The Linde Annual 2009. Treasures of the Atmosphere.

C2 The Linde World The Gases Division has four operating segments – Western Europe, the Americas, Asia & Eastern Europe, and South Pacific & Africa – which are subdivided into nine Regional Business Units (RBUs). The Gases Division also includes two Global Business Units (GBUs) – Healthcare (medical gases) and Tonnage (on-site) – and two Business Areas (BAs) – Merchant & Packaged Gases (liquefied and cylinder gases) and Electronics (electronic gases). Specialised in olefin, natural gas, air separation, hydrogen and synthesis gas plants, our Engineering Division has a global footprint. North America...

C3 Corporate profile The Linde Group The Linde Group is a world leading gases and engineering company with almost 48,000 employees working in more than 100 countries worldwide. In the 2009 financial year it achieved sales of EUR 11.211 bn. The strategy of The Linde Group is geared towards sustainable earnings-based growth and focuses on the expansion of its international business with forward-looking products and services. Linde acts responsibly towards its shareholders, business partners, employees, society and the environment – in every one of its business areas, regions and locations across...

C1 Our company values Passion to excel. Innovating for customers. Empowering people. Thriving through diversity. Our vision We will be the leading global gases and engineering group, admired for our people, who provide innovative solutions that make a difference to the world. Front cover fold-out: C2: The Linde World/Customer segmentation, C3: Corporate profile/Linde financial highlights

Treasures of the atmosphere. In a speech in 1907, Carl von Linde came up with a striking phrase to capture the special value of gases for modern civilisation: “treasures of the atmosphere”. This is how the founder of Linde AG described the elements of the air that – alongside gases from fossil sources – still form the cornerstones of our daily business today. These are the building blocks of our sustainable success as a company, enabling us to develop technologies and processes that improve the lives of people around the globe. With The Linde Annual 2009, we invite you to explore some of the...

Front cover 09 Elements of air C1 Our company values 11 Simple theory - complex design within the Gases Division G Linde financial highlights Back cover

14 In practice. Perfect fit - every time. 52 With potential. Right on the megatrend. 34 Interview: Gerhard Pompl sums 74 Interview: Krish Krishnamurthy explores the potential of biofuels 02.2 36 Gases from the earth. 50 Interview: Stephen McCormick talks about C02 in the food and beverages industry 03.2 76 Growing healthcare market. 86 Interview: Roel Kellenaers looks at market trends in healthcare mprint/Contact information

04 Linde Annual 2009 An idea.

05 01 An idea. Separating air. “The gifts of the atmosphere are plentiful, giving mankind new sources of prosperity and welfare. (…) even if the art of engineering accounts for but a small share in the overall bounty of riches the atmosphere has to offer, these additional products must still be embraced as the new treasures of the atmosphere.” Carl von Linde, 17 December 1907 The foundations of our success go back to Carl von Linde’s discovery that air could be separated. To him we owe our understanding of the treasures of the atmosphere, plus the values and achievements that have made us one...

Securing our future with the treasures of the atmosphere.

08 Linde Annual 2009 An idea. We separate the air and turn its components into valuable resources for people.

09 All we need is air. The elements of the air are essential to life on earth. Ar Argon He Helium CO2 Carbon dioxide Kr Krypton CH4 Methane CH4 Ne Neon O2 Oxygen He 0.00052 % 0.00017 % N2 Nitrogen H2 Kr 0.00011  % Hydrogen Xe Xenon H2 Ne 0.00006 % 0.0018 % Xe CO2 0.038 % 0.000009 % N2 78.08 % Ar O2 0.93 % 20.95 % Elements of air Until the end of the eighteenth century, the air was considered a pure substance. Only then was it discovered that it is actually a mixture of various elements. Today, each of these gases plays an important role, whether in everyday or unusual applications. Recently,...

10 Linde Annual 2009 An idea.

11 The air separation process. The process developed by Carl von Linde around 1900 still lies at the heart of air separation today. Diagram of a rectification column for air separation using the Linde process. O2 Oxygen N2 Nitrogen gaseous N2 1.4 bar gaseous O2 liquid O2 liquid N2 5.5 bar air Simple theory – complex design The first air separation process, developed by Carl von Linde in 1895, used a cooling machine to harness the fact that gases warm up when compressed and cool down again when expanded. Separating liquid air into its components relies on their different boiling points, which...

Linde is behind the world’s largest air separation plant, currently being built in Qatar.

14 Linde Annual 2009 In practice.

15 02 In practice. Perfect fit – every time. “If the natural scientist’s calling is to work completely liberated from the constraints of practical applications, then the engineer’s mission is to apply those findings and insights to a diverse range of practical scenarios.” Carl von Linde The Linde Group is now active in around 100 countries worldwide. Working closely together, our Gases and Engineering Divisions are constantly developing new products and technologies to bring maximum value to our customers.

02.1 Gases from the air. By successfully separating atmospheric air into its main components of oxygen (O2) and nitrogen (N2) over 100 years ago, Carl von Linde tapped the vast market potential of these valuable natural resources. Over the decades, cryogenic air separation was further refined so that today, even the trace noble gases xenon, neon, argon and krypton can be produced in industrial-scale volumes. Air gases are deployed in a wide variety of applications to increase the quality of products and processes and make them more cost-efficient; they also make a significant contribution to...