US based Praxair1 is buying German firm Linde in a move that stands to substantially consolidate ownership of world industrial gases production. In a most unfair merger Praxair will be ceding to Linde half of the seats on the merged board, nearly half of the conjoined equity, and taking Linde's name after consummating this marriage. As is traditional in rushed elopements the combined headquarters will be in neither the US nor Germany, but in a third "neutral" Eurozone country.2 The cherry top is an anticipated 25 euros of value created for current Linde shareholders through synergies and a mere 17 United States dollar of synergies for Praxair holders. Praxair CEO Steve Angel however will remain CEO of the new Praxair which calls itself Linde. It's almost as if Monsanto had bought Bayer this time!
Of who could have predicted pressurized cylinders would heat to failure on hot asphalt fame. (archived) ↩
Provided there is still a Eurozone by the time regulators get a say. This is a fiat marriage after all. ↩
yeah I'm sure they'll also "cede" to them a dewar full of cowfarts.