Linde AG and Praxair Inc. have confirmed they are in talks about a possible merger for two of the world’s largest providers of industrial gas products.
Linde, based in Munich, Germany, said in a statement on Tuesday that the talks are preliminary and that “it is currently not foreseeable whether there will be any kind of transaction.”
Praxair, headquartered in Danbury, Connecticut, had a similar statement and both companies described the potential deal as a merger.
Linde has 64,500 employees in 100 countries, while Praxair has 26,000 employees in more than 50 countries. Praxair North America is its largest business group with over 10,000 staff.
Linde Engineering North America just expanded its operations at the Port of Catoosa in Tulsa. Linde employs about 350 people in its Tulsa office.
The companies sell gases used in a wide range of applications including manufacturing, food processing and the oil and gas industry.
If the merger is approved, the combined companies would generate more than $30 billion in annual revenue.
