WASHINGTON (Legal Newsline) — The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) announced Oct. 18 that American Air Liquide Holdings Inc. has submitted an application to sell to Reliant Processing Ltd. certain assets related to production of bulk liquid carbon dioxide at facilities in Galva, and Sergeant Bluff, Iowa.
The divestiture comes after a July FTC final order that settled charges against American Air Liquide Holdings Inc. and Airgas Inc. The two companies produce and supply different types of industrial gas. The FTC alleged their $13.4 billion merger would be anti-competitive and ordered the sale of certain assets related to seven types of gas – bulk oxygen, bulk nitrogen, bulk argon, bulk nitrous oxide, bulk liquid carbon dioxide, dry ice and packaged welding gases sold in retail stores.
American Air Liquide Holdings’ attempt to sell the assets to Reliant Processing comes after the company first tried to sell to Aspen Air U.S. Corp. American Air Liquide Holdings submitted that petition back in July but later withdrew it.
After a public comment period, the FTC will decide whether to approve the divestiture and file it in the Federal Register.