Air Liquide acquires Iowa dry ice business assets

Air Liquide Industrial U.S. LP (ALIUS) announces that it has acquired the Galva, Iowa, carbon dioxide and dry ice assets of Ramsgate Corporation, which formerly conducted business as Heller’s Carbonic West.

Commented Etienne Lepoutre, president of Air Liquide Industrial U.S. LP, “The acquisition will more than double our dry ice capacity in this region. This strengthened position will allow ALIUS to increase its services for food processing and cold transport applications.” The Heller acquisition follows ALIUS’s recently announced expansion of its dry ice production capacity in the eastern U.S.

Air Liquide Industrial U.S. LP is the subsidiary of American Air Liquide Holdings, Inc. responsible for providing bulk gases and related services to industrial customers in the U.S. It provides bulk gases and related services to a diverse base of customers in the U.S. including those in the chemical, food, metals and automotive industries. American Air Liquide Holdings, Inc. is the subsidiary of Air Liquide Group responsible for its North American operations.

Air Liquide in the U.S.employs nearly 4,500 people and serves thousands of customers from more than 200 locations across the U.S.

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With nearly 38,000 employees in 72 countries, Air Liquide is a world leader in industrial and medical gases and related services. The Group offers innovative solutions based on constantly enhanced technologies and produces air gases (oxygen, nitrogen, argon, rare gases…) and many other gases including hydrogen. The Group contributes to the manufacturing of many everyday products: bubbles in sparkling beverages, protective atmosphere for packed foods, oxygen for hospitals and homecare patients, ultra-pure gases for the semiconductor industry, hydrogen to desulfurize fuels...

Air Liquide is committed to sustainable development and helps to protect life. Founded in 1902, Air Liquide has successfully developed a long-term relationship with its shareholders built on trust and transparency and guided by the principles of corporate governance. Since the publication of its first consolidated financial statements in 1971, Air Liquide has posted strong and steady earnings growth. Sales in 2006 totaled 10,949 million euros, with sales outside France accounting for almost 80%. Air Liquide is listed on the Paris stock exchange and is a component of the CAC 40 and Eurostoxx 50 indices (ISIN code FR 0000120073).


For further information, please contact:
Air Liquide USA LLC Corporate Communications
Diane Labelle: 713-624-8082
Michael Rosen: 713-624-8023