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==== 1990 - 2010: Creation of Air Liquide Healthcare and acquisition strategy in the health sector ====
==== 1990 - 2010: Creation of Air Liquide Healthcare and acquisition strategy in the health sector ====
In 1995, Air Liquide created Air Liquide Healthcare, a structure fully dedicated to the medical sector and specializing in the supply of medical gases, material and services for  hospitals, and patient homes,


In 1996, Air Liquide acquired the German company Schuelke and May.
*1995: Creation of [[Air Liquide Health]]: structure, teams, a gas supply medical equipment and services, fully dedicated to the medical sector, first at the hospital, then to patients' homes.

* 1996: Acquisition of [[Schuelke and Mayr]] in Germany.
In 2001, [[Suez (company)|Suez]]-Lyonnaise des Eaux unsuccessfully attempted to acquire Air liquide<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Cori|first=Nicolas|date=March 10, 2001|title=Suez-Air Liquide: il n'y aura pas d'eau dans le gaz|url=http://www.liberation.fr/futurs/2001/03/10/suez-air-liquide-il-n-y-aura-pas-d-eau-dans-le-gaz_357488|journal=Libération|volume=|pages=|via=}}</ref>.
* 2001: Acquisition of [[Messer Griesheim]] in [[South Africa]], [[Trinidad and Tobago]], Canada, [[Egypt]], [[Argentina]] and [[Brazil]].

⚫
* 2003: Creation of a joint venture with [[The BOC Group]] in Japan: [[Japan Air Gases]], strengthening the group's presence in the [[Far East]] market.
In 2001, Air Liquide acquired [[Messer Griesheim]]'s operations  in South Africa, Trinidad and Tobago, Canada, Egypt, Argentina and Brazil for € 185 million<ref>{{Cite news|last=Madelin|first=Thibaud|url=https://www.lesechos.fr/2001/10/air-liquide-achete-six-societes-de-lallemand-messer-griesheim-728033|title=Air Liquide achète six sociétés de l'allemand Messer Griesheim|date=October 5, 2001|work=Les Echos|access-date=|url-status=live}}</ref>. That same year, Air Liquide acquired the remaining  the 57% it did not yet hold from Hede Nielsen, a Danish company, which it had partially bought back in the 1990s<ref>{{Cite news|last=Degioanni|first=Jacques-Frank|url=https://www.lemoniteur.fr/article/air-liquide-devient-actionnaire-a-100-de-sa-filiale-danoise-hede-nielsen-100761|title=Air Liquide devient actionnaire à 100% de sa filiale danoise Hede Nielsen|date=September 4, 2001|work=Le Moniteur|access-date=|url-status=live}}</ref>.
* 2004: Acquisition of Messer Griesheim in Germany, UK, and the USA.

* 2007: Acquisition of [[The Linde Group|Linde]] Gas UK.
⚫
In 2003, Air Liquide formed a joint venture with [[The BOC Group]] in Japan, thus creating Japan Air Gases (JAG) and strengthening the group's presence in the Far East.
* 2007: Acquisition of the German engineering company [[Lurgi AG|Lurgi]], which doubles the capacity of the engineering group.

* 2007: Acquisition of Scott Specialty Gases, LLC.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.airliquide.com/media/air-liquide-purchases-scott-specialty-gases|title=Air Liquide purchases Scott Specialty Gases|date=2007-09-27|work=Air Liquide|access-date=2018-01-29|language=en}}</ref> in the USA, UK and Netherlands.
In 2004, Air Liquide acquired two-thirds of Messer Griesheim's global activities, consisting of operations in Germany, the United Kingdom and the United States, for $ 2.7 billion. Shortly after, it resold some of the US activities<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.leaders-llc.com/sites/default/files/IndustryShapers.pdf|title=Mergers & Acquisitions in the
* 2008: The investment company [[Eurazeo]], which owns 5.6% since 2006 group, announces to divest its stake.
US Industrial Gas Business|last=Anania|first=Peter V.|date=November, 2006|website=|url-status=live|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=}}</ref>.

In 2005, Air Liquide acquired the remaining 13.2% in the Far East Oxygen and Acetylene Company (SOAEO), for an approximatly amount of € 150 million.

In 2007, Air Liquide acquired the activities of Linde Gas in the United Kingdom, as well as the German engineering company, Lurgi, for € 550 million, which doubled the engineering capacity of the group.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://investir.lesechos.fr/actions/actualites/acquisition-de-l-allemand-lurgi-pour-550-millions-d-euros-148926.php|title=Acquisition de l'allemand Lurgi pour 550 millions d'euros|last=|first=|date=April 17, 2007|website=Les Echos|url-status=live|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=}}</ref> <ref>{{Cite news|last=|first=|url=https://www.usinenouvelle.com/article/air-liquide-acquiert-l-allemand-lurgi.N17889|title=Air Liquide acquiert l'allemand Lurgi|date=April 17, 2007|work=Usine Nouvelle|access-date=|url-status=live}}</ref>During the same year, it acquired Scott Specialty Gases, LLC<ref>{{Cite news|last=Cockerill|first=Rob|url=https://www.gasworld.com/air-liquide-acquires-scott-specialty-gases/2045.article|title=Air Liquide acquires Scott Specialty Gases|date=September 28, 2007|work=Gasworld|access-date=|url-status=live}}</ref>.

In early 2008, Air Liquide entered a long-term contract with Neste Oil’s Renewable Diesel Plant to supply hydrogen<ref>{{Cite news|last=Ondrey|first=Gerald|url=http://www.chemengonline.com/air-liquide-invests-in-h2-unit-to-serve-rotterdamantwerp/?printmode=1|title=AIR LIQUIDE INVESTS IN H2 UNIT TO SERVE ROTTERDAM/ANTWERP|date=June 25, 2008|work=|access-date=|url-status=live}}</ref>.

In 2012, Air Liquide created a joint venture with the Belgian group Solvay, to produce fluorinated gases for flat screens and photovoltaic panels.

In the same year, it acquired a production unit located in Louisiana, owned by the American company Georgia Gulf<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.rttnews.com/1808011/air-liquide-large-industries-acquires-asu-from-georgia-gulf-quick-facts.aspx?Arch=1|title=Air Liquide Large Industries Acquires ASU From Georgia Gulf - Quick Facts|last=|first=|date=January 30, 2012|website=|url-status=live|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=}}</ref>, 75% of the Russian Logika company, as well as LVL Medical<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.challenges.fr/entreprise/pourquoi-air-liquide-s-est-offert-lvl-medical-le-specialiste-de-l-assistance-medicale-a-domicile_227956|title=Pourquoi Air Liquide s'est offert LVL Medical, le spécialiste de l'assistance médicale à domicile|last=Merieux|first=Alice|date=June 10, 2012|website=Challenges|url-status=live|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=}}</ref>, and the Spanish company Gasmedi, the third company in Spain in the home health sector, for € 330 millions.


==== Recent developments ====
==== Recent developments ====

Revision as of 13:25, 31 March 2020

This article is about the multinational industrial gas company. For the electronic band, see Air Liquide (band).
Air Liquide S.A.
Company typeSociété Anonyme
Euronext: AI
CAC 40 Component
IndustryChemicals, Health care, Engineering
PredecessorAG für Kohlensäure-Industrie
Air Liquide Austria Edit this on Wikidata
Founded1902; 122 years ago (1902)
FounderPaul Delorme Edit this on Wikidata
HeadquartersQuai d'Orsay, 7th arrondissement, Paris, France
Key people
Benoît Potier
(Chairman and CEO)
ProductsIndustrial gases, fine chemicals
RevenueIncrease€21.92 billion (2019)[1]
Increase€3.794 billion (2019) [1]
Increase€2.242 billion (2019)[1]
Total assetsIncrease€63.9 billion (2020) [1]
Total equityIncrease€18.207 billion (end 2018) [1]
Number of employees
Increase67,200 (2018) [2]
Websitewww.airliquide.com

Air Liquide S.A. (French pronunciation: [ɛʁ likid]; /ˌɛər lɪˈkiːd/; literally "liquid air"), is a French multinational company which supplies industrial gases and services to various industries including medical, chemical and electronic manufacturers. Founded in 1902, after Linde it is the second largest supplier of industrial gases by revenues and has operations in over 80 countries.[3] It has headquarters at the 7th arrondissement of Paris, France.[4] Air Liquide owned the patent for Aqua-Lung until it expired.

Although Air Liquide's headquarters are in Paris, France, it also has major sites in Japan (ALL) and Houston, TX and Newark, DE, USA, Frankfurt, Shanghai and Dubaï. There is an emphasis on research and development (R&D) throughout the Air Liquide company. R&D targets the creation of not only industrial gases, but also gases that are used in products such as healthcare items, electronic chips, foods, and chemicals. The major R&D groups within Air Liquide focus on analysis, bioresources (foods and chemicals), combustion, membranes, modeling, and the production of hydrogen (H2) gas.

The company is a component of the Euro Stoxx 50 stock market index.[5] As of 2019, the company is ranked 500 in the Fortune Global 500.[6]

History

Historical Milestones

1900 - 1930: Creation and introduction to the Paris Stock Exchange

On May 25, 1902 after two years of research. Georges Claude developed a process for liquefying air in order to separate the components (oxygen, nitrogen, argon), On November 8, 1902, Paul Delorme gathered twenty-four subscribers, mainly engineers, to financially support the project[7] and became the first president of "Air liquide, a company for the study and exploitation of Georges Claude processes". The company originally had a capital of 100,000 francs.

In 1906, Air Liquide jump-started its international expansion by developing operations in  first in Belgium and Italy, followed by Canada, Japan and Hong Kong.

On February 20, 1913, Air Liquide was listed on the Paris Stock Exchange.

1930 - 1950: International development and innovations

By 1930, the company’s growth was successful with virtually no debt, where debt securities issuance represented only 15% of the company's resources.[8] In 1928, Air Liquide was ranked 17th in terms of market capitalization, but rose to 6th in 1936 after the rise of French industrial companies on the stock market.

In 1938, Air liquide acquired La oxígena S.A.and started its activities in Argentina.

In 1943, under the aegis of engineer Émile Gagnan (an employee of Air liquide) and Lieutenant-Commander (ship-of-the-Line Lieutenant) Jacques-Yves Cousteau, Air liquide manufactured scuba sets prototypes, that Cousteau and Frédéric Dumas used to shoot the underwater film Épaves (Shipwrecks), directed by Cousteau the same year. They were the first modern diving regulators.[9]

In 1945, after the Second World War, Jean Delorme, the son of Paul Delorme and the second president of the group, wanted to renovate and develop industrial tools. In 1946, Air Liquide founded La Spirotechnique , a design and marketing company for regulators and other diving equipment. The same year, La Spirotechnique launched the CG45, the first modern diving regulator to be marketed. This marked the beginning of the popularization of scuba diving.

1950’s: Large industries and Space research activities

In 1957, Air Liquide began its activity in the large industry and created networks of pipelines irrigating several large industrial basins in the world.

In the 1960s, the company acquired American Cryogenics, as well as several other American companies.

In 1962, Air Liquide launched its activities into the space industry.[10]

In 1970, the company inaugurates the Claude-Delorme Research & Development Center, located in Les Loges-en-Josas (Yvelines) where over 250 researchers work in 35 laboratories, covering various research areas such as applied mathematics, clinical trials and process engineering. In March 2014, the group announced its intentions to expand and modernize the center[11].

In 1986, Air Liquide expanded into the United States with the acquisition of Big Three for $1.05 billion, a US-based company with operations in many countries across Europe and Asia[12][13]. That same year, it acquired SEPPIC, a French specialty chemicals company, as part of its activities in the healthcare sector[14].

1990 - 2010: Creation of Air Liquide Healthcare and acquisition strategy in the health sector

In 1995, Air Liquide created Air Liquide Healthcare, a structure fully dedicated to the medical sector and specializing in the supply of medical gases, material and services for  hospitals, and patient homes,

In 1996, Air Liquide acquired the German company Schuelke and May.

In 2001, Suez-Lyonnaise des Eaux unsuccessfully attempted to acquire Air liquide[15].

In 2001, Air Liquide acquired Messer Griesheim's operations  in South Africa, Trinidad and Tobago, Canada, Egypt, Argentina and Brazil for € 185 million[16]. That same year, Air Liquide acquired the remaining  the 57% it did not yet hold from Hede Nielsen, a Danish company, which it had partially bought back in the 1990s[17].

In 2003, Air Liquide formed a joint venture with The BOC Group in Japan, thus creating Japan Air Gases (JAG) and strengthening the group's presence in the Far East.

In 2004, Air Liquide acquired two-thirds of Messer Griesheim's global activities, consisting of operations in Germany, the United Kingdom and the United States, for $ 2.7 billion. Shortly after, it resold some of the US activities[18].

In 2005, Air Liquide acquired the remaining 13.2% in the Far East Oxygen and Acetylene Company (SOAEO), for an approximatly amount of € 150 million.

In 2007, Air Liquide acquired the activities of Linde Gas in the United Kingdom, as well as the German engineering company, Lurgi, for € 550 million, which doubled the engineering capacity of the group.[19] [20]During the same year, it acquired Scott Specialty Gases, LLC[21].

In early 2008, Air Liquide entered a long-term contract with Neste Oil’s Renewable Diesel Plant to supply hydrogen[22].

In 2012, Air Liquide created a joint venture with the Belgian group Solvay, to produce fluorinated gases for flat screens and photovoltaic panels.

In the same year, it acquired a production unit located in Louisiana, owned by the American company Georgia Gulf[23], 75% of the Russian Logika company, as well as LVL Medical[24], and the Spanish company Gasmedi, the third company in Spain in the home health sector, for € 330 millions.

Recent developments

  • 2017: Air Liquide signed an agreement with Cargill to build a biodiesel plant in Kansas, US. The operation is planned to start in January 2019 to produce 60M gallons of biodiesel a year. Air Liquide and Cargill has already built six biodiesel plants together worldwide.[28]

Since the 2000 decade, Air Liquide increased significantly its investments in hydrogen production plants, with an increase by more than 50% between 2005 and 2008, making it one of the major segment of its offer. [29]

In early 2008, Air Liquide entered a long term contract (typically 15 years or more) with Neste Oil’s Renewable Diesel Plant to supply hydrogen.[clarification needed] Air Liquide is building a unit on Jurong Island to provide the means for the deal. They plan to turn the unit into an integrated hydrogen pipeline network that will provide services to regional companies.

In November 2015, Air Liquide announced it would acquire American firm Airgas for a total of $13.4 billion including debt.[30] The Airgas shareholders have approved Air Liquide's acquisition on February 23, 2016.[31] On May 23, 2016, Air Liquide announced the completion of the acquisition of Airgas.[32]

Corporate structure

Board of Directors

Comprised as follows as of February 2017:[33]

Subsidiaries

Air Liquide Global E&C Solutions Germany GmbH (formerly Lurgi GmbH)

Air Liquide Global E&C Solutions GmbH (formerly Lurgi GmbH), a German engineering, construction, and chemical process licensing company. has been a part of Air Liquide S. A. since 2007. The head office is located in Frankfurt am Main. Lurgi was the cable address of Metallurgische Gesellschaft founded on 5 February 1897 with an origin dating to the technical branch of Metallgesellschaft, which had been established by Wilhelm Merton in 1881. By the end of World War I, the company had gained a foothold in the steam and absorption business and gathered expertise in the upgrading of solid fuels and the processing of the resulting gaseous and liquid products. As a consequence of this diversification, the company divided into process-specific subsidiaries, which beginning in 1919 traded under the name Lurgi. In 1923, they jointly moved into offices at Gervinusstrasse, Frankfurt am Main. To meet the requirements of the international markets, Lurgi constituted itself as a German stock corporation in 1990. Lurgi operated limited liability companies in chemistry, metallurgy and industry construction; energy and environmental techniques; and gas- and mineral oil techniques. Each company had their own engineering and commercial staff. In 1991, Lurgi pooled its polymer activities by taking over Zimmer AG from the British Davy-McKee AG as the fourth operating company. In 2001 Lurgi sold their metallurgical division (Lurgi Metallurgie) to Outokumpu. After acquisition by Air Liquide, the Zimmer technology portfolio was sold in 2014 to Technip.[34]

Air Liquide Global E&C Solutions Germany today focuses on three primary technology portfolios:

  • Alternative Technology based upon turning natural gas, coal, biomass into synthetic fuels through gasification, fischer-tropsch and proprietary methanol to synthetic fuels.
  • Refinery Technology consisting of conventional methods.
  • Renewable Technologies including biodiesel as well as bioethanol processes.

Financial data

Financial data in millions of euro
Year 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2015
Sales 8 328 7 900 8 399 9 400 10 435 10 949 16 330
EBITDA 1 833 1 960 1 975 2 084 2 415 2 567 4 262
Net Results 460 703 725 778 933 1 002 1 756
Net Debt 2 584 2 022 1 730 3 790 3 740 3 447 7 239
Research 146 150 146 150 162 173 282
Employees 30 800 30 800 31 900 35 900 35 900 36 900 50 000+
Source :OpesC

By 29 February 2016, the company had a share value of 33,434 million euros, distributed in 344,222,603 shares.

References

  1. ^ a b c d e "Air Liquide 2018 results" (PDF). airliquide.com. Retrieved 7 March 2019.
  2. ^ Cite error: The named reference 2019results was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ https://www.handelsblatt.com/unternehmen/industrie/linde-und-praxair-der-neue-linde-konzern-laesst-den-bisherigen-marktfuehrer-hinter-sich/24055964.html"Group". Air Liquide. 28 November 2017. Retrieved 31 January 2019.
  4. ^ "Legal notice". Air Liquide. 22 April 2015. Retrieved 31 January 2019.
  5. ^ "Börse Frankfurt (Frankfurt Stock Exchange): Stock market quotes, charts and news". En.boerse-frankfurt.de.
  6. ^ ""Air Liquide", Accessed September 3, 2019.
  7. ^ "« Air liquide chouchoute ses actionnaires »". Le Monde. 4 September 2012.
  8. ^ Fabre, Karine (8 July 2010). "De la diversité des pratiques comptables à l'objet de la comptabilité" (PDF). https://halshs.archives-ouvertes.fr/. {{cite web}}: External link in |website= (help); line feed character in |title= at position 57 (help)CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  9. ^ Those two scuba sets made by Air Liquide are mentioned in the opening credits of the film as scaphandre autonome "air liquide" système Cousteau ("Air Liquide's scuba set, Cousteau system").
  10. ^ Anania, Peter V. (November 2006). "Mergers & Acquisitions in the US Industrial Gas Business" (PDF). {{cite web}}: line feed character in |title= at position 30 (help)CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  11. ^ "Air Liquide va investir 100 millions dans la R & D en France". bourse.lefigaro.fr.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  12. ^ Hayes, Thomas C. (August 13, 1986). "FRENCH BUYER FOR U.S. GAS PRODUCER". New York Times.
  13. ^ "French Firm to Buy Big Three Industries : L'Air Liquide Agrees to Pay $1.05 Billion for Industrial Gas Company". L.A. Times. 1986.
  14. ^ Houzelle, Chantal (2013). "Pourquoi Air Liquide a acquis BiotechMarine". Les Echos.
  15. ^ Cori, Nicolas (March 10, 2001). "Suez-Air Liquide: il n'y aura pas d'eau dans le gaz". Libération.
  16. ^ Madelin, Thibaud (October 5, 2001). "Air Liquide achète six sociétés de l'allemand Messer Griesheim". Les Echos.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  17. ^ Degioanni, Jacques-Frank (September 4, 2001). "Air Liquide devient actionnaire à 100% de sa filiale danoise Hede Nielsen". Le Moniteur.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  18. ^ Anania, Peter V. (November, 2006). "Mergers & Acquisitions in the US Industrial Gas Business" (PDF). {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); line feed character in |title= at position 30 (help)CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  19. ^ "Acquisition de l'allemand Lurgi pour 550 millions d'euros". Les Echos. April 17, 2007.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  20. ^ "Air Liquide acquiert l'allemand Lurgi". Usine Nouvelle. April 17, 2007.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  21. ^ Cockerill, Rob (September 28, 2007). "Air Liquide acquires Scott Specialty Gases". Gasworld.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  22. ^ Ondrey, Gerald (June 25, 2008). "AIR LIQUIDE INVESTS IN H2 UNIT TO SERVE ROTTERDAM/ANTWERP".{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  23. ^ "Air Liquide Large Industries Acquires ASU From Georgia Gulf - Quick Facts". January 30, 2012.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  24. ^ Merieux, Alice (June 10, 2012). "Pourquoi Air Liquide s'est offert LVL Medical, le spécialiste de l'assistance médicale à domicile". Challenges.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  25. ^ "Aqua Lung Sold to Private Equity Firm". X-Ray Mag.
  26. ^ "Aqua Lung sold – End of an era with Aire Liquide". Scuba Gadget.
  27. ^ "Air Liquide completes acquisition of Airgas". Air Liquide. 2016-05-23. Retrieved 2018-01-29.
  28. ^ Joanna Sampson (Nov 24, 2017). "Air Liquide Engineering & Construction wins biodiesel plant contract". Gasworld.
  29. ^ "Air Liquide signs letter of intent with ConocoPhillips to construct new hydrogen unit in the San Francisco Bay Area" Archived 2011-06-16 at the Wayback Machine, euronext.com. January 30, 2006. Accessed May 16, 2008.
  30. ^ "France's Air Liquide to buy U.S. peer Airgas in $13.4 billion deal". Reuters. 17 November 2015.
  31. ^ "Airgas shareholders approve Air Liquide's acquisition of Airgas" (PDF). Airgas. 23 February 2016.
  32. ^ "Air Liquide completes Airgas acquisition". Gasworld.com. 23 May 2016.
  33. ^ "Board of Directors". Air Liquide. 3 February 2015. Retrieved 31 January 2019.
  34. ^ "Technip buys Air Liquide's Zimmer polymer technology business" Archived 2016-04-28 at the Wayback Machine, oilonline.com. December 15, 2014. Accessed April 20, 2016.
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