Dubai, UAE 11 March 2015: Gulf Cryo Holding KSCC, a leading manufacturer of industrial, medical and specialty gases in the MENA region, has announced the opening of its largest Kuwait-based Carbon Dioxide (CO2) production plant in cooperation with EQUATE Petrochemical Company, Kuwaits first international petrochemical joint-venture.

Located in Shuaiba Industrial Area,this plant will take CO2 from EQUATEsindustrial complex, and convert it to CO2 for commercial use, including food-grade CO2 for the carbonated beverage industry,among others.

This plant represents a significant investment and commitment towards environmental consciousness from both EQUATE and Gulf Cryo, as the plant will take CO2 and convert it to a reusable resource.The plant is capable of producing 280 tons per day of liquid CO2, and an estimated 110,000 tons of CO2 emission will be saved each year.

Naji Skaf, Chief Executive Officer, GulfCryo, said: We are seeing a fundamental change in how the CO2 market operates, with a conscious effort across the industrial sector to lower carbon emissions. Increasingly, companies are moving away from using CO2 from fossil fuel, towards more environmentally-friendly CO2 produced from capturing off-gas that would otherwise go into the atmosphere. Working with a global-player like EQUATE is a very positive experience, considering their focus and effort in making environmentally-sound business decisions.

Our high-capacity plant will capture CO2 from EQUATEs plants, and will enable us to offer high-quality, food-grade CO2 to our customers across the region. This plant will complement our five CO2 hubs in Dubai, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and Jordan, he added.

EQUATE President and CEO, Mohammad Husain, said, The partnership between EQUATE and Gulf Cryo in this pioneering industrial and environmental initiative is an additional example of EQUATEs commitment towards the society and local economy. Preserving and protecting the environment is a strategic objective for EQUATE, and this collaboration with Gulf Cryo is an embodiment of our environmental excellence and aligns with our vision of being Partners in Success for further sustainability within and outside Kuwait. Having Gulf Cryo as a partner which shares EQUATEs Mission, Vision and Values is an added-value to our efforts in Kuwait and beyond.

The Gulf Cryo plant, set-up in the Shuaiba Industrial Area of Kuwait, has a pipeline directly to EQUATEs plants. This strengthened engagement between the two companies is built on a long-standing relationship established in 2004