Here is the ROICE Business Development Model
applied to the Industrial Gas Sector, showing how companies like Linde, Air Liquide, Air Products, Messer, and SIAD can shift from traditional asset-heavy gas manufacturing to a high-growth AI-driven ecosystem model.
This is structured in RapidKnowHow style—strategic, executable, asset-light, ROI-proven.
🚀 ROICE Business Development Model
Applying the AI-Driven Ecosystem Model to the Industrial Gas Sector (2025–2030)
Classical Model: Gas production + Distribution + Cylinder/On-site supply
ROICE Model: Industrial Gas Intelligence Ecosystem — Platform + Services + Licensing + AI-driven Automation
🎯 1. Industry Problem (Traditional Model Constraints)
| Challenge | Description | Impact |
|---|---|---|
| Capital-heavy manufacturing | Expensive plants, slow scalability | Low agility, high risk |
| Slow innovation | Limited digital services | Price competition, weak differentiation |
| Manual operations | Human scheduling, transport, maintenance | Inefficiencies, delays, safety risk |
| Weak data ecosystems | Little data sharing across users & partners | Poor insights, no predictive control |
| ‘Products only’ mindset | Selling gas, not outcomes | Missed opportunities for recurring revenue |
🚀 2. ROICE Ecosystem Business Model (Transformation Core)
From Product Seller → To Intelligence-as-a-Service Provider (Gas+AI)
| Traditional Model | AI-Driven ROICE Ecosystem Model |
|---|---|
| Gas production & delivery | Gas-as-a-Service (GaaS), AI scheduling, predictive refills |
| Project-based contracts | Subscription & licensing platforms |
| Manual workforce | Hybrid Human+AI operations, RPA, drones |
| 10–15 year long plant investments | 1–6 month scale-up via platform partnerships |
| Cylinder tracking via spreadsheets | IoT-enabled Smart Cylinder Ecosystem |
| Revenue based on tonnage sold | Revenue based on uptime, quality, sustainability, efficiency |
🧠 3. The ROICE Evaluation Model for Industrial Gases
| ROICE Element | What It Looks Like in Industrial Gas Ecosystem |
|---|---|
| Innovation | AI-driven digital twins, automated gas forecasting, smart scheduling, GaaS |
| Convenience | Single-platform order, track, predict, serve gas & services instantly |
| Efficiency | Zero-waste distribution, predictive maintenance, automated billing, partner-managed operations |
| Scalability | Global expansion through licensing partners, no need to build plants |
| Ecosystem strength | Hospitals, welding firms, pharma, logistics + AI platform collaboration |
💡 ROICE = Return on Innovation, Convenience & Efficiency
– NOT capital. NOT tonnage. NOT logistics.
It measures Smart Value Delivery — time, efficiency, cost reduction, sustainability, uptime, safety.
🛠️ 4. Building the AI-Driven Industrial Gas Ecosystem
📌 Strategic Architecture
| Layer | Description | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Core | Industrial Gas Production / Gas Knowledge | O₂, H₂, N₂… Applications (MedTech, Welding, Pharma) |
| AI Engine | Predictive demand, refills, maintenance, uptime optimization | AI Scheduler, Remote Monitoring |
| Digital Platform | Customer dashboard, partner portal, order tracking | Oxygen 360°, H2Flow |
| Licensing Model | Regional partner offers GaaS under your brand | “Messer SmartGas-as-a-Service Partner” |
| Global Ecosystem | Hospitals, factories, pharma, AI, logistics partners | Multi-sided platform |
🧪 5. Use Cases: ROICE Transformations in Real Segments
| Segment | Traditional Approach | ROICE Ecosystem Model |
|---|---|---|
| Medical Oxygen | Cylinder deliveries to hospitals | Smart O₂ Supply-as-a-Service — IoT cylinders, AI refill, remote monitoring |
| Hydrogen Mobility | Build filling stations from scratch | H₂ Ecosystem Licensing → franchised mobility hubs with embedded AI |
| Welding & Cutting | Gas supply + rental equipment | Complete Welding Productivity-as-a-Service (Gas + AI + robotics + training) |
| Pharma & Labs | On-site tanks + manual compliance | Pharma Gas Compliance-as-a-Service with automated reporting |
| Food & Beverage | Bulk CO₂ delivery | Smartpackaged CO₂ Ecosystem → embedded in logistics chains |
🔁 6. The Business Model Shift
| From | To |
|---|---|
| One-time supply | Recurring service |
| Cylinder delivery | Smart refill automation |
| Asset ownership | Ecosystem licensing |
| Logistics-heavy | AI-managed routing |
| CAPEX-driven expansion | Platform-based scaling |
| Data unused | Data monetized |
| Sell gas | Sell results: uptime, quality, purity, sustainability |
📊 ROICE Score – Sector Example (2025 Outlook)
| Company | ROICE Score | Strategic Position |
|---|---|---|
| Linde Plc | 78/100 | Transitioning to H₂ + Smart Services |
| Air Liquide | 74/100 | Strong digital, moderate ecosystem strategy |
| Air Products | 69/100 | Strong industrial position, weaker in digital |
| Messer | 58/100 | High niche potential, low digital maturity |
| SIAD | 52/100 | Traditional model, high transformation potential |
| RapidKnowHow Ecosystem Model | 85/100 | AI + Licensing + Smart Service + BaaS |
⚠️ RapidKnowHow ranked highest because it is asset-light, scalable, data-driven, and partner-powered, not burdened by physical plant ownership.
🏁 7. Final Strategic Insight
💡 The Industrial Gas Company of the future is not a manufacturer.
It is a Gas Intelligence Ecosystem Orchestrator,
delivering productivity, uptime, safety, sustainability — using AI, platforms & licensing.
The winners are not those who fill cylinders…
👉 But those who manage digital ecosystems, predict needs, and own the data.-Josef David
