American Air Liquide, Houston, Tex., completed the acquisition of the intellectual property of American Combustion Inc. (ACI). The transaction enhances Air Liquide's ability to provide innovative oxy-fuel combustion solutions to the metals industry. In November 1999, Air Liquide America and ACI entered a formal marketing alliance to jointly promote each company's products, including a large number of patents in the field of oxygen combustion. The two companies had also pursued joint development of new equipment and systems using combustion technologies existing at both companies. ACI, now a division of Air Liquide America, will continue to market its patented PyrejetT burner technology and provide oxy-fuel combustion solutions to the iron and steel industry and other markets, including nonferrous metallurgy.