Munich, 17 July 2007 - The technology group The Linde Group has concluded the acquisition of the Turkey based industrial gases company Birlesic Oksijen Sanayi A.S. (BOS), a subsidiary of the Koc group, at an enterprise value of approximately 120 million US dollars. Following the receipt of unconditional approval from the antitrust authorities, the transaction was completed today. BOS operates with industrial and specialty gases. In fiscal year 2006 BOS generated sales of approximately 40 million US dollars and employed a staff of around 180. "With this acquisition we have complemented our product range in the important strategic market Turkey and at the same time have strengthened our position for supplying the neighbouring markets of the Middle East", said Dr Aldo Belloni, member of the Executive Board of Linde AG. Following the acquisition of Karbogaz A.S. in July 2006, the takeover of BOS is the second major transaction in Turkey by Linde. The Linde Group is a world-leading industrial gases, medical gases and engineering company with around 49,000 employees working in more than 70 countries worldwide. Following the acquisition of The BOC Group plc, the company has gases and engineering sales of around 12 billion euro per annum. The strategy of The Linde Group is geared towards earnings-based growth and focuses on the expansion of its international business with forward-looking products and services. For more information, please see The Linde Group online at http://www.linde.com For further information: Press Uwe Wolfinger Telephone: +49.89.35757-1320 Investor Relations Thomas Eisenlohr Telephone: +49.89.35757-1330