Air Liquide Announces $100,000 Contribution to Hurricane Relief Funds

HOUSTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--In the recent weeks marked by the passage of hurricanes Gustav and Ike, Air Liquide’s top priority has been the safety and well-being of its employees, customers and others in our communities.

Today, focusing on our communities, Air Liquide USA LLC announces a contribution of $100,000 to be shared by the American Red Cross and United Way organizations to assist those most seriously affected by the hurricane disasters in the Gulf Coast regions of Texas and Louisiana.

Air Liquide teams were actively involved in essential services to the public by ensuring that healthcare institutions were supplied with medical gases before and after the hurricanes. Air Liquide teams also took the initiative to produce more than 100 tons of dry ice for donation to distribution points in the severely affected area of Beaumont, Texas. And our industrial teams restored our operations safely and promptly to enable our customers’ recovery efforts.

Michael J. Graff, president and CEO, expressed these thoughts: “I am especially proud of what I’m seeing and hearing from Air Liquide employees. Although many have sustained damage or experienced hardships of their own as a result of these events, their efforts and personal contributions to help fellow employees, their families and communities in need, while also ensuring the continuity of our business, have been overwhelming. This type of commitment is, and should be, what the people of Air Liquide stand for.”

Air Liquide USA LLC is the Houston-based U.S. subsidiary of Air Liquide Group, the world’s leading industrial and medical gases company.

With more than 40,000 employees in 75 countries, Air Liquide is the 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. The Group contributes to the manufacturing of many everyday products: bubbles in sparkling beverages, protective atmosphere for packed foods, oxygen for hospitals and homecare patients, ultra-pure gases for the semiconductor industry, hydrogen to desulfurize fuels...

Air Liquide is committed to sustainable development and helps to protect life. Founded in 1902, Air Liquide has successfully developed a long-term relationship with its shareholders built on trust and transparency and guided by the principles of corporate governance. Since the publication of its first consolidated financial statements in 1971, Air Liquide has posted strong and steady earnings growth. Sales in 2007 totaled 11,801 million euros, with sales outside France accounting for almost 80%. Air Liquide is listed on the Paris stock exchange and is a component of the CAC 40 and Eurostoxx 50 indices (ISIN code FR 0000120073).

Air Liquide USA LLC
Corporate Communications
Diane Labelle, +1-713-624-8082
or
Michael Rosen, +1-713-624-8023