Warning about Air Liquide Pricing

My company, Chantec Manufacturing in Cape Town has been using Air Liquide as our primary gas supplier for well over 10 years. We never scrutinised their account very carefully, nor did we go back to market to check prices, because we regarded them as being an ethical supplier. This was a mistake. Recently we did check prices and were shocked at the results. The market price for Argon, our primary welding gas, for a user of our size, is below R 30/kg, while we were being charged R 156.39/kg. Similarly cylinder rental was being charged at around R 600 per month, while the market price is below R 110.

These price distortions arose from the high price increases being put through, twice annually, which we failed to pick up. In 2016, 6% and 10% and in 2015, 9% and 10% with similar increases in previous years. These matters have been raised with Air Liquide locally and nationally, but they have refused to address the matter satisfactorily. We have thus terminated our relationship with them.