Air Separation Unit Market Size, Share, Growth, and Industry Analysis, By Type (Below 20 K CMPH, 20-60 K CMPH, Above 60 K CMPH), By Application (Chemical, Industrial Gas, Metallurgy), and Regional Forecast to 2035

AIR SEPARATION UNIT MARKET OVERVIEW

The global Air Separation Unit Market size estimated at USD 5015.88 million in 2026 and is projected to reach USD 8182.9 million by 2035, growing at a CAGR of 5% from 2026 to 2035.

The ASU market can be considered as the significant stimulator of the industrial gases market, with the healthcare, chemical, energy, and metallurgical industries contributing to the industry’s growth. An Air Separation Unit, or ASU, can be defined as an installation capable of distilling air through the application of cryogenic distillation processes or other kinds of non-cryogenic procedures to produce required forms of nitrogen, oxygen, and argon gases. These gases are very essential in such processes as the manufacture of metallic structures, in the medical sector, and in the generation of power. Because of the rising industrialization and stiff regulations on emissions and other pollutant particles, the market is enhancing the adoption of ASU technologies. Innovations in technology, along with growing usage sectors, increase the advancement of the ASU market around the globe.

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GLOBAL CRISES IMPACTING AIR SEPARATION UNIT MARKET- COVID-19 IMPACT

"Air Separation Unit Industry Had a Positive Effect Due to Medical oxygen during COVID-19 Pandemic"

The Global COVID-19 pandemic has been unprecedented and staggering, with the market experiencing higher-than-anticipated demand across all regions compared to pre-pandemic levels. The sudden market growth reflected by the rise in CAGR is attributable to the market’s growth and demand returning to pre-pandemic levels.

It is evident, therefore, that the stricter measures to contain COVID-19 within facilities, coupled with a growing demand for medical-grade oxygen, led to considerable growth of the Air Separation Unit (ASU) market during the pandemic. This boosted the involvement of ASUs to ensure adequate supply of the important element to the patients thus their importance in the care of affected patients. For example, Air Liquide’s CryopAL increased its production rate of liquid oxygen to three times the output in April of 2020 as patient needs for treatment with respiratory insufficiency snowballed. This belief emphasized the role of ASUs’ positive impact in strengthening health facilities in the context of the new world pandemic.

LATEST TREND

"Renewable energy uses drives sustainable market growth forward"

There are various trends that the ASU industry is experiencing at the moment; these are technology improvement, a focus on green solutions, and growth from the health sector. One is the installment of many renewable energy sources in the ASUs, which not only contributed to the reduction of carbon emissions but also to the operational costs. This is in line with the current global sustainable development, and it improves the economics of the air separation processes. While expressing concern for environmental responsibility, the use of renewable energy sources in ASUs is becoming one of the keys to the market’s development.

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AIR SEPARATION UNIT MARKET SEGMENTATION

By Type

Based on Type, the global market can be categorized into Below 20 K CMPH, 20-60 K CMPH, Above 60 K CMPH

• Below 20 K CMPH: Small-sized ASUs comprise the air separation systems with a production capacity volume of below 20,000 CMPH or 20 tonnes/day of liquid oxygen, and they are employed mainly in industries and medical facilities. Housing them is convenient due to flexibility; they consume less energy, and they are cheaper to maintain. These units can be used in areas that are likely to be off-grid or those that require average usage of gas. These two factors include increasing healthcare requirements and portable oxygen demand, which drive this segment.

• 20–60 K CMPH: Air separation units in the 20–60 K CMPH range serve medium-scale industries such as metallurgy, chemical processing, and small power plants. It concentrates on managing the working load as well as the productivity level of the orchestras. This segment is enjoying increased use from the public since it is flexible and easier to install as compared to the other segments. The need for valves is growing in the developing areas where industrial development is constant but not massive.

• Above 60 K CMPH: All the units above 60 K CMPH are associated with large-scale industries such as steel plants, the oil & gas industry, and petrochemical industries. They are used in industries that constantly need large volumes of gas within a short span of time. Albeit they are capital-intensive, they can give high operating efficiency and long-term cost advantages. This segment is advancing due to the growing

By Application

Based on Application, the global market can be categorized into Chemical, Industrial Gas, Metallurgy

• Chemical: In the chemical processing, air separation units (ASUs) play important roles in producing oxygen and nitrogen that is used in the chemical synthesis processes. Oxygen adds to the support of oxidation reactions, and on the other hand, nitrogen is used in blanketing and purging processes for safety purposes. Specialty chemicals and fertilizers are essential in the market and the need for the constant and uninterrupted provision of gas. Thus, ASUs are invaluable in this sector as they help to improve the efficiency of processes and quality of products. Since the global chemical industry is a progressively growing industry, it is believed that the demand for ASUs will follow the same, nonlinear growth.

• Industrial Gas: A serious aspect of the industrial use of ASUs is the industrial gas segment, which utilizes massive amounts of oxygen, nitrogen, and argon. These gases are delivered in either a liquid state or gaseous state to processors in the food industry, electronic industry, and energy. This segment is growing in light of demand for industrial gases for clean energy and sustainable processes. ASUs make provision for a stable and efficient supply system of these gases. Advancements in technology are going ahead to enhance the production of gas as well as reduce costs.

• Metallurgy: In metallurgy, ASUs are also used in facilities like steelmaking; this is due to the ability of oxygen to increase the rate of combustion and the efficiency of furnaces. Nitrogen and argon gases are employed when the above-mentioned inverting, cooling, refining, or enhancing the quality of the metals is desired. Steel and non-ferrous metallic products-making industries are the major consumers of air-separated gases. So as the infrastructure and construction markets increase, the requirement for metallurgical gas usage increases as well. This makes ASUs important for enabling the support of production and certainty in the output of metals.

MARKET DYNAMICS

Market dynamics include driving and Restraining Factors, opportunities and Challenges stating the market conditions.

Driving Factor

"Rising medical oxygen demand drives long-term market growth globally"

The demand for ASU has been recently growing and is primarily stimulated by the need for medical oxygen, being essential during the COVID-19 crisis. Hospitals, clinics, and emergency centers depend on oxygen for administering patient treatments that require it, surgeries, and critical care that are supported by oxygen. As a result, when medical facilities are developed and set up internationally, especially in the developing world, the need for oxygen supply is also demanded. This need is met by ASUs that guarantee the purity and supply needs of these products. Such prospects will sustain the long-term market expansion; this is the expectation that will be experienced in the future.

"Industrialization and energy needs drive global market growth significantly"

They used nitrogen, oxygen, and argon generated by air separation units in production processes of industries including steel, chemicals, oils & gases, and electronics, among others. These gases are invaluable for combustion, cooling, inertion, and chemical reactions purposes, among other uses. This is due to the increase in industrialization of the Asia-Pacific region and other emergent countries where ASUs are in high demand. In the same regard, the adoption of ASU is boosted by the demand for efficient and economical energy-related industrial options. Such a trend across sectors also dictates the development of the ASU market at the global level results Air Separation Unit Market growth.

Restraining Factor

"High capital costs hinder market growth in developing regions"

There are various threats that currently affect the Air Separation Unit (ASU) market, and one of them is the capital intensity that is necessary for establishing and operating the ASU plants. These are units that require sophisticated structures, mostly technical to install, and have high power demands, making it expensive in construction and even in usage of energy. Such large-scale systems are out of reach for small and medium-sized enterprises as they cannot afford to invest in them. Further, long payback times can constrain new entrants because the long time to earn revenue would limit a firm’s ability to generate sufficient cash flow to make capital investments that are required for the business. This financial threshold hence presents itself as an obstacle to the expansion, especially in the developing world.

Opportunity

"Green hydrogen production boosts market growth through clean energy"

There exists potential for expansion in the Air Separation Unit (ASU) market, especially with the aim of centering on green hydrogen production. ASUs provide the high-purity oxygen required in the water electrolysis process, and water electrolysis is one of the most common ways of producing hydrogen. As the governments along with the industries are promoting the potential of clean energy solutions, the development of hydrogen infrastructure is underway. As the demand for hydrogen prominently increases in the mentioned value chain, ASUs become vital elements in the value chain. Thus, examining and analyzing the tendencies of green energy adoptions, it can be stated that the potential for the ASU market in the mentioned environment is going to grow simultaneously.

Challenge

"High energy demands limit sustainable market growth potential globally"

The most important risk of the Air Separation Unit (ASU) market is that the process requires a large amount of energy. Cryogenic distillation, which is the most widely used in ASUs, involves using a large amount of electricity to cool air to very low temperatures. This does not only add to the costs of doing business but also propagates environmental degradation in areas that rely on such energy sources. The main Challenge in managing the energy efficiency of the plant is also the fact that it has to deal with the high purity of the gas. These factors can deter its uptake to the extent that is feasible for sustainable consumption of energy resources.

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AIR SEPARATION UNIT MARKET REGIONAL INSIGHTS

North America

"U.S. innovation and industry drive North America market growth"

Hence, the North America region is leading in the Air Separation Unit Market due to its well-developed industries, increased market participants, and the growing need in such applications as healthcare, chemical, and energy. Another factor that gives more strength to the region is its recent emphasis on technological and sustainable development for this market. The United States Air Separation Unit Market contributes massively to the growth of the ASU Market through investment in healthcare facilities and more industrial gases. There is also evidence of a sound manufacturing industry and rising green energy in the United States. That makes it the chief driver of the ASU market growth in North America.

Europe

"Europe’s green focus and industry strength drive market growth"

Europe holds remarkable Air Separation Unit Market share due to awareness of sustainability, industrial infrastructure, and high discharge for environmental degradation. The requirement of ASUs will be powerful and energy efficient, along with eco-friendly technologies, enhancing the region. Countries like Germany, France, and the UK lead in industrial gas consumption across sectors such as chemicals, metallurgy, and healthcare. Thus, the shift towards the generation of green hydrogen in Europe is beneficial for the development of ASU. All these factors sum up to boost the dominance of the region in the large-scale ASU market.

Asia

"Asia’s industrial and energy demand fuels market growth globally"

The Asia region is one of the developing regions in the Air Separation Unit Market in terms of growth owing to industrialization and urbanization coupled with growing energy demands. For instance, China and India are global giants in the steel, chemical, and manufacturing industries, almost all of which depend on ASUs. An increase in the healthcare sector’s growth causes a subsequent demand for medical oxygen. This paper further highlights governmental policies in supporting clean energy as well as industrial developments that help in ASU installations. Such a dynamic creates significant industrial growth, which would ensure Asia leads market growth across the globe.

KEY INDUSTRY PLAYERS

"Key players’ innovation and expansion drive market growth globally"

The leading players in the Air Separation Unit (ASU) market are coming up with new technologies, expanding their operations across the world, and forming new partnerships. Current industrial requirements include the adoption of energy-efficient technologies as well as modular ASUs, which have attracted investments by prominent players in the market such as Air Liquide, Linde, and Air Products. This action, for example, by linking ASUs to green hydrogen projects, improves market appeal in terms of sustainability. Besides, the future development and the improvement of accessibility of the ASU industry are also resulting from entering new markets and upgrades of existing ones by these players.

List Of Top Air Separation Unit Companies

• HNEC (China)
• Taiyo Nippon Sanso (Japan)
• Messer (Germany)
• Cryogenmash (Russia)
• AMCS (U.S)

KEY INDUSTRY DEVELOPMENT

February 2025, to our knowledge, the study, Air Liquide inaugurated a large-scale Air Separation Unit (ASU) building, owning and operating it on Naoshima Island, Japan. This ASU is capable of generating up to 1,400 tons of oxygen per twenty-four hours together with nitrogen, argon, and neon for enhancing the production of copper in Mitsubishi Material Corporation in addition to supplying rare gases used by semiconductor manufacturers. It supports Japan’s energy transformation plan and has been gifted a financial grant by the Japanese Ministry of Economy, Trade & Industry (METI) for the reinforcement of the domestic neon manufacturing.

REPORT COVERAGE

The Study encompasses a comprehensive SWOT analysis and provides insights into future developments within the market. It examines various factors that contribute to the growth of the market, exploring a wide range of market categories and potential Applications that may impact its trajectory in the coming years. The analysis takes into account both current trends and historical turning points, providing a holistic understanding of the market's components and identifying potential areas for growth.

This Research report examines the segmentation of the market by using both quantitative and qualitative methods to provide a thorough analysis that also evaluates the influence of strategic and financial perspectives on the market. Additionally, the report's regional assessments consider the dominant supply and demand forces that impact market growth. The competitive landscape is detailed meticulously, including shares of significant market competitors. The report incorporates unconventional research techniques, methodologies and key strategies tailored for the anticipated frame of time. Overall, it offers valuable and comprehensive insights into the market dynamics professionally and understandably.