New opportunities beckon in Africa

GAS PRODUCER African Oxygen (Afrox) is looking at fresh opportunities in the health-care, liquified petroleum gas and carbon dioxide markets in sub-Saharan Africa after the collapse in the price of oil and other commodities hurt the company in its traditional markets. The company, which has interests in industrial gases, welding and safety, has commissioned a new carbon dioxide plant in Botswana and a gas cylinder micro-fill plant in Mozambique. It was also watching the shale gas space and was ready to take advantage of opportunities with newly developed technologies if the sector grew in southern Africa, said spokesman Johann Cilliers. Afrox’s share price fell by 2.55 percent to close at R14.89 yesterday. – Banele Ginindza