TPT September 2007

Industry News

Mr Klaus Schmieder, senior executive vice- president of the Air Liquide Group, states, “Air Liquide will integrate the existing UK operations in an enlarged business, to strengthen our position in the UK industrial and medical gases markets.” With around 280 employees, Linde Gas UK has total revenues of around €60mn. Air Liquide is a world leader in industrial and medical gases and related services. The Group offers innovative solutions based on constantly enhanced technologies and produces air gases (oxygen, nitrogen, argon, rare gases) and many other gases including hydrogen.

Air Liquide completes acquisition of Linde Gas UK

Air Liquide Group has announced its successful takeover of the business activities of Linde Gas UK. This acquisition, valued at €105mn, will have an immediate and positive impact on the Group’s results and allow Air Liquide to almost double the size of its UK operation. Air Liquide has been present in the UK since 2004, following the acquisition of local Messer operations.

This new business is complementary to other Air Liquide activities, and the additional production units will enable Air Liquide to provide a wider range of products and services to key industry sectors. It also gives an exciting opportunity to access the UK hospital and homecare markets, an area where Air Liquide has proven its ability to provide innovative and customer oriented solutions elsewhere in the world.

Air Liquide Group – France Fax : +33 1 39 56 11 22 Website : www.airliquide.com Linde Gas UK – UK Fax : +44 121 500 1111 Website : www.linde-gas.co.uk

Sumitomo and Vallourec join forces in Brazil Sumitomo Metal Industries Ltd (Sumitomo Metals), Japan, and Vallourec Group, France, have formed a joint venture company in Brazil to manufacture seamless pipes. Established on the basis of a long-running partnership, the new company – Vallourec & Sumitomo Tubos do Brasil Ltda – will be situated in Jeceaba, the state of Minas Gerais. After becoming operational in 2010, the joint venture will give Sumitomo Metals a global seamless pipe supply capacity of 1.6 million tons annually. Capacity of the new plant will include 600,000t/year of seamless pipe and 1 million tons/year of crude steel, with 700,000t of this being used for the seamless pipe mill. The new seamless pipe facilities will offer a product range of 168.3 to 406.4mm. The joint venture will employ charcoal blast furnaces, which will use charcoal made from eucalyptus trees grown in a company- managed plantation. This will reduce the environmental impact of the steelworks and help prevent global warming. Sumitomo Metals – Japan Fax : +81 6 6223 0305 Website : www.sumitomometals.co.jp V & M – France Fax : +33 1 49 09 39 90 Website : www.vallourec.com

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S eptember /O ctober 2007