News / Press

Jan. 08: New Dry Ice Blasting Machine ASCOJET 2001RX

As of now ASCO's new dry ice blasting machines, the ASCOJET 2001RX is available.

The ASCOJET 2001RX is the improved successor to the ASCOJET 2001RS, which has been in successful use for many years. With its two-hose-system the ASCOJET 2001RX is ASCO's most powerful dry ice blasting unit providing maximum profit from saved cleaning and down time. The new design, new blasting gun and many other features provide easy handling plus maximum performance.

Following some of the new features: - Lightweight and compact - Easy to handle and move - Powerful and handy blasting gun with quick connect coupling - Quick connect coupling at blasting and transport hose - Integrated holding device for hose - Box for gun, nozzles and tools - Control panel for easy overview - Insulated pellet hopper with a capacity of 24 kg - Distributor unit for pulsation free blasting

For further information please click here.

Oct. 07: ASCO at parts2clean 2007

ASCO looks back on three successful and interesting days at parts2clean 2007 in Stuttgart. This leading exhibition in parts cleaning technology was a great opportunity for the exchange of know-how and experiences. The ASCO stand was a popular place for many informative discussions with clients and prospects on the ASCOJET dry ice blasting technology and especially on optimized dry ice logistics.

July 07: Messer Makes Markets: Cooperation with Lonza

Lonza and Messer sign a cooperation agreement to build an air separation plant in Switzerland. A new production and transportation strategy will protect the environment.

For more information please go the website of the Messer Group.

June 07: New Dry Ice Blasting Machine ASCOJET 1701

ASCO is always striving to improve and optimize its dry ice blasting technology. Following our continual improvement philosophy and client feedback we have developed the new dry ice blasting machine ASCOJET 1701, which was presented for the first time at the GIFA Foundry Trade Fair in Düsseldorf/Germany.

The ASCOJET 1701 replaces the ASCOJET 1502. To meet market needs this unit now features a handy one hose system which has been specially developed to maintain efficient cleaning with harder to remove contaminants. The new design, new blasting gun and many other new features provide very easy handling plus high performance.

Following some of the new features: - Lightweight and compact - Easy to handle and move - Powerful and handy blasting gun with quick connect coupling - Quick connect coupling at blasting hose - Integrated holding device for hose - Box for gun, nozzles and tools - Control panel for easy overview - Insulated pellet hopper with a capacity of 24 kg - Distributor unit for pulsation free blasting

 For further information please click here.

June 07: ASCO at GIFA

ASCO looks back on five successful and interesting days at GIFA 2007 in Düsseldorf.

The International Foundry Trade Fair proved once again that there is great demand for a powerful but gentle cleaning method that can be integrated into the total production process. The ASCO stand was a very popular venue and we had many discussions about the advantages of the ASCOJET dry ice blasting technology and the improvement of customer’s dry ice logistics.

May 07: ASCO Sells Majority to Messer Group

Effective 31 May 2007, Thomas Trachsel, sole owner of ASCO CARBON DIOXIDE LTD, sold a majority share in ASCO CARBON DIOXIDE LTD to the Messer Group.

The industrial gas enterprise Messer Group took over the majority share of ASCO CARBON DIOXIDE LTD through its subsidiary Messer Schweiz AG. This takeover marks the merger of two medium-sized and owner-operated enterprises, each with a long tradition to look back upon. ASCO, as worldwide provider for complete CO2 solutions, considers this step a valuable merger of know-how and sales expertise opening new opportunities in the worldwide CO2 market. Thomas Trachsel, who remains with ASCO as an administrative board member and minority shareholder, states "With Messer’s assumption of the majority share in ASCO and its sales expertise, new markets are opening for ASCO in the core regions of the Messer Group, and I will remain actively involved in an accompanying and continuously assisting capacity."

From left to the right: Wolfgang Pöschl, CEO Messer Schweiz AG and new CEO ASCO CARBON DIOXIDE LTD, Thomas Trachsel, board member and former CEO ASCO CARBON DIOXIDE LTD, Dr. Hans-Gerd Wienands, CFO Messer Group GmbH; standing Peter Hertig, former board member ASCO CARBON DIOXIDE LTD

Competence centre for CO2 Stefan Messer, CEO of the Messer Group and grandson of the company's founder stresses that "We are expanding our product portfolio to include a full spectrum of CO2 technologies, above all in the areas of dry ice production and applications." Romanshorn will therefore become the CO2 competence centre for the whole Messer Group. Wolfgang Pöschl, the new CEO of ASCO, who will carry out these duties in addition to maintaining his position as General Manager of Messer Schweiz AG, comments "By this transaction we follow our strategy to offer to our Swiss customers the complete industrial gas spectrum from one hand. In addition, the technical and commercial synergies allow us to expand our know-how in the field of machine and application engineering on a worldwide basis."

Messer Group
Messer is a leading industrial gas enterprise with more than 60 companies operating in over 30 countries in Europe and Asia as well as in Peru. The international activities are headed from Frankfurt/Main, Germany, while the central technical functions of Logistics, Engineering and Production as well as Applied Technology are controlled from Krefeld, Germany. In 2006 the Messer Group had more than 4000 employees and obtained a consolidated turnover of more than 600 Mio. Euro.

May 07: ASCO Finalized Noise Control Project at Daimler

ASCO has delivered a complete dry ice cleaning solution including noise control booth to Daimler.

The noise control booth is in the motor assembly factory in Bad Cannstatt, where silicon residues are removed from motor parts by a dry ice blasting unit type ASCOJET 2001RS. Before changing to dry ice cleaning, the motor parts were cleaned manually in a time intensive way. The dry ice solution provides a very efficient but still gentle cleaning method. The noise control booth means dry ice cleaning can be integrated into the working process without disturbing other work done in the same hall. The necessary work safety is assured by an associated CO2 exhaust unit with external control.

The dry ice is obtained from Daimler’s own dry ice production plant at the core shop cylinder head in Mettingen, where two ASCO dry ice pelletizers are situated and ingot moulds and core boxes are cleaned with dry ice. Thanks to their in-house dry ice production Daimler always has fresh dry ice ready and therefore profits from optimum cleaning performance and flexibility.

integrated CO2-exhaust unit

external control

ASCO is your provider for total dry ice cleaning solutions: dry ice blasting machines, air preparation, dry ice production, dry ice storage, CO2 room protection, automated dry ice cleaning, noise protection or other special projects etc. all from one supplier!

Feb. 07: Klaus Pimpertz as Sales Manager for Germany

From February 2007, ASCO CARBON DIOXIDE LTD can count on a further sales person: Mr Klaus Pimpertz will be the new sales manager to promote the ASCOJET dry ice blasting system in Germany.

With Klaus Pimpertz ASCO has gained a gas specialist with approx. 15 years experience in the field of CO2 and especially in the field of dry ice blasting. On February 1, 2007 he has become sales manager for Germany and together with Mr Gerhard Jost (Application Engineering / Sales Germany) Mr Klaus Pimpertz will actively promote ASCOJET’s dry ice blasting technology. Full advice regarding ASCO’s complete dry ice blasting solutions like in-house dry ice production including CO2-delivery or automation projects will therefore be directly available to our important German market.

Please click here to find the contact details of Mr Pimpertz and your other contact persons.

Nov. 06: ASCO at "parts2clean"

ASCO looks back on three successful and interesting days at parts2clean in Friedrichshafen. This leading exhibition in parts cleaning technology was a great opportunity for the exchange of know-how and experiences. The ASCOJET stand was a popular place for many informative discussions with clients and prospects on dry ice cleaning and optimized dry ice logistics.

Sept. 06: Easy Handling Thanks to new Dry Ice Blasting Guns

New blasting gun HP2

ASCO is always striving to optimize its products according to the market requirements. Following this philosophy, ASCO launches its new dry ice blasting guns in a new design which allows much easier handling: Change of nozzles will be done within seconds and the new blasting guns are remarkably lighter than its predecessor models, i.e. over 0.5 kg for the HP guns, all - which goes without saying - with no loss of performance.

For more information regarding our dry ice blasting guns please click here.

Sept. 06: Production Control System for Dry Ice Pelletizers

ASCO presents its latest accessory to the dry ice pelletizers A55P, A120P and A220P: a production control system. Thanks to the production control system you can set up a required production quantity, thus reducing the need for supervision even further, therefore keeping the requirement for respective personnel at an absolute minimum. For further information regarding our dry ice pelletizers and their accessories please click here.

Sept./Oct. 06: A Passion for CO2

Gasworld visited ASCO and its MD Thomas Trachsel in Romanshorn. From Romanshorn, Switzerland to Christchurch, New Zealand, ASCO embraces all that is important about the global CO2 business. In "Gasworld - Global Industrial News" Managing Director Thomas Trachsel explains his passion for CO2.

  Download complete report

Sept. 06: ASCO Delivers Dry Ice Logistics Solution to BMW Group

Like many other foundries, BMW Group use non-abrasive dry ice blasting technology to clean its ingot moulds and core boxes in their aluminium foundry and for other applications. ASCO now delivered a complete dry ice logistics solution to BMW group so that the dry ice can be produced in-house.

ASCO’s complete dry ice logistics solutions consist of one or several dry ice production units (so-called dry ice pelletizers), CO2 storage tank and just-in-time delivery of liquid CO2. Such solutions provide many benefits which lead to more flexibility in the daily working process. For more information on the benefits of in-house dry ice production please click here.

April 06: Training at Handtmann Foundry

On April 21 the ASCOJET team visited HANDTMANN Metallgusswerk GmbH & Co. KG, in Biberach for training to understand and advance ASCOJET applications in foundries.

ASCO specialises in integrating its ASCOJET dry ice blasting technology in foundries therefore it is important that ASCO staff receive continuous education in this industrial branch. Handtmann use four casting procedures (gravity die casting, high pressure die casting, sand casting, lost foam casting) and has several ASCOJET dry ice blasting units for different applications so such a visit was an ideal opportunity to see Handtmann’s different casting procedures in action and observe first-hand how the different moulds are cleaned with dry ice.

Gravity die casting

Magnesium casting

Handtmann has three ASCOJET dry ice blasting units in use: one to clean the ingot moulds, one to clean the core boxes and one to clean the moulds in which the lost foam patterns are produced.

April 06: Swiss Text Award for ASCOJET Website

On April 7 the new ASCOJET website www.ascojet.com was awarded with the Swiss Text Award.

picture by "JuniorCom"

This prize is an award for young writers and is generated by the Swiss text academy honouring a modern German commercial language. The award ceremony took place in Davos, where Nicole Urweider, employee of ASCO, was awarded in the category website for her contribution to the ASCOJET website.

March 06: ASCO at EUROGUSS 2006

ASCO looks back on three successful days at EUROGUSS in Nürnberg. The 6. International Trade Fair for Pressure Die Casting gave many opportunities to discuss about the ASCOJET dry ice blasting technology at the ASCOJET stand.

Feb. 06: ASCOJET Dry Ice Blasting as Integrated Process at Daimler

Daimler has played a pioneering part in mould cleaning and was one of the first companies in Europe to dry ice blast clean its moulds. In fact for almost ten years Daimler has been applying the ASCOJET dry ice blasting technology. Daimler decided very early to make its own dry ice and is probably one of the largest dry ice producers for own requirements in Germany.

A report about the application of the ASCOJET Dry Ice Blasting Technology at Daimler will be published in the following magazines:

Giesserei-Erfahrungsaustausch 3/2006
CP+T 1/2006
Giesserei-Praxis 3/2006
Cast Metal & Diecasting Times Jan./Feb 2006

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Feb. 06: Report Dry Ice Blasting in MM MaschinenMarkt

MM MaschinenMarkt - "Das Industrie Magazin" published an extensive report regarding dry ice blasting. The magazine interviewed several providers of dry ice blasting systems including Marco Pellegrino, Manager of the ASCOJET dry ice blasting division. Please find the complete article in the download.

  Download complete report