German engineering gases producer Messer Group has opened a new air separation plant (ASU) and industrial gas cylinder facility in central Poland’s Łódź special economic zone.

The ASU with capacity to produce up to 355 tpd of liquid oxygen, nitrogen and argon is Messer’s second production facility in Poland. Together the cost of the two facilities was pegged at around €31 million.

Messer said the Polish gas market has recorded consistently high growth rates in recent years. France’s Air Liquide started up a new ASU plant in the east European country in 2015 and is also investing in the cylinder market.