Air Liquide: Healthcare: development in specialty ingredients with the acquisition of BiotechMarine

Regulatory News:

Air Liquide (Paris:AI) reinforces its activity in healthcare specialty ingredients with the acquisition of BiotechMarine by its subsidiary SEPPIC. BiotechMarine is a leading player in the design and marketing of active ingredients for the global cosmetics industry.

A subsidiary of the Roullier Group, BiotechMarine is a company that specialises in the design and marketing of bio-based, cosmetic active ingredients made from algae. BiotechMarine is based in the west of France, in the town of Pontrieux, and has 35 employees.

Since its creation in 1988, BiotechMarine has been recognised for its know-how. This company boasts a complete range of natural active ingredients sold all over the world, which are used in cosmetic products in particular.

The acquisition of BiotechMarine will provide SEPPIC, a subsidiary in Air Liquide's Healthcare Business Line, with complementary expertise in marine biotechnologies and plant cell culture. SEPPIC thus widens its product portfolio with a complete range of active ingredients from marine biodiversity.

Pascal Vinet, Vice President, Healthcare Global Operations and member of the Group’s Executive Committee, commented: "We are delighted to welcome these new employees to the Group. With this acquisition Air Liquide intends to reinforce its position in the field of healthcare specialty ingredients. The complementarity of BiotechMarine and SEPPIC allows us to widen our know-how and continue the development of this activity. Health is one of the Group's growth drivers."

Air Liquide's Healthcare Business line

Air Liquide's Healthcare World Business Line provides medical gases, home healthcare services, hygiene products, medical equipments, and specialty ingredients.

In 2011, it served over 6,000 hospitals and 700,000 patients at home around the world.

In 2011, the Group Healthcare Business Line published €2,076 million in revenues generated by 9,300 employees.

In 2012, SEPPIC (specialty ingredients) joined the Healthcare activity.

SEPPIC in brief

A subsidiary of the Air Liquide Group, within the Healthcare activity, SEPPIC develops and markets a wide range of healthcare specialty ingredients – excipients and active ingredients – intended for the personal care, pharmaceutical and vaccine markets.

Present in over 80 countries through its subsidiaries and its network of distributors, SEPPIC employs over 550 people around the world, including 100 researchers.

Air Liquide is the world leader in gases for industry, health and the environment, and is present in 80 countries with 46,200 employees. Oxygen, nitrogen, hydrogen and rare gases have been at the core of Air Liquide’s activities since its creation in 1902. Using these molecules, Air Liquide continuously reinvents its business, anticipating the needs of current and future markets. The Group innovates to enable progress, to achieve dynamic growth and a consistent performance.

Innovative technologies that curb polluting emissions, lower industry’s energy use, recover and reuse natural resources or develop the energies of tomorrow, such as hydrogen, biofuels or photovoltaic energy… Oxygen for hospitals, home healthcare, fighting nosocomial infections… Air Liquide combines many products and technologies to develop valuable applications and services not only for its customers but also for society.

A partner for the long term, Air Liquide relies on employee commitment, customer trust and shareholder support to pursue its vision of sustainable, competitive growth. The diversity of Air Liquide’s teams, businesses, markets and geographic presence provides a solid and sustainable base for its development and strengthens its ability to push back its own limits, conquer new territories and build its future.

Air Liquide explores the best that air can offer to preserve life, staying true to its sustainable development approach. In 2011, the Group’s revenues amounted to €14.5 billion, of which more than 80% were generated outside France. 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
Follow us on Twitter @AirLiquideGroup