Air Liquide acquires Linde Gas UK

Air Liquide announcesthe purchase of Linde Gas UK. The transaction is based on an entreprise value of 105 million euros, and its completion is subject to approval by the European competition authorities.

Linde Gas UK has total revenues of around 60 million euros derived from a very diversified industrial, medical and homecare customer base throughout the UK.

This acquisition will have an immediate and positive impact on the Group’s results.

Air Liquide entered the UK market in 2004, following the acquisition of the local Messer operations. Air Liquide UK and Linde Gas UK have very complementary businesses, offering significant synergies and this acquisition will help Air Liquide to almost double the size of its activities and become a significant player in the UK. In addition, 30% of the acquired activities are in the medical gases and the homecare services markets, a key Air Liquide growth driver and one in which the Group is currently not present in the UK.

Benoît Potier, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Air Liquide Group, stated:“This acquisition reinforces our position in the UK and constitutes a new development for the Group in Europe, giving us access to the UK hospital and homecare markets and strengthening our existing Industrial Merchant activities. This significant extension of our presence in the UK allows us to increase our ambitions in this market through more rapid deployment of our Group’s overall resources and expertise.”