U.S. company buys European firm
American company Airgas has announced its acquisition of A&N Plant, a European-based supplier of new and reconditioned rotating, positioning, and welding equipment for sale and rent.
A&N generated approximately $20 million in revenues for the year ended June 30, 2007. The acquisition, effective from 4th April, creates a new business unit of Red-D-Arc Limited, an Airgas company and provider of welding, positioning, and related rental products and services in North America.
A&N Plant has an office in Old Amersham, Buckinghamshire, as well as facilities in St. Helens, Merseyside; and in Stellendam, Netherlands. It operates in Europe, Asia, and the Middle East, serving a diverse customer base in offshore and onshore oil and gas, petrochemical, power generation, environmental, industrial plant, and steel fabrication industries.
“We are delighted to welcome A&N’s founder, Alaster Dibbo, his partner, Rob Damstra, and all 28 A&N Plant associates to the Red-D-Arc team,” said Mitch Imielinski, president of Red-D-Arc. “I am pleased to announce that Andre Frenette, vice president of sales for North America, will relocate to oversee the integration as Red-D-Arc’s vice president of European Operations. Our goal is that A&N will serve as an important base as we expand our operations.” 
“We are very excited to join forces with Red-D-Arc and Airgas,” said Mr Dibbo, who established A&N Plant in 1985. “The added resources now available to us will help our people serve customers wherever specialised equipment is needed. In addition, our companies share a commitment to engineering the right specialised equipment and solutions for our customers’ unique needs.”
Red-D-Arc, which began in 1955, became an Airgas company in 1995. It offers rental welding, positioning, and related equipment and services through more than 40 service centres in the United States, Canada, and Mexico, as well as through Airgas construction stores in the U.S., and through a joint-venture operation in the United Arab Emirates.
