June 21, 2006 — Linde Gas LLC will build, own and operate an on-site air separation plant at the new SeverCorr steel minimill in Lowndes County, Miss.

From this facility, Linde will supply 550 tons per day of gaseous oxygen plus gaseous nitrogen,
argon and compressed air via pipeline to SeverCorr's automotive-quality steel operations. The scheduled start-up for the Linde facility is May 2007.

"Our relationship with SeverCorr demonstrates Linde's ongoing belief in the future growth and profitability of the steel industry in the United States," said Gene Allen, Linde Gas' Vice President North America for On-site Business. "This project marks a significant extension of Linde's focus of being a world class design, engineering and construction company, to an owner and operator of the plants we build for the steel industry. We are especially pleased to be partnering with SeverCorr, whose entrepreneurial spirit, management depth and steelmaking skills are sure to generate exciting opportunities for future growth."

Linde’s latest contract represents the company's third on-site supply arrangement with a domestic steel producer. "Linde Gas has been serving many steel customers around the world with dynamic steel making technologies. We're excited to be working with SeverCorr and are ready to provide Linde's innovative gas application technologies in support of their melting and finishing processes," remarked Chris Ebeling, Linde Gas' Vice President of Engineered Solutions.

Linde Gas services the industrial and specialty gas requirements of a wide range of industries. Linde Gas LLC is the downstream U.S. subsidiary of the Gas and Engineering business segment of Linde AG. With a workforce of over 40,000 worldwide, Linde serves customers in over 50 countries. Linde AG is an international technology group, which occupies leading market positions in each of its two business segments: Gas and Engineering and Material Handling.