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Similarly, Harsco AXC brings us access to a market we were unable to penetrate organically, the compression market, which utilizes air cooled heat exchangers in the production and transport of oil and natural gas. Harsco AXC’s strong customer relationships and quality products for upstream and midstream complete our full ACHX product offering across the gas to liquids cycle with almost no customer overlap.
Harsco AXC is expected to generate net sales of approximately $260 million in full year 2019 and 23% EBITDA margin as a percentage of sales. Over 90% of the remaining Harsco AXC 2019 forecast is already in backlog. With 10% aftermarket sales, positive CAGR across the cycle (5.4% 2009-2018), and positive momentum currently in the compression market, we expect continued growth for Harsco AXC in upcoming years.
Upon closing, Harsco AXC will be immediately gross margin, operating margin, and EBITDA margin accretive to Chart. With over $20 million of cost synergies expected in the first 12 months of ownership, we expect further margin expansion in the business. The cost synergies include facility consolidations and strategic manufacturing efficiencies leveraging our Beasley, Texas plant and our Monterrey, Mexico production facility. Additional cost synergies will result from the consolidation of our supply base, and the utilization of our Hudson (Cofimco) fans into our ACHX products.
Chart’s President and Chief Executive Officer, Jill Evanko, stated, “This is a perfect match of two businesses with complementary strengths that together will generate more value for our customers and even stronger financial results. We are excited to have such a strategic business and talented team in theair-cooled heat exchanger space join the rest of our great Chart team members and product offerings.”
Upon closing, Chart will report externally in four segments: (i) Distribution & Storage East (“D&S East”), (ii) Distribution & Storage West (“D&S West”), (iii) Energy & Chemicals Cryogenics (“E&C Cryogenics”) and (iv) Energy & Chemicals FinFans (“E&C FinFans”). E&C Cryogenics will contain our brazed aluminium heat exchangers and cold boxes, focusing on executingon-time, quality systems for our customers, in particular, our big LNG order pipeline. This change allows our engineering and manufacturing experts in E&C Cryogenics to focus on this rapidly growing business.
The addition of Harsco AXC enables Chart’s newest segment, E&C FinFans, to concentrate on our unique and broad product offering and capabilities in air cooled heat exchangers and fans. This segment will be comprised of the Hudson Products businesses, Harsco AXC, and Chart Cooler Services. All of our products and services will continue to be offered to our customers as full solutions through our global commercial team, regardless of the manufacturing segment.
Outlook 2019
Our 2019 guidance assumes the Harsco AXC acquisition closes on July 1, 2019, and includes additional interest from funding requirements. Our guidance assumes LNG project revenue in 2019 from the Venture Global Calcasieu Pass and Golar Gimi projects of $28 million to $30 million, which is subject to project timing. Additionally, the increase in our full year 2019 guidance is in part driven by the inclusion of $4 million of sales and $0.01 of adjusted earnings per share associated with the 2019 portion of the recently announced $30 million ACHX LNG order with Bechtel as EPC.