Air Liquide has announced plans to acquire DIG Airgas, a leading national player in South Korea’s industrial gas sector. The €3 billion transaction will strengthen the French group’s position in a dynamic market focused on innovation and clean energy.
Presenting its results at the end of July, Air Liquide reported “profitable sales growth and resilience in an uncertain environment, reflecting the strength of its business model.” Yet the acquisition of a strong domestic competitor still came as a surprise. “This acquisition will enable us to contribute to the emergence of a leading player in the Republic of Korea,” said François Jackow, CEO of Air Liquide. “Not only are our facilities and activities in the country complementary, but DIG Airgas also has a portfolio of nearly 20 secured projects.”
Founded in 1979, DIG Airgas is a major player in the South Korean industrial gas market, employing nearly 550 people and operating 60 plants alongside 220 kilometres of pipeline networks. It supplies essential industrial gases to a range of strategic sectors, including electronics and manufacturing. Air Liquide, for its part, has an established presence in the country, with activities spanning electronics, healthcare, industry, and hydrogen.
Korea at the forefront of clean energy and mobility
South Korea is one of the world’s most innovative nations and is investing heavily in hydrogen mobility, with the ambition of becoming the global leader in the field by 2040. Air Liquide is supporting this ambition through large-scale projects across the entire hydrogen value chain: from production and storage to distribution and end-use applications.
“Thanks to its exceptional capabilities in innovation and production, Korea is at the forefront of the next waves of development in key sectors such as semiconductors, clean energy, and mobility,” added François Jackow.
Are you a LinkedIn user who would like to follow the latest hydrogen news on a more regular basis? Then our LinkedIn weekly newsletter may be what you’re looking for. You can subscribe to it by clicking here.
PS: You can sign up to our newsletters to follow the latest hydrogen news on a more regular basis:
– “Your hydrogen news live” (to receive all our articles as soon as they are published)
– “Your weekly newsletter” (sent every Monday morning).
