Offer to AGA's Shareholders

OFFER TO AGA's SHAREHOLDERS Linde AG has announced that it has acquired 62.5 % of the share capital and 62.8% of the voting rights in AGA for a price of SEK 141 per share, and intends to make a cash bid for all outstanding shares in the company for the same price. The detailed conditions for Linde's bid will be presented in a prospectus, which according to a preliminary timetable will be published in the second half of September. The Board of Directors will take a position on the bid when the detailed conditions are known and will put forward its recommendation on the bid in the prospectus. As part of the sale, Industrivärden has requested that the Board convenes an extraordinary Shareholders' Meeting to resolve the matter of removal of the voting rights restriction according to paragraph 8 of AGA's Articles of Association. The Shareholders' Meeting is expected to be held on Monday, September 27. The time and place will be announced in the invitation to the meeting. Lidingö August 17, 1999 AGA Aktiebolag (publ) The Board of Directors ------------------------------------------------------------ Please visit http://www.bit.se for further information The following files are available for download: http://www.bit.se/bitonline/1999/08/17/19990817BIT00630/bit0001.doc http://www.bit.se/bitonline/1999/08/17/19990817BIT00630/bit0002.pdf