Trade News
MurrayHill & New Providence, New Jersey, U.S., November 22, 2010 – Linde North America and Macy’s will celebrate another anniversary of their unique partnership this November: sixteen consecutive years of making children of all ages smile at the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade®.
Linde North America is part of The Linde Group, a world leading gases and engineering company and one of the world’s largest helium suppliers. Since 1994 Linde has been the sole provider of helium to inflate the giant balloons that sail over the streets of New York City lifting the spirits of people, young and old, and marking the official beginning of the holiday season. This is Macy’s 84th year producing the Parade.
Pat Murphy, president, Linde North America, said, “The Parade is America’s most recognizable Thanksgiving event. It has become an institution that people across the country and around the world look forward to enjoying year after year. Linde is proud of its longstanding partnership with Macy’s and we look forward to working with them for many years to come.”
With over 50 million viewers across the country and more than 3.5 million spectators that line up along the Parade route each year, the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade is a national icon that has grown into a world-famous holiday.
On Thursday, November 25, 15 giant balloons, 43 novelty ornament balloons, 27 floats, 12 bands and more than 8,000 participants will make the annual more than 2 mile trek down the streets of New York City, to the delight of millions.
John Piper, vice president, Macy’s Parade Studio, said, “Our giant helium character balloons – including two new balloons this year, Diary of A Wimpy Kid and Kung Fu Panda™ – are the signature of the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. And our 16-year partnership with Linde gives us the helium that’s crucial to bringing our world-famous balloons to life.”
Helium’s Journey
Helium used to fill the breathtaking balloons floating over New York City in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade begins its journey in America’s heartland. Crude helium is transported by pipeline from its sources in Texas to Linde’s helium production facility in Otis, Kansas – the world’s second largest helium plant.
After the helium is purified in Otis, it is turned into a gas and compressed into four high-pressure tube trailers that are trucked across the country to New York City. On the day before the Parade, Linde and Macy’s staff assemble near the Museum of Natural History in Manhattan, where workers begin inflating the balloons using a gas filling apparatus Linde has customized for the Macy’s Parade. Early Thanksgiving morning, the balloons are topped off with helium and poised for the Parade. The total amount of helium used is around 300,000 cubic feet.
About The Linde Group
The Linde Group is a world leading gases and engineering company with almost 48,000 employees working in more than 100 countries worldwide. In the 2009 financial year it achieved sales of EUR 11.2 billion (USD 15.3 billion). The strategy of The Linde Group is geared towards sustainable earnings-based growth and focuses on the expansion of its international business with forward-looking products and services.
Linde acts responsibly towards its shareholders, business partners, employees, society and the environment – in every one of its business areas, regions and locations across the globe. Linde is committed to technologies and products that unite the goals of customer value and sustainable development.
For more information, visit Linde North America online at http://www.lindeus.com.
Contact:
Jon Lederman
Linde corporate communications
908-771-1491
Jon.Lederman@
Orlando Veras
Macy’s Media Relations
646-429-7450
Orlando.Veras@