Air Liquide holds less than 1% of French artificial heartmaker Carmat

Carmat SA

28/09/2023 09:06

Sept 28 (Reuters) - Air Liquide  AIRP.PA  holds less
than 1% of the capital of troubled French artificial heart maker
Carmat  ALCAR.PA , the industrial gases company said.
    Carmat warned late Monday that supply issues meant it would
miss its full-year sales target and it could run out of cash by
the end of October, sending its shares down 27% on Tuesday.
    Air Liquide said in response to Reuters questions its Carmat
holding is held through its Air Liquide Venture Capital (ALIAD)
which was set up in 2013.    
    "ALIAD entered the capital of Carmat in April 2014, in the
frame of ALIAD strategy to develop industrial partnerships
between technology companies and the Air Liquide Group, in 3
sectors: Climate tech, Healthtech and Digital," the company
said.
    Air Liquide declined to comment when asked by Reuters
whether it would participate in any Carmat fundraising.
    Airbus  AIR.PA , the biggest shareholder in Carmat, said on
Wednesday it was aware of Carmat's financial difficulties but
did not say whether it would support a possible fundraising.
    The world's largest planemaker also said it had invested
around 50 million euros ($52.53 million) in Carmat.
    
    


($1 = 0.9518 euros)

 (Reporting by Michal Aleksandrowicz in Gdansk. Editing by Jane
Merriman)
 ((gdansk.newsroom@thomsonreuters.com; +48 58 769 66 00;))