Announced Action for October 26, 2004

Commission approval of proposed divestiture: Following a public comment period, the Commission has approved a proposed divestiture by American Air Liquide, Inc. (Air Liquide). The company’s petition for approval of the proposed divestiture (petition) related to the FTC’s recent decision and order concerning Air Liquide’s acquisition of Messer Griesheim GmbH. Paragraph II.A. of the decision and order requires Air Liquide to divest certain assets acquired from Messer Griesheim. In its petition, Air Liquide requested prior Commission approval to divest the “Atmospheric Gases Divestiture Assets and Businesses,” as that term is defined in the order, to Matheson Tri-Gas, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Nippon Sanso Corporation of Japan, or to one or more Matheson Tri-Gas subsidiaries. The FTC has now approved that request.

The Commission vote to approve the proposed divestiture was 4-0-1, with Commissioner Jon Leibowitz not participating. (FTC Docket No. C-4109; the staff contact is Elizabeth A. Piotrowski, Bureau of Competition, 202-326-2623; see press releases dated April 29 and July 16, 2004.)

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