PARIS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Regulatory News:
Air Liquide (Paris:AI) announces the acquisition of a key Malaysian industrial gas player, Southern Industrial Gases Sdn Bhd. Finalised today, this operation doubles Air Liquide’s Packaged Gases filling capacity in Malaysia. It is expected to deliver significant synergies by enlarging our footprint and providing Air Liquide with a geographical density across most of Malaysia.
Southern Industrial Gases Sdn Bhd (SIGSB) is a former subsidiary of SIG Gas Berhad, which is listed on the Malaysian Stock Exchange. SIGSB is one of the key industrial gas players in the Malaysian market, generating close to 80 million Malaysian ringgit (approximately 20 million euros) in revenue annually. With more than 200 employees, it has 8 manufacturing and refilling facilities locations across Malaysia, with a distribution network that covers all of Malaysia’s key industrial basins.
Air Liquide began operating in Malaysia in 1927. Its presence in the country now includes all industrial gas activities, a Smart Innovative Operations Centre as well as shared services which serves Asia and the Pacific Regions. In 2016, Air Liquide Malaysia reinforced its position in the industrial merchant business with the acquisition of a distributor located in the Kuala Lumpur region. The acquisition which was finalised today places Air Liquide in an even stronger position to serve its customers in the country.
Francois Abrial, member of the Air Liquide Group’s Executive Committee supervising Asia Pacific, commented: “This acquisition will enable us to strengthen our activities in Malaysia, with a reinforced network that will drive sustainable growth and deliver innovative solutions for Industrial Gas customers across Malaysia. We look forward to the integration of SIGSB into Air Liquide Malaysia and we are confident that we can continue to drive value for our customers and create opportunities for our employees."
Air Liquide in Malaysia
Air Liquide is a pioneer in Malaysia’s gas industry, whose presence in Malaysia registers close to a century. It continues to place a strong emphasis on this key anchor of its Malaysia business, demonstrating its commitment with its acquisition of key Industrial Gas supplier Polygas in 2016. Before the acquisition of SIGSB, Air Liquide Malaysia employed more than 300 people across 11 locations, working in a wide range of activities.
Air Liquide has also placed Malaysia at the heart of its digital transformation with an SIO Centre that serves as the command and control locus across Southeast Asia to optimise Air Liquide’s gas production plants using state-of-the-art equipment as well as topline technology. Air Liquide has also established a regional financial hub, the Finance Shared Services Centre (FSSC), in Malaysia to oversee business transactions of entities in Southeast Asia, serving more than 7,000 customers.
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A world leader in gases, technologies and services for Industry and Health, Air Liquide is present in 80 countries with approximately 66,000 employees and serves more than 3.6 million customers and patients. Oxygen, nitrogen and hydrogen are essential small molecules for life, matter and energy. They embody Air Liquide’s scientific territory and have been at the core of the company’s activities since its creation in 1902.
Air Liquide’s ambition is to be a leader in its industry, deliver long term performance and contribute to sustainability. The company’s customer-centric transformation strategy aims at profitable growth over the long term. It relies on operational excellence, selective investments, open innovation and a network organization implemented by the Group worldwide. Through the commitment and inventiveness of its people, Air Liquide leverages energy and environment transition, changes in healthcare and digitization, and delivers greater value to all its stakeholders.
Air Liquide’s revenue amounted to 21 billion euros in 2018 and its solutions that protect life and the environment represented more than 40% of sales. Air Liquide is listed on the Euronext Paris stock exchange (compartment A) and belongs to the CAC 40, EURO STOXX 50 and FTSE4Good indexes.
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