As Linde AG’s CEO, Professor Dr Wolfgang Reitzle delivered the group’s 2008 results here in Munich today, but all ears were trained on his views of what will happen in 2009 and beyond – during the global economic crises.
“This has been the most successful year in Linde’s history,” were Reitzle’s opening remarks.
“Group revenues were up 8.4% to €12.7bn and operating revenues rose 10.3% to €2.6bn, and so we have continued to grow and increased our profits above that of revenues in 2008. More importantly, ROCE rose 12.4%, 2.1 percentage points above 2007.”
Reitzle went on to say that the BOC integration has been completed and that the gases business produced very good results for 2008, despite the downturn towards the end of the year. Under questioning from the press, Reitzle revealed that Linde’s results were at an all time high in October 2008 and November was no less impressive.
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