The technology group The Linde Group hassigned a long-term supply contract for industrial gases withinternational steel producer Corus, part of Tata Steel. Theagreement involves the construction of a new air separation unit(ASU) at Corus' Scunthorpe site (North Lincolnshire) for aroundEUR80m.

"This agreement seals the long term future of our relationshipwithone of our largest customers in the UK and confirms our marketleadership in this key market," said Dr Aldo Belloni, member oftheExecutive Board of Linde AG.

The new ASU with a capacity of 1,600 tonnes per day (tpd) oxygenaswell as smaller quantities of nitrogen will go on-stream in mid-2010in order to support the increase in steel output from the site.TheLinde investments also involve refurbishment of the existing ASUanda significant extension of the pipeline network supplying thesteelworks.

The Linde Group is a world-leading gases and engineering companywitharound 50,000 employees working in more than 70 countriesworldwide.Following the acquisition of The BOC Group plc, the company hassalesof around 12 billion euro per annum. The strategy of The LindeGroupis geared towards earnings-based growth and focuses on theexpansionof its international business with forward-looking products andservices.

For more information, please see The Linde Group online athttp://www.linde.com

For further information, please contact:Press                           Investor RelationsStefan Metz                     Thomas EisenlohrPhone: +49.89.35757-1322        Phone: +49.89.35757-1330

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