All Columnists articles – Page 9
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NewsAirgas: A long awaited acquisition?
The earth shook in the global gases business last week, with the news that Air Liquide had agreed the $13.4bn acquisition of fellow Tier One company Airgas, Inc., signalling a potentially seismic shift in the structure of the industry.
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Features
Time to re-assess ERP?
With the gases industry arguably maximising its operations more than ever before, Gavin Oberholzer of business solutions provider HSO asks in this exclusive column for gasworld.com whether it’s time to re-assess Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP).
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Features
Why it’s ‘game on’ for new growth drivers in the bulk distribution field
The main factors that drive demand in the bulk distribution equipment industry are mainly new business and organic growth, the replacement of ageing equipment, and any new applications that arise for distribution equipment.
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Features
Innovation – let the good ideas flow
Recently, when visiting our R D Team for a review meeting, Chris Browell our Head of R D, made an observation that left me pondering. He said, “To the optimist, the glass is half full. To the pessimist, the glass is half empty. But to the engineer, that glass is ...
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Features
Hydrogen – The green key to renewables
The good news is that more and more energy from renewable sources is being produced every day. The bad news is that far too much of it is wasted. In the ‘use it or lose it’ energy game, intermittent renewable energy (IRR) is suffering. Enter hydrogen – when produced ‘greenly’ ...
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Features
Just crystal ball gazing?
French mathematician, physicist, and philosopher of science Jules Henri Poincaré once stated, “It is far better to foresee even without certainty, than not to foresee at all.” That resonates with me today in Budapest, for very different reasons.
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Features
Business in a bipolar market
Several years ago when writing about the US market I asked – when you’re way out in front, where is there to go? It may not be quite the same question facing Europe, but a similar conundrum exists in the region – how to realise the next wave of growth? ...
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Features
Cold – The new hot topic
Cold has long been the Cinderella of the energy debate, but that might just be changing. Toby Peters, Senior Group Managing Director of Dearman, argues that the challenge is now to turn growing awareness into action and that the international gas industry has an opportunity to play a leading role ...
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Features
Small-scale LNG – Evolving, evolved, or on the crest of a wave?
Just two years ago the demand for LNG was almost unsustainable as new energy applications were being developed and the price against oil was favourable for this alternative energy source. Keith Stewart reflects on how this market has changed.
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News
Italy’s Oerlikon’s Drive Systems expands into South America
The company has appointed four new distributors to further strengthen its presence in the continent with locations in Argentina, Chile. Columbia and Peru created to support the agricultural, construction, mining and energy sectors.
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Features
Efficient transport modes for the fracking industry
Fracking and natural gas have been such common words in recent forums and the gas receptacle world has not been left out. If anything, both the gas cylinder and automotive industries have been preparing for this ‘green’ fuel alternative for several decades and have considered not only the output post ...
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Features
Cryogenic valves for an evolving LNG industry
As one of the first cryogenic service providers to enter the LNG industry, it’s well over a decade since Herose started supplying valves for LNG applications.
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Features
Future bright as new year in welding begins
The future of welding is closely linked to the manufacturing industry, which is currently showing no signs of real growth. There are many issues in the macro-environment to deal with, but welding remains a challenging and exciting industry to be in as 2014 unfolds.
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Features
Lean and green in cryogenic distribution
Let’s face it, there is almost no product differentiation in industrial gas. In today’s ultra- competitive market, with tight margins and pressure to optimise operational efficiencies, increasing productivity in distribution and reducing the carbon footprint has never been more important.
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Features
Setting standards in the LNG industry
Fuelling ships in the Nordic regions; shale gas fields in the US; vehicle use across the globe; an energy resource to power major cities in China and other developing countries - these are just some of the applications which demonstrate the incredible scope and breadth of the LNG industry.
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Features
Preparing the ‘energy soup'
Today, in a time when the consequences of CO2-emissions are becoming more and more noticeable - especially now that the CO2-level in the atmosphere recently reached the level of 400 ppm - the industry, governments and individuals can no longer ignore their responsibility.
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Features
Hydrogen technologies are ready to be deployed
Hydrogen is an agile energy that can address several markets, and the development prospects are numerous. Hydrogen could also play a key role in the valorisation of renewable energy sources and the challenging electric grid balancing.
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Features
Torn apart – One company, one technology, trying to serve two worlds
In the almost 10 years existence of Cryonorm Projects we have been trying to serve two types of clients by simply using one single competence and technology. An absolutely rational and logical approach one would say, but reality and experience show that such a conclusion is at least questionable.
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Features
Gasol: an important alliance with Socar Trading in West Africa
Gasol plc, the West African Energy development company, is working to provide African gas to the next generation. The latest piece of the puzzle, Gasol’s alliance with Socar Trading S.A., brings its ‘LNG to power’ strategy much closer to reality. The tie-up with includes an investment in Gasol in the ...
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Features
A clean, cost-competitive climate change solution
The real objective must be to limit global average temperature increases to no more than 2ºC in a way that is sustainable and that costs the least amount. CCS is not a silver bullet, it doesn’t provide the complete solution, but it is certainly part of the solution.
