Air Liquide Completes Acquisition of Airgas Air Liquide, Paris, France, a world provider of gases, technologies, and services, has completed the acquisition of Airgas, Inc., Radnor, Pa., a supplier of industrial gases and associated products/services in the United States. Globally, the combined companies will generate annual sales of more than $22 billion (at press time exchange rates), employ approximately 68,000 people worldwide, and serve more than three million customers and patients. “The two businesses are highly complementary, and the transaction extends our customer base through a unique, multichannel distribution network and a nationwide presence in the U.S.,” said Benoît Potier, chairman and CEO of Air Liquide. “Since founding Airgas some 30 years ago, Peter McCausland has successfully grown the business...it is an exciting day for the group as we welcome our Airgas colleagues and together begin a new chapter in our history.” Under the agreement terms, first announced and unanimously approved by each company’s board of directors in November 2015, Airgas shareholders receive $143 in cash for each share of common stock. Airgas will also operate as a subsidiary of Air Liquide within the company’s U.S. operations and, commercially, go to market as Airgas, an Air Liquide company. Additional benefits include allowing Air Liquide to expand in the United States, extending its customer base by more than one million, and permitting potential volume growth using Airgas’ footprint; identifying more than $300 million of pretax industrial, administrative, and volume growth synergies; and together delivering more value with service to users in North America and around the world. FlexNGate to Build Nearly $100Million Facility to Supply Ford Vehicles, Create Up to 650 Jobs Flex-N-Gate Owner Shahid Khan has stated his company, a global auto supplier in Urbana, Ill., offering exterior trim components, plus aluminum/steel modular stamped bodyin white and chassis assemblies, will invest $95 million in construction and capital costs for a facility that will supply parts to Ford Motor Co. Potential additional investment could push it to at least $100 million. In addition, Khan noted the project will create at least 400 and up to 650 new jobs in Detroit, Mich., over the next three years. At capacity, up to 750 total jobs could be added. Flex-N-Gate has committed to meeting Detroit-based hiring and contracting thresholds, and developing a hiring plan with the City’s Human Rights Department as well as Detroit Employment Solutions Corp. The Michigan Strategic Fund board has approved a $3.5- million Business Development Program grant to incentivize the auto supplier to expand its Michigan operations. The Economic Development Corp. of the City of Detroit has also approved the sale of 30 acres in the I-94 Industrial Park. “Our news today from Detroit is further evidence that the United States auto industry is strong, promising, and experiencing exceptional growth,” said Khan. “Building a new plant from the ground up within the Detroit city limits will be a milestone moment...we couldn’t do this alone.” General Dynamics Electric Boat to Help Rhode Island Students by Backing CareerTechnical Instruction for Future Employment Rhode Island Governor Gina M. Raimondo has recently revealed, through a partnership with General Dynamics Electric Boat, six career and technical schools will be able to offer training to prepare for marine industry occupations. This includes the Chariho, Coventry, Cranston, and Warwick school districts, the Providence Career and Technical Academy, and the William M. Davies, Jr. Career and Technical High School for a total enrollment over the next two years of about 180 students. It is also anticipated about 350 students will graduate annually from career-technical programs in marine industries as the programs expand to all career-technical centers and schools in Rhode Island. “This initiative will lead students directly into careers in welding and electrical services, which will prepare them for jobs in shipfitting and advanced marine manufacturing,” Raimondo said. She added Electric Boat will support instruction in career-technical centers and schools, provide paid student internships on site, and work with partners seeking qualified workers to offer students jobs at the shipbuilder upon graduation. A sector partnership led by Electric Boat, the Pipelines to Manufacturing Careers in Ship Building, obtained $369,500 through Real Jobs Rhode Island. With that funding, plus partner input, the shipbuilder and Rhode Island Department of Labor and Training are embarking on one of the biggest planned hiring efforts in state history. This consists of more than 10,000 skilled maritime-manufacturing industry workers over the next 10 years. Large Commercial Vacuum Furnace Construction Nearly Complete Solar Atmospheres of Western Pennsylvania and Solar Manufacturing, Inc., have been building what they claim is the largest vacuum furnace in the world. The working hot zone of this high-vacuum furnace is 80 in. diameter 48 ft long with a maximum operating temperature of 2400°F. In addition, 35 points of temperature will be surveyed to within 10°F per the AMS 2750E specification. The U.S. patented, dual-load car design will have the capacity to transfer up to 150,000 lb of material in and out of the furnace. The commissioning of the furnace into production is expected this month. PRESS TIME NEWS 8 WELDING JOURNAL / JULY 2016 WJ Benoît Potier (left), Air Liquide chairman and CEO, shakes hands with Peter McCausland, Airgas founder and former executive chairman.
Welding Journal | July 2016
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