FTC Approves Final Order Settling Charges that Air Products' Potential Acquisition of Rival Airgas Would be Anticompetitive

Following a public comment period, the Federal Trade Commission has approved a final order settling charges that Air Products and Chemicals Inc.’s potential acquisition of rival firm Airgas, Inc., would be anticompetitive in the U.S. market for certain industrial gases. The FTC order requires Air Products, if it acquires Airgas, to sell 15 air separation units and related bulk liquid oxygen and bulk liquid nitrogen assets currently owned and operated by Airgas.

The Commission vote approving the final order was 5-0. (FTC File No. 101-0093; the staff contact is Gregory Luib, Bureau of Competition, 202-326-3249; see press release dated September 9, 2010, at http://www.ftc.gov/opa/2010/09/airproducts.shtm.)

Copies of the documents mentioned in this release are available from the FTC’s website at http://www.ftc.gov and from the FTC’s Consumer Response Center, Room 130, 600 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W., Washington, DC 20580. Call toll-free: 1-877-FTC-HELP.