Air Liquide broke ground Wednesday on a new nitrogen liquefier at its air separation plant in Cleburne, Texas.

The plant expansion will support market growth and fuel job creation in the region, the company said.

The additional liquefier, scheduled to begin commercial production in the third quarter of 2012, will enable Air Liquide to nearly double its supply of industrial gases from the facility in Cleburne to the Texas and Oklahoma merchant markets.

To support the increased production capacity, Air Liquide plans to increase its workforce in Cleburne by at least one-third by hiring as many as 21 permanent employees, including production technicians and truck drivers, in addition to approximately 50 workers needed to construct the expansion.

Mark Lostak, president of Air Liquide’s US operations, said: “The additional capacity further establishes our market presence as we grow to meet the increasing demands of merchant customers in Texas and Oklahoma."

Air Liquide’s air separation plant in Cleburne has been in operation since January of 1998, producing oxygen, nitrogen and argon.

The facility services a variety of market segments including food & beverage, manufacturing, glass, electronics, oil & gas, and chemicals.