The BOC Group currently finds itself in familiar territory, with an unsolicited offer by the Linde Group to acquire the company, 6 years on from the last offer to acquire BOC by Air Liquide and Air Products.
However, in May 2000, the bid by the two gas companies failed on regulatory grounds in the US. Now BOC faces the onslaught from Germany following the offer (proposal) by the Linde Group “ gasworld investigates the build up to this and the possible outcome.
On Tuesday 24th January, BOC made a statement to the London Stock Exchange following rumours the evening before of an offer to acquire the company which sent the shares upwards from a level of around £11.50 a share to the high £13.
The statement essentially confirmed that BOC had indeed received a proposal from Linde Group, that the board had given consideration and had rejected the proposal on three grounds:
... to continue reading you must be subscribed
