Air Liquide Invests in Alaska to Double Its Production Capacity.

HOUSTON -- Air Liquide will double its liquid oxygen and nitrogen capacity in Alaska with a new production unit in Anchorage, scheduled to start in the fall of 2010.

Air Liquide has been the leading provider of industrial gases in the state of Alaska for 41 years. Today, 75 employees serve customers in the petrochemical, refining and mining sectors, ensuring the production and distribution of oxygen, nitrogen and acetylene gases as well as providing various equipment.

Air Liquide also produces and distributes medical gases essential to healthcare, supplying all hospitals and many remote medical clinics in the state. The reliable production and distribution of industrial and medical gases is particularly important to Alaskans, due to the state's geography and distribution challenges.

Michael J. Graff, a member of Air Liquide Group's executive committee and CEO, American Air Liquide Holdings, Inc., said: "This investment reflects our commitment to the growing needs of our Alaskan customers, by ensuring a reliable and efficient supply of industrial gases essential to healthcare, to the oil and gas industry and to energy infrastructure projects. This decision follows several other significant investments over the past two years to increase our industrial gas capacity in Southern California, Utah, Texas and Kentucky."

Air Liquide in Alaska

From Anchorage to Prudhoe Bay, Air Liquide drivers cover over 700 thousand miles per year delivering gases in Alaska.

Air Liquide America L.P. is the subsidiary of American Air Liquide Holdings, Inc. responsible for its business in Alaska and Hawaii.

Air Liquide in the U.S.

Air Liquide's Industrial Merchant business is present throughout the U.S. providing gases in bulk tankers or in cylinders to diverse sectors in automotive, manufacturing, food, pharmaceuticals, materials, energy, technology, research and to distributors.

Industrial gases optimize production processes, enhance safety and improve product quality.

Air Liquide is the world leader in gases for industry, health and the environment, and is present in over 75 countries with 43,000 employees. Oxygen, nitrogen, hydrogen and rare gases have been at the core of Air Liquide's activities since its creation in 1902. Using these molecules, Air Liquide continuously reinvents its business, anticipating the needs of current and future markets. The Group innovates to enable progress, to achieve dynamic growth and a consistent performance.

Air Liquide combines many products and technologies to develop valuable applications and services not only for its customers but also for society. Innovative technologies that curb polluting emissions, lower industry's energy use, recover and reuse natural resources or develop the energies of tomorrow, such as hydrogen, biofuels or photovoltaic energyO Oxygen for hospitals, homecare, fighting nosocomial infectionsO

A partner for the long term, Air Liquide relies on employee commitment, customer trust and shareholder support to pursue its vision of sustainable, competitive growth. The diversity of Air Liquide's teams, businesses, markets and geographic presence provides a solid and sustainable base for its development and strengthens its ability to push back its own limits, conquer new territories and build its future.

Air Liquide explores the best that air can offer to preserve life, staying true to its sustainable development approach. In 2008, the Group's revenues amounted to [euro]13.1 billion, of which almost 80% were earned outside France. Air Liquide is listed on the Paris Euronext stock exchange (compartment A) and is a member of the CAC 40 and Dow Jones Euro Stoxx 50 indexes.