Air Liquide Announces the Acquisition of a Major Player in Home Infusion in Germany

Regulatory News :

Air Liquide (Paris:AI) is pursuing the development of its Home Healthcare activity in Europe with the acquisition of Optimal Medical Therapies (OMT)*, a major player in providing home healthcare services for patients in Germany suffering from chronic illnesses requiring infusion therapy.

Founded in 1998, OMT, which has 45 employees, provides home healthcare services for around 5,000 patients and generated annual sales revenue of 28 million euros in 2013. The company is recognized for its expertise in home infusion services that include immunotherapy, pain management, and the treatment of pulmonary hypertension and Parkinson’s disease. Its integrated offer combines prescribed medication, high technology medical device, and patient services that enable the latter to be treated at home rather than at the hospital, which in turn promotes greater autonomy.

Via this acquisition, which takes the form of a majority stake (65%), Air Liquide reinforces its position in the German home healthcare market. In 2011, the Group acquired Licher Medical Therapy (LMT), one of Germany’s leading players in the area of medico-technical management at home with infusion therapies for patients suffering from Parkinson’s disease or immune deficiency. Air Liquide is already a major player in the French and Northern European infusion therapy markets.

Air Liquide will rely on the commitment of the two founding shareholders and on the expertise of the teams in place to pursue the development of OMT’s business.

Pascal Vinet, Vice-President, Healthcare Global Operations and a member of the Air Liquide Group’s Executive Committee, commented: "This acquisition strengthens our home healthcare offering and enables us to consolidate our position in the German infusion therapy market, as well as at the European level. Above all, it illustrates Air Liquide’s commitment to offering patients who suffer from chronic illnesses a service that combines innovative technologies and high added value care.”

* Optimal Medical Therapies GmbH & Co KG

Air Liquide Healthcare
supplies medical gases, home healthcare services, hygiene products, medical equipment and specialty ingredients.
In 2013, it served over 7,500 hospitals and more than 1 million patients at home throughout the world.
The Group’s Healthcare business reached € 2,689 million in revenues in 2013, with the support of its 12,000 employees.

Home Healthcare in Germany
Air Liquide, via its subsidiary VitalAire, provides home healthcare services upon medical prescription for patients suffering from chronic diseases such as COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease) and sleep apnea. These home healthcare services are being developed in addition to hospital care, enabling patients to enjoy better quality of life and local authorities to reduce costs. Via its subsidiary VitalAire, Air Liquide is a major player in home respiratory healthcare in Germany with more than 180,000 patients in 2013. Air Liquide is also present in the area of infusion in this country since the acquisition of Licher Medical Therapy (LMT) in 2011.

World leader in gases, technologies and services for Industry and Health, Air Liquide is present in 80 countries with more than 50,000 employees and serves more than 2 million customers and patients. Oxygen, nitrogen and hydrogen have been at the core of the company’s activities since its creation in 1902. Air Liquide’s ambition is to be the leader in its industry, delivering long-term performance and acting responsibly.

Air Liquide ideas create value over the long term. At the core of the company’s development are the commitment and constant inventiveness of its people.

Air Liquide anticipates the challenges of its markets, invests locally and globally, and delivers high-quality solutions to its customers and patients, and the scientific community.

The company relies on competitiveness in its operations, targeted investments in growing markets and innovation to deliver profitable growth over the long-term.

Air Liquide’s revenues amounted to € 15.2 billion in 2013, and its solutions that protect life and the environment represented around 40% of sales. 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.

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