Regulatory News
Air Liquide (Paris:AI) announces the acquisition by its subsidiary Schülke, which specializes in hygiene and hospital disinfection products, of Healthcare Antisepsis Solutions (HAS). HAS is the skin disinfection and hygiene business unit for Advanced Sterilization Products, a Division of Ethicon, Inc.
The HAS hygiene product line offers a broad range of solutions for skin disinfection, particularly in hospital settings, which generated revenue of nearly 40 million euros in 2014. The products are distributed in numerous countries in the Asia-Pacific region, under the renowned MICROSHIELDbrand name.
Air Liquide is acquiring all of the assets related to the HAS business in this region, which will be progressively transferred to Air Liquide, starting May 2015. The Group will call on the existing teams to pursue the development and distribution of the HAS products.
In addition to complementing Schülke's products, this acquisition represents a major geographic development of Air Liquide's Hygiene activity.
Pascal Vinet, Vice-PresidentHealthcare Global Operations and member of Air Liquide group's Executive Committee, commented: "This acquisition is in line with the development strategy for Air Liquide's Hygiene activity. It will allow us to develop our business in Asia, which has significant potential for growth and to gain a foothold in new geographic markets."
Air Liquide Healthcare
supplies medical gases, home healthcare services, hygiene products, medical equipment and specialty ingredients.
In 2014, it served over 7,500 hospitals and 1.2 million patients at home throughout the world.
The Group's Healthcare business reached € 2,570 million in revenues in 2014, with the support of its 12,000 employees
Schülke in brief
Subsidiary of the Air Liquide group within the Healthcare activity and expert in hospital disinfection, Schülke designs and supplies since more than 125 years a wide range of disinfectants and antiseptics mainly for medical environment to actively contribute to patient safety. Present in 80 countries through its affiliates and network of distributors, Schülke employs over 800 people around the world, including 70 researchers. www.schuelke.com
World leader in gases, technologies and services for Industry and Health, Air Liquide is present in 80 countries with more than 50,000 employees and serves more than 2 million customers and patients. Oxygen, nitrogen and hydrogen have been at the core of the company's activities since its creation in 1902. Air Liquide's ambition is to be the leader in its industry, delivering long-term performance and acting responsibly.
Air Liquide ideas create value over the long term. At the core of the company's development are the commitment and constant inventiveness of its people.
Air Liquide anticipates the challenges of its markets, invests locally and globally, and delivers high-quality solutions to its customers and patients, and the scientific community.
The company relies on competitiveness in its operations, targeted investments in growing markets and innovation to deliver profitable growth over the long-term.
Air Liquide's revenues amounted to 15.4 billion in 2014, and its solutions that protect life and the environment represented more than 40% of sales. Air Liquide is listed on the Paris Euronext stock exchange (compartment A) and is a member of the CAC 40 and Dow Jones Euro Stoxx 50 indexes.
www.airliquide.com
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View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20150601006128/en/
Contacts:
Air Liquide
Corporate Communications
Caroline Philips, +33 (0)1 40 62 50 84
or
Anne Michaud, +33 (0)1 40 62 50 59
or
Investor Relations
Aude Rodriguez, +33 (0)1 40 62 57 08
or
Louis Laffont, +33 (0)1 40 62 57 18
or
Air Liquide Healthcare Communications
Muriel Doucet, +33(01) 49 69 46 46
or
Ilja Koenig (Schülke), +49 4052 100 267
or
Air Liquide Asia-Pacific Communications
Laurie Underwood, +86 21 6091 5883