CLARKSVILLE, TN (CLARKSVILLE NOW) – After coming to terms on a new long-term contract with LG Chem, Air Liquide has pledged to invest around $150 million to expand its production capacity and pipeline network in Clarksville-Montgomery County, according to a news release.

Air Liquide said the investment was triggered by LG Chem’s new need for oxygen and will go toward building, owning and operating its second air-separation unit (ASU) at its Airgas production facility in Clarksville, as well as a liquefier, storage and a pipeline. The news release also said supplying oxygen to LG Chem’s future cathode active material plant will support the growth of the battery ecosystem in the United States, while increasing the group’s footprint in a key region.

In August 2023, in preparation for the contract, Air Liquide announced a plan for the expansion that will add 16 jobs paying an average of $95,000 per year, according to previous reports. The company, located in the Industrial Park on Boolean Drive at the southeast corner of the Google Data Center property, secured a PILOT, with claw-back provisions, from the Clarksville-Montgomery County Industrial Development Board to support the expansion. Hiring is expected in 2026.

“This is further recognition of our expertise in the United States, where the energy transition is gaining momentum and where we benefit from a solid position, combining both a historic presence in major industrial basins as well as a local anchoring thanks to Airgas,” said Matthieu Giard, group vice president and executive team member of Air Liquide. “As part of the long-term contract signed with LG Chem, we will be putting our solutions at the service of the battery ecosystem in the United States.

“Additionally, through this investment, Airgas will more than double its local liquid nitrogen, oxygen and argon production which will enable us to support the increasing demand from merchant customers in Tennessee and surrounding states,” Giard said.