INDUSTRIAL DISTRIBUTION

INDUSTRIAL DISTRIBUTION: "The German industrial gas firm bought British rival BOC for nearly $15.6 billion earlier this year to form the world’s largest industrial gases producer. As part of that deal, the Federal Trade Commission required Linde to divest its American bulk gas assets.

Radnor, Pa.-based Airgas will buy eight air separation units (ASUs) and related bulk gas business for $495 million in cash. The bulk business, which has approximately 300 employees, generated $154 million in revenues during fiscal year 2005."