Sponsored Level 1 ADR program in the US established

Munich, 11 January 2010 - Today, Linde AG announces that a Sponsored Level 1 American Depositary Receipt (ADR) Program has been established in the United States. ADRs are depositary receipts traded in the US American market instead of ordinary shares.

The ADRs will trade in the United States beginning today in the over-the-counter (OTC) market. Ten ADRs represent one ordinary Linde share. Deutsche Bank is acting as the depositary bank for this ADR program.

The Linde Group is a world leading gases and engineering company with almost 50,000 employees working in around 100 countries worldwide. In the 2008 financial year it achieved sales of EUR 12.7 billion. 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 the globe. Linde is committed to technologies and products that unite the goals of customer value and sustainable development.

For more information, see The Linde Group online at http://www.linde.com

For further details on the ADR program, please see online at www.linde.com/investorrelations/shares

For additional information:

Press Uwe Wolfinger Telephone: +49.89.35757-1320

Investor Relations Robert Schneider Telephone: +49.89.35757-1332