PARIS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Regulatory News:
Air Liquide (Paris:AI) is expanding its healthcare business in Japan with the acquisition of Sogo Sangyo Kabushiki Kaisha (“SSKK”), a major Japanese player with a strong presence in the home healthcare and medical gases markets especially in the Tokyo region.
Present in the Japanese market for 60 years, SSKK is specialized in the medical gases field serving more than 2000 hospitals and clinics and home treatment for patients suffering from respiratory diseases including: sleep apnea, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease and chronic respiratory failure. This acquisition represents a major development of the Healthcare activity locally where it increases the number of patients served at home by Air Liquide in Japan to reach 20,000.
Well known for its medical staffs’ know-how, SSKK has more than 150 employees and generated revenue of approximately €27 million in 2016. Air Liquide will rely on the commitment of the teams in place to pursue the development of SSKK business.
Worldwide, Japan now ranks as the third-largest Respiratory Home Healthcare market after the US and France. Home Healthcare services in Japan are expected to continue increasing, supported by a robust healthcare system and social welfare coverage reaching almost 100% of the population.
With this acquisition, Air Liquide strengthens its footprint in Japan both in medical gases to hospitals and in home healthcare business.
François Jackow, member of the Air Liquide Group’s Executive Committee, supervising the Healthcare activities, said: “With this acquisition Air Liquide pursues the development of its Healthcare activity in a growing Asian market that benefits from a strong potential. We are delighted to welcome SSKK’s teams in Air Liquide Group. Thanks to their know-how combined with Air Liquide expertise, we will deliver greater value to healthcare professionals and patients. This acquisition, which allows us to develop our activities in Japan, will also fuel our future growth”.
Air Liquide Healthcare
Air
Liquide supplies medical gases, home healthcare services, hygiene
products, medical equipment and specialty ingredients. In 2016, it
served over 15,000 hospitals and clinics and more than 1.4 million
patients at home throughout the world. The Group’s Healthcare business
reached €3,111 million in revenues in 2016, with the support of its
15,000 employees.
Air Liquide in Japan
was
established in 1907 in Japan, Air Liquide now serves 15,000 customers
across the country, particularly in Electronics, thanks to its 2,000
employees. The Group also has a Research and Technology Centre in
Tsukuba (near Tokyo) and an Engineering center in Kobe. Japan serves as
a technology & research base for Air Liquide in Asia and beyond.
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The world leader in gases, technologies and services for Industry and Health, Air Liquide is present in 80 countries with approximately 65,000 employees and serves more than 3 million customers and patients. Oxygen, nitrogen and hydrogen are essential small molecules for life, matter and energy. They embody Air Liquide’s scientific territory and have been at the core of the company’s activities since its creation in 1902.
Air Liquide’s ambition is to lead its industry, deliver long term performance and contribute to sustainability. The company’s customer-centric transformation strategy aims at profitable growth over the long term. It relies on operational excellence, selective investments, open innovation and a network organization implemented by the Group worldwide. Through the commitment and inventiveness of its people, Air Liquide leverages energy and environment transition, changes in healthcare and digitization, and delivers greater value to all its stakeholders.
Air Liquide’s revenue amounted to €18.1 billion in 2016 and its solutions that protect life and the environment represented more than 40% of sales. Air Liquide is listed on the Euronext Paris stock exchange (compartment A) and belongs to the CAC 40, EURO STOXX 50 and FTSE4Good indexes.
www.airliquide.com
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