Bob VanKirk, Head of Distributors and Packaged Gases for Linde North America, says the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is searching for a fifth Tier One player to keep the market competitive and push through the Praxair-Linde merger.
Vankirk spoke about the current status of the $70bn Praxair-Linde merger on the final day of the Gases and Welding Distributors Association (GAWDA) 2018 Annual Convention here in Seattle, WA.
But as this was an on-going negotiation with the FTC, VanKirk limited his comments to the lead up process over the past 18 months.
He also revealed that Linde and Praxair have had to deal with 20 to 30 country regulators concerning the merger and that the FTC was still in discussions with both parties on what will be acceptable.
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