by Sam A. Rushing, Advanced Cryogenics, Ltd. | September 2018 (gasworld US Edition).
For those who have been in the gases business for some years now, it is a fact of life that ever-fewer independent carbon dioxide (CO2) and gases distributors exist today than years ago; or for that matter much fewer than decades ago.
Airgas has been on a buying binge for decades, consolidating the gas distributors significantly; along with other buyers including Praxair, Inc. The gases industry, at large, continues to consolidate, as noticed currently by the mother of all consolidations with the Praxair-Linde merger. Of course, this will precipitate divestments in the industry, which will in turn bring forward possibly new regional players operating in a lesser capacity going forward, along with private equity firms to invest in the business. Operators such as Messer and Taiyo Nippon Sanso (TNSC) may move into new, enhanced or returning markets…