PUBLISHER: The Business Research Company | PRODUCT CODE: 1931827
PUBLISHER: The Business Research Company | PRODUCT CODE: 1931827
An air separation unit (ASU) is a facility designed to separate atmospheric air into its main components, which typically include nitrogen, oxygen, and argon. These units function by cooling the air to extremely low temperatures through a process known as cryogenic distillation or by employing non-cryogenic methods such as pressure swing adsorption (PSA) or membrane separation.
The primary types of air separation units are cryogenic and non-cryogenic. Cryogenics involves processing materials at extremely low temperatures to enhance their mechanical properties and reduce residual stresses, thereby improving durability and performance. This process is used for various gases, such as nitrogen, oxygen, and argon, and is applied across industries such as iron and steel, oil and gas, healthcare, chemicals, and more.
Note that the outlook for this market is being affected by rapid changes in trade relations and tariffs globally. The report will be updated prior to delivery to reflect the latest status, including revised forecasts and quantified impact analysis. The report's Recommendations and Conclusions sections will be updated to give strategies for entities dealing with the fast-moving international environment.
Tariffs have impacted the air separation unit market by increasing costs of compressors, heat exchangers, and cryogenic components. Cryogenic systems are most affected, particularly in asia pacific manufacturing regions. Higher capital costs have influenced project timelines. However, tariffs are encouraging localized equipment fabrication and regional gas infrastructure development.
The air separation unit market research report is one of a series of new reports from The Business Research Company that provides air separation unit market statistics, including air separation unit industry global market size, regional shares, competitors with a air separation unit market share, detailed air separation unit market segments, market trends and opportunities, and any further data you may need to thrive in the air separation unit industry. This air separation unit market research report delivers a complete perspective of everything you need, with an in-depth analysis of the current and future scenario of the industry other End Uses
The air separation unit market size has grown strongly in recent years. It will grow from $5.93 billion in 2025 to $6.29 billion in 2026 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 6.0%. The growth in the historic period can be attributed to steel production expansion, growth of industrial gas demand, petrochemical capacity additions, healthcare oxygen consumption, chemical manufacturing growth.
The air separation unit market size is expected to see strong growth in the next few years. It will grow to $7.83 billion in 2030 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 5.7%. The growth in the forecast period can be attributed to hydrogen economy development, expansion of EV battery manufacturing, growth of carbon capture projects, demand for high purity gases, industrial decarbonization initiatives. Major trends in the forecast period include expansion of cryogenic air separation capacity, adoption of modular asu designs, integration of energy efficient distillation systems, rising use of on-site gas generation, growing preference for non-cryogenic technologies.
The rising demand for energy is expected to drive the growth of the air separation unit market in the coming years. Energy demand is increasing due to global population growth, expanding industrial activities, and greater consumption of energy-intensive technologies and appliances. Air separation units play a critical role in meeting this demand by supplying essential gases, such as oxygen and nitrogen, which support efficient combustion and process optimization in energy production and industrial applications. For example, in April 2023, the Energy Information Administration, a US-based government agency, reported that overall energy consumption in the United States is projected to increase between 0% and 15% from 2022 to 2050, with industrial energy use expected to grow by approximately 5% to 32% during the same period. Consequently, the rising energy demand is fueling the expansion of the air separation unit market.
Key companies in the air separation unit market are leveraging strategic partnerships to enhance the availability of argon, oxygen, and nitrogen in Eastern European markets. Strategic partnerships allow companies to combine strengths and resources to achieve shared objectives and mutual benefits. For instance, in August 2023, SIAD Group, an Italy-based chemical group, partnered with SOL Group, an Italy-based chemical company, to form a joint venture named OXY Technical Gases in Croatia. In this venture, SIAD holds a 60% stake and SOL holds 40%, aiming to increase the supply of nitrogen, oxygen, and argon in Croatia and neighboring countries. OXY Technical Gases is investing $56.1 million to build an air separation unit (ASU) in Velika Gorica, near Zagreb, which will provide high-purity liquid oxygen, nitrogen, and argon produced at cryogenic temperatures to hospitals, industrial facilities, and other customers throughout the region.
In July 2024, Honeywell International Inc., a US-based industrial goods and machinery company, acquired Air Products and Chemicals Inc. for $1.81 billion. This acquisition is intended to strengthen Honeywell's energy transition solutions and expand its capabilities in the air separation unit market. Air Products and Chemicals Inc. is a US-based provider of essential industrial gases, related equipment, and applications.
Major companies operating in the air separation unit market are Linde Plc, Air Liquide S.A., Air Products and Chemicals Inc., Nippon Sanso Holdings Corporation, Messer Group GmbH, Matheson Tri-Gas Inc., Yingde Gases Group Co. Ltd., Gulf Cryo, Cryogenmash, SIAD Macchine Impianti S.p.A., Bhoruka Gases Limited, MVS Engineering Pvt. Ltd., Novair Industries AB, CRYOTEC Anlagenbau GmbH, Ranch Cryogenics Inc., Buzwair Industrial Gases Factories, Shanghai Chinllenge Gases Co. Ltd., Kaifeng Air Separation Group Company Limited, Sichuan Air Separation Plant Group
Asia-Pacific was the largest region in the air separation unit market in 2025 and it is expected to be the fastest-growing region in the forecast period. The regions covered in the air separation unit market report are Asia-Pacific, South East Asia, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, North America, South America, Middle East, Africa
The countries covered in the air separation unit market report are Australia, Brazil, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Japan, Taiwan, Russia, South Korea, UK, USA, Canada, Italy, Spain.
The air separation unit market includes revenues earned by entities by providing services such as design and engineering, installation, maintenance and support, optimization, and gas supply. The market value includes the value of related goods sold by the service provider or included within the service offering. Only goods and services traded between entities or sold to end consumers are included.
The market value is defined as the revenues that enterprises gain from the sale of goods and/or services within the specified market and geography through sales, grants, or donations in terms of the currency (in USD unless otherwise specified).
The revenues for a specified geography are consumption values that are revenues generated by organizations in the specified geography within the market, irrespective of where they are produced. It does not include revenues from resales along the supply chain, either further along the supply chain or as part of other products.
Air Separation Unit Market Global Report 2026 from The Business Research Company provides strategists, marketers and senior management with the critical information they need to assess the market.
This report focuses air separation unit market which is experiencing strong growth. The report gives a guide to the trends which will be shaping the market over the next ten years and beyond.
Where is the largest and fastest growing market for air separation unit ? How does the market relate to the overall economy, demography and other similar markets? What forces will shape the market going forward, including technological disruption, regulatory shifts, and changing consumer preferences? The air separation unit market global report from the Business Research Company answers all these questions and many more.
The report covers market characteristics, size and growth, segmentation, regional and country breakdowns, total addressable market (TAM), market attractiveness score (MAS), competitive landscape, market shares, company scoring matrix, trends and strategies for this market. It traces the market's historic and forecast market growth by geography.
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