BOC
BOC Limited is the UK and Ireland's leading provider of industrial, medical, and specialty gases, supplying 15,000+ gas mixtures, equipment, and related services to welding, healthcare, manufacturing, and process industry customers through 50+ retail stores, 300+ agents, and direct bulk delivery.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1886
- HeadquartersGuildford, United Kingdom
- Headcount1,001–5,000
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
BOC firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- BOC
- Legal name
- BOC Limited
- Website
- https://boconline.co.uk
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1886
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1,001–5,000 employees
- Short description
- BOC Limited is the UK and Ireland's leading provider of industrial, medical, and specialty gases, supplying 15,000+ gas mixtures, equipment, and related services to welding, healthcare, manufacturing, and process industry customers through 50+ retail stores, 300+ agents, and direct bulk delivery.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
BOC industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Industrial Gas Supply
- NAICS
- Industrial Gas Manufacturing (32512), Industrial Gas Manufacturing (325120), Natural Gas Distribution (2212)
- SIC
- Gas & Other Services Combined (4932), Oil & Gas Field Machinery & Equipment (3533)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Process Gases & Gas Delivery Consumables (Specialty/Bulk/UHP) (HDAHAGAL)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Specialty & Calibration Gas Mixtures (IMAEACAE), Gas Handling Equipment & Storage (Cylinders/Tanks/Valves) (IMAEACAL)
Keywords
Where BOC is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Guildford
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices3 records
Markets served
BOC business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Industrial Gas Sales: Sale of industrial gases including welding gases, cutting gases, medical gases, and specialty gases. Products delivered via cylinders, bulk tanks, or pipeline. Revenue from gas product sales as core business.
- Equipment Sales and Rental: Sales and rental of gas equipment including regulators, flowmeters, welding equipment, and safety equipment. Cylinder rental services with surcharges for various product categories.
- Safety and Training Services: Equipment safety services, CP7 and CP47 gas equipment safety inspections, customer engineering services, and training programs for businesses.
- Cylinder Management Services: Cylinder management and tracking services ensuring proper handling, maintenance, and compliance of gas cylinders throughout their lifecycle.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | One-time | New customer introductory offer - 50% off first gas order |
| Unit Pricing | Per order | Standard equipment delivery - free over £60 |
| Subscription | Monthly | Cylinder rental model with surcharges |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels3 records
BOC product offering
Product offeringCore offering
BOC is the UK and Ireland's leading provider of industrial, medical and special gases, supplying over 15,000 specialty gas mixtures via cylinders, bulk liquefied tanks, and pipelines. The company complements its gas products with related equipment (regulators, flowmeters, welding gear, medical equipment, PPE) and value-added services including equipment safety inspections, training, cylinder management, helium recovery, and customer engineering. Distribution spans 50+ Gas & Gear retail stores, 300+ agents, an e-commerce platform, and direct enterprise delivery across UK, Ireland, and Oceania.
Product overview
BOC is the UK and Ireland's leading provider of industrial, medical and special gases with over 140 years of experience. The company's core offering centers on a comprehensive portfolio of gas products—from industrial and medical gases to over 15,000 special mix gas formulations—supplemented by an extensive equipment range (gas regulators, flowmeters, welding and cutting equipment, medical equipment, safety and PPE) and value-added services (equipment safety inspections, training, cylinder management, helium recovery, and customer engineering). The ViPR smart cylinder system represents a technology-enabled add-on for enhanced gas management and tracking. BOC serves diverse industries including aerospace, automotive, healthcare, food and beverage, and metal production through a network of over 50 Gas & Gear stores and 300 agents across the UK and Ireland.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Quantifiable outcome
- Free equipment delivery on orders over £60
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use BOC
Customer profileNamed customers1 record
Segments11 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
BOC technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
BOC partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Three partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.
- M.G. ChemicalsminorM.G. Chemicals is a regional distributor for dielectric polishing slurries in Australia and Oceania alongside BOC Limited, distributing products from global manufacturers including Entegris, Fujimi Corporation, Showa Denko Materials, and Merck KGaA.
- D-ChemminorD-Chem is a regional distributor for dielectric polishing slurries in Australia and Oceania alongside BOC Limited, distributing specialty chemical products from major global manufacturers.
- LindecoreBOC is part of Linde plc, one of the world's leading industrial gas companies. Linde provides global reach, production capabilities, and technology expertise. BOC operates as the UK and Ireland operating entity under the Linde corporate umbrella, with access to Linde's global locations and network.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
BOC competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Air Liquide: French global industrial gas major with extensive UK/Ireland operations offering the same industrial, medical, and specialty gas portfolio. Direct competitor to BOC across cylinders, bulk gases, and specialty mixtures for welding, healthcare, and electronics customers.
- Air Products and Chemicals: US-based global industrial gas company competing with BOC in hydrogen, helium, and specialty gases. Operates in UK and Europe with overlapping customer base in chemicals, electronics, and metals.
- Nippon Sanso Holdings: Japanese industrial gas group with European operations (formerly part of Praxair's European footprint), competing in industrial and specialty gases. Direct peer for bulk gas supply and specialty mix formulations.
- Messer Group: German privately-held industrial gas company operating across Europe and the Americas, competing in industrial, medical, and specialty gases. Closely comparable to BOC as a privately-controlled multi-regional industrial gas supplier.
- Iwatani Corporation: Japanese industrial gas and energy company with European operations, particularly strong in hydrogen energy, helium, and specialty gases. Comparable to BOC's specialty gas and helium recovery offerings.
- SOL Group: Italian industrial and medical gas group with UK presence through SOL UK, offering comparable industrial, medical, and specialty gas services to BOC's UK/Ireland customer base.
- Nippon Gases Europe (now part of Nippon Sanso): European industrial gas subsidiary of Nippon Sanso Holdings, operating across UK and Ireland with direct overlap on BOC's welding, medical, and specialty gas segments.
Broad incumbents
- Praxair Technology: Former standalone US industrial gas major now merged into Linde plc (BOC's parent). Provides global industrial gas and surface technologies relevant to BOC's parent-level capabilities and competing offerings.
Emerging players
- Hangzhou Hangyang: Chinese industrial gas and air separation equipment manufacturer expanding internationally. Emerging global competitor in industrial gas production with comparable bulk and cylinder gas offerings.
- Yingde Gases Group: China-based industrial gas supplier primarily serving Chinese onsite and merchant gas markets. Emerging global player with growing international footprint in industrial gas production and supply.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
BOC social profiles
Digital presenceBOC financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
BOC leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
BOC funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
BOC M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about BOC
What does BOC do?
BOC is the UK and Ireland's leading provider of industrial, medical and special gases, supplying over 15,000 specialty gas mixtures via cylinders, bulk liquefied tanks, and pipelines. The company complements its gas products with related equipment (regulators, flowmeters, welding gear, medical equipment, PPE) and value-added services including equipment safety inspections, training, cylinder management, helium recovery, and customer engineering. Distribution spans 50+ Gas & Gear retail stores, 300+ agents, an e-commerce platform, and direct enterprise delivery across UK, Ireland, and Oceania.
Is BOC a public or private company?
BOC is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was BOC founded?
BOC was founded in 1886. It employs 1,001 to 5,000 people.
Where is BOC based?
BOC is headquartered in Guildford, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does BOC make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Industrial Gas Sales are the primary driver. The others are equipment Sales and Rental, safety and Training Services and cylinder Management Services.
Who are BOC's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Air Liquide, Air Products and Chemicals, Nippon Sanso Holdings, Messer Group, Iwatani Corporation, SOL Group and Nippon Gases Europe (now part of Nippon Sanso). Praxair Technology is listed as a broad incumbent. Emerging players are Hangzhou Hangyang and Yingde Gases Group.
Does BOC have an API?
No public API is recorded for BOC.
What industry is BOC in?
BOC's product category is Industrial Gas Supply. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HDAHAGAL, Process Gases & Gas Delivery Consumables (Specialty/Bulk/UHP), with a secondary code of IMAEACAE, Specialty & Calibration Gas Mixtures. Its NAICS code is 32512 and its SIC code is 4932.