Arabian Industrial Gases Company (Aigco), one of the leading producers and distributors of industrial and speciality gases in the UAE, says it has doubled sales over the past three years due to the rapidly growing manufacturing sector in the region.

“The year 2006 was very good for us,” says Naji Skaf, general manager, Aigco. “The future looks very promising too as the company has signed a number of major contracts, including a 15-year supply contract worth Dh 70 million ($19 million) with Ras Al Khaimah-based ARC  International.
“We have witnessed very strong expansions during the past five years and are still expanding. We will be installing a state-of-the art machine for filling cylinders later this year,” he says.
Commenting on its scope of work at the ARC International site, Skaf says “As manufacturer of glassware like cups and plates, ARC needs large quantities of oxygen which we were supplying as liquid but this tends to be heavy on logistics and expensive too. So now we are setting up an oxygen plant on their site in RAK which will have a pipe going into their production facility to ensure continuous supply of oxygen with backup.”
Other major contracts include ones with International Quality Steel Company, a stainless steel company based in Dubai Investment Park, and Zamil Steel’s new plant based in Ras Al Khaimah.
Established in Sharjah in 1976, Aigco moved to its purpose-built facility in Dubai Investment Park in 2003.  The company has witnessed strong growth since inception, according to Skaf.
“Industrial gases that play a crucial role in global markets, are becoming increasingly relevant to the Middle East due to fast-paced industrial development,” says Skaf.  Industrial gases have a myriad uses ranging from everyday applications such as carbon dioxide shot blasting and removal of odours and stains from sensitive fabrics to specific topical uses such as refining of crude oil to lower the sulphur content.” Aigco caters to all types of welding, cutting and shielding gases required by the metal processing and fabrication industry in the UAE. Over the years we have built a diverse portfolio of customers ranging from major ship repair companies and pressure vessel manufacturers to heavy steel industries in the UAE and neighbouring countries,” says Skaf.
The metal processing and fabrication sector is amongst the largest consumers of industrial gases and gas mixtures. These include pure gases such as oxygen, acetylene, and argon and a wide range of gas mixtures with varying compositions to meet customer-specific requirements. Services offered by Aigco include pipeline installation, bulk installation, technical support, cylinder maintenance and onsite equipment maintenance.
The glass industry is also a large consumer of gases. Aigco offers high-quality gases and onsite supply schemes for large consumers. “We understand the sensitivity of gases demand in the glass industry,” says Skaf. “In glass manufacturing, the combination between chemical composition and physical properties varies with the application and the environment to which the glass will be exposed. A variety of gases are used in different processes in glass-making. Impurities in gases have to be checked and maintained within allowable limits as otherwise they would result in large waste volumes. Optical and thermal properties and strengths are some of the key characteristics driving the glass industry,” he explains.
The company also caters to the oil, gas and petrochemical sector where the applications and uses of gases are wide-ranging and vary with operational requirements.  Aigco supplies oxygen and nitrogen gases to refineries and petrochemical complexes.  Air separation units are installed and operated with a distribution network for gas supplies. Smaller requirements are catered to by employing tube trailers, cylinder racks and high-pressure cylinders. Spot requirements for bulk products during turnaround are fulfilled using ISO tanks and road tankers.
Aigco has also been actively involved in supplying gases and developing new applications for the food and beverages industry.
Skaf says the industry requires a variety of gases in different applications depending on the nature of the food product, the process required and the quality demanded of the finished product. It requires bulk or compressed gas either in pure form or a mixture of multiple gases. “We can provide complete gas supply solutions including a selection and installation of equipments and supply of gases. Depending on the customer’s scale of activities, bulk installations together with mixing stations can be installed. The beverage industry is the main beneficiary of this arrangement with a hassle-free supply of carbon dioxide,” he adds.
The company also caters to the healthcare sector that requires a variety of gases in different medical applications. With the development of science, newer techniques have been developed requiring more complex gas mixtures.
Commenting on the company’s future plans, Skaf says: “We would like to focus more on healthcare where we continue to be strong. We also hope to witness more growth from the food industry as with the growing population base there will more demand from this sector.
“So far Dubai has been our biggest market. Next phase we see more growth coming from Abu Dhabi and Ras Al Khaimah.”
Some of Aigco’s major customers are: Abu Dhabi Oil Refining Co (Takreer), National Petroleum Construction Co (NPCC), ARC International,  Aujan Soft Drink Industries – Dubai, Department of Health and Medical Services (DOHMS) – Dubai, Dubai Aluminum Company (Dubal), Emirates Flight Catering, Emirates Building Systems (EBS), Gulf Marine Maintenance and Offshore Services Company, Hassani Food Industries – Dubai and J Ray McDermott – Dubai.