JSE-listed industrial engineering company PSV Holdings (PSV) on Thursday announced that it had completed the acquisition of cryogenic process equipment manufacturer Cryoshield.

PSV CEO Abie da Silva said that PSV was starting the year as a big player in the cryogenic manufacture, service, spares and repairs industry, through its two subsidiaries Rand Air & Gas and Cryoshield.

The cryogenics division of PSV supplies "much-needed" design and manufacturing capability, through the manufacture of cryogenic storage tankers, road tankers, cryogenic liquid transfer systems including vacuum insulated lines and vacuum process vessels to the gas industry in Africa.

"We also have the capability to manufacture large capacity, new generation, cryogenic equipment, which requires specialised fabricating techniques in stainless steel, aluminium and other exotic materials."

Meanwhile, Cryoshield has won a project to supply cryogenic mass flow meters to leading industrial gas suppliers, through an agency agreement with German group, Flow Instruments & Engineering.

Da Silva said that meters did not have moving parts, which limited wear and damage. He added that the meters were distributed and sold with a lifetime guarantee. The meters were typically used to measure the delivered quantity of cryogenic liquid to a customer's site.

Further, the division has also designed a vacuum insulated droplet dispenser for pressurising still soft drinks. The dispenser made use of liquid nitrogen, which vaporises to a gas, pressurising the container for water, iced tea and other soft drinks.

Da Silva said that the beverage industry was pleased that the technology was supplied and backed locally, as opposed to importing expensive and difficult to maintain equipment.

"The entry of PSV into the cryogenic market has been a massive success. As industry at home and in Africa develops, our research and development, design and manufacturing capability, in this specialised field, will continue to grow," he concluded.