Executives, State and Local Officials Break Ground on Messer’s New Air Separation Unit in Berryville, Arkansas

BERRYVILLE, Ark. (April 28, 2025) – State and local officials welcomed Messer, a leading industrial gases company, to break ground on a new state-of-the-art air separation unit (ASU) in Berryville, Arkansas.

Company executives, along with state and local officials, celebrated the construction milestone during a private groundbreaking ceremony on Monday morning. Following the groundbreaking ceremony, the City of Berryville held a community celebration event to highlight the future impact of the project.

“There has never been a better time than now to invest, grow, and hire in Arkansas, and Messer’s expansion in Berryville proves that the Natural State is a great place to operate a business,” said Governor Sanders. “I applaud today’s groundbreaking and as Governor, I am continuing my commitment to cut taxes, reduce red tape, and grow our workforce so companies like Messer can thrive.”

The company will be investing more than $70 million in the ASU expansion to support the growing demand for industrial gases in the United States.

“By making this significant investment for our next ASU in Berryville, Arkansas, we acknowledge with gratitude the town’s pro-business environment,” said Elena Skvortsova, President and CEO of Messer Americas. “The location will solidify our presence in Arkansas and help even better serve our local customers. Along with our current ASU in Lewisville, the new Berryville plant will expand Messer’s production network and our reach to Green Forest, Rodgers, Springdale, and surrounding municipalities. We are committed to growing our business in Arkansas and contributing to the economic prosperity of the state and all its communities and businesses.”

Messer’s ASU site is expected to create more than 20 new jobs in the region, in addition to temporary local jobs during the project’s construction phase. The Berryville ASU site will complement Messer’s existing facility in Lewisville, Arkansas.

“Messer has found success in Arkansas, and we are proud that they are continuing to invest in our state,” said Clint O’Neal, executive director of the Arkansas Economic Development Commission. “This groundbreaking is an important milestone for Messer and for the City of Berryville, and we are excited for the company’s future growth in the Natural State.”

"We’re proud to begin our relationship with Messer and develop a long-term partnership as they join our community,” said Berryville Mayor Tim McKinney.

Announced in January 2025, the ASU in Berryville is slated for completion in the second half of 2026.

###

 About Messer Americas

Messer is the largest privately held industrial gas business in the world and a leading industrial and medical gas company in North America, South America, Asia and Europe. Messer offers more than 125 years of expertise in industrial, medical, specialty and electronics gases. The company delivers quality gases, related services and technology via an extensive production and distribution network. Health and safety, sustainability practices and environmental protection are core Messer values that are embedded in the company’s daily operations.

Messer Americas sales account approximately for 52% of Messer worldwide sales of $4.7 billion USD. For more information, visit: www.messeramericas.co

About Arkansas Economic Development Commission

At AEDC, we know economic advancement doesn’t happen by accident. We work strategically with businesses and communities to create strong economic opportunities, making Arkansas the natural choice for success. AEDC is a division of the Arkansas Department of Commerce. For more information, visit www.ArkansasEDC.com

About Berryville

Berryville is a quaint town with a rich heritage that is nestled in the heart of the Ozarks of Northwest Arkansas.  It’s family-friendly community has a retro-rural feel with a vison for the future and is “Where History meets Progress.” 

Messer’s site in Berryville will create quality career opportunities, will employ more than 20 people and provide temporary local jobs during the construction phase of the project. This new ASU will also complement the company’s existing facility in Lewisville, Arkansas, enhancing production capacity to meet the increasing demand for essential gases.