, which will help fuel job creators across the state.”