Linde North America earns safety award

Linde North America was awarded Norfolk Southern Corporation’s Thoroughbred Chemical Safety Award for 2009. This is the eighth time that Linde North America has been recognized by Norfolk Southern since the award was instituted 14 years ago.

Linde North America is a member of The Linde Group, a world leading gases and engineering company. Norfolk Southern Corporation is one of the nation's premier transportation companies.

Fred Kinkin, vice president of supply for Linde North America, said, “Linde is very proud to be recognized again this year by Norfolk Southern because it recognizes Linde’s continued commitment to safety, a critical factor in the industrial gases industry, and Linde’s most important core value. This particular award acknowledges our focus on railcar safety at our plants and depots and the hard work and dedication of our employees.”

Wick Moorman, chief executive officer, Norfolk Southern, congratulated Linde for safely transporting chemicals by rail across Norfolk Southern Railway’s network with a record of zero incidents and its demonstrated commitment to a safe workplace and community. “We are happy to recognize Linde for its outstanding industry leadership in chemical safety,” said Moorman.

Linde North America ships a large portion of its carbon dioxide rail fleet with Norfolk Southern, which is the carrier for Linde depots in Alabama, Illinois, Iowa, Mississippi, Ohio, and West Virginia. Linde shipped nearly 2,100 railcars in 2009, without incident, to earn the award.

Norfolk Southern’s Norfolk Southern Railway subsidiary operates approximately 21,000 route miles in 22 states and the District of Columbia, serves every major container port in the eastern United States, and provides superior connections to western rail carriers. Norfolk Southern operates the most extensive intermodal network in the East and is North America’s largest rail carrier of metals and automotive products.

The Linde Group is a world leading gases and engineering company with almost 48,000 employees working in more than 100 countries worldwide. In the 2009 financial year it achieved sales of EUR 11.2 billion (USD 15.3 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.