SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
FORM 6-K
Report of Foreign Private
Issuer Pursuant to Rule 13a
-16 or 15d -16 of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934
Report on Form 6-K for the month of October 2003
The BOC Group plc
Chertsey Road, Windlesham,
Surrey GU20 6HJ
England
(Name and address of registrant's principal executive office)
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant files or will file annual reports
under cover of Form 20-F or Form 40-F.
Form 20-F |X| Form 40-F |_|
Indicate by check mark if the registrant is submitting the Form 6-K in paper as
permitted by Regulation S-T Rule 101(b)(1):
Yes: |_| No: |X|
Indicate by check mark if the registrant is submitting the Form 6-K in paper as
permitted by Regulation S-T Rule 101(b)(7):
Yes: |_| No: |X|
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant by furnishing the information
contained in this form is also thereby furnishing the information to the
Commission pursuant to Rule 12g3-2(b) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.
Yes: |_| No: |X|
Enclosures:
1. News release dated 8 October 2003 announcing major investments in
China by the BOC Group.
2. Notification dated 29 October 2003 announcing an adverse decision in a
welding fumes lawsuit in Madison County, Illinois against three
defendants including BOC.
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3. Notification dated 31 October 2003 advising details of the exercise of
an option by A E Isaac, a director of the Company, under The BOC Group
plc SAYE Scheme.
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The BOC Group plc Announcement released to a Regulatory Information Service at
12.08 hrs on 8 October 2003 under ref no PRNUK-0810031205-2E9C
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
BOC announces major investments in China
Over USD 100 million to be invested in three schemes
Windlesham, UK, 8 October 2003 -- BOC, and its joint venture partners, are to
invest over USD100 million in developing three schemes in China, at Taiyuan,
Suzhou and in the Pearl River region.
Tony Isaac, BOC's chief executive commented "We are confident that
our strategy of focused investments in China, including joint ventures, will
further cement BOC's current position as the number one industrial gases company
in Asia".
Developing a partnership with China's largest stainless steel manufacturer
BOC-TISCO, the joint venture between BOC Gases and Taiyuan Iron and
Steel Corporation (TISCO), will build two new air separation units (ASUs) to
supply 1400 tonnes a day of oxygen to TISCO's plant in Shanxi province in
north-central China. The new ASUs represent an investment of USD82 million
(GBP49 million) and they will come on stream at the end of 2005. This investment
is in response to strong demand for stainless steel in China and will support
TISCO's vigorous expansion plans.
The agreement was announced in Shanghai where the board of The BOC
Group is currently meeting. The formal letter of intent between BOC and TISCO
will be signed in Beijing on Thursday.
TISCO is the largest stainless steel producer in China and has been selected by
the central government as one of two stainless steel development centres.
TISCO's current production of nearly 600,00 tons a year of crude stainless steel
will rise to 900,000 tons by 2005, which will make it one of the five largest
stainless steel producers in the world.
BOC-TISCO was formed in 1996 with an initial capital investment of USD30 million
(GBP18 million). The joint venture entered into a 15-year agreement to supply
industrial gases to TISCO. BOC has been investing in China since the mid-1980s
and is continuing the strategy that has established it as the leading industrial
gases company in the country.
Building two additional plants in the Pearl River region
Through Hong Kong Oxygen, its joint venture company in southern China, BOC has
reached an agreement with Guangzhou Iron & Steel (GIS) for their joint venture
company Pearl River Gases (PRG) to build a further two ASUs, adding around 400
tonnes of production to its current operations. Costing a total of
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USD19 million, this new investment will come on stream by the end of 2004,
supporting GIS's expansion of its steel manufacturing operations in southern
China.
GIS is a major steel producer in China with an annual steel production capacity
of 3.5 million tons. PRG was formed in the early 1990s and has three joint
venture companies under its management. These three companies together supply
oxygen via pipeline to two steel sites, and bulk and compressed gases to the
merchant market within the Pearl River Delta.
Expanding the pipeline network in Suzhou
BOC's wholly owned subsidiaries in Suzhou have begun construction of new on-site
supply scheme
pipelines to meet increasing demand for industrial gases from key customers in
Suzhou Industrial Park and Suzhou New District. Coming on stream at the end of
this year, the new USD10 million investments further strengthen BOC's position
in the Shanghai/Nanjing area.
-Ends-
Note to Editors: The BOC Group, which serves two million customers in more than
50 countries, is one of the largest and most global of the world's leading gases
companies. It employs more than 46,000 people worldwide and had annual sales of
over (pound)4 billion in 2002. Further information about The BOC Group may be
obtained on the Internet at http://www.boc.com
Contact: Christopher Marsay, Director, Investor Relations
Tel. 01276 477222 (International +44 1276 477222)
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THE BOC GROUP plc ANNOUNCEMENT RELEASED TO A REGULATORY INFORMATION SERVICE
ON 29 OCTOBER 2003
AT 08.12 HRS UNDER REF: PRNUK-2910030809-7AAD
29 October 2003
US TRIAL VERDICT
BOC notes the jury's adverse decision in a welding fumes lawsuit in Madison
County, Illinois against three defendants, including BOC. The verdict reached by
this jury is inconsistent with the verdict reached by every other jury that has
considered similar claims. BOC believes that the verdict reached in this case is
inconsistent with Illinois law. No causal relationship has ever been established
between exposure to welding fumes and idiopathic Parkinson's disease and this
verdict is contrary to the scientific, medical and toxicological evidence. For
these reasons, BOC respectfully disagrees with the verdict and is confident that
it will prevail on appeal.
-------------------- -----------------------------------------------------------
Contact: Christopher Marsay, Director - Investor Relations
-------------------- -----------------------------------------------------------
Tel: 01276 477222 (International +44 1276 477222)
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THE BOC GROUP PLC ANNOUNCEMENT RELEASED TO A REGULATORY INFORMATION SERVICES AT
14.12 HRS ON 31 OCTOBER 2003 UNDER REF NO
PRNUK-3110031410-A54B
SCHEDULE 11
NOTIFICATION OF INTERESTS OF DIRECTORS AND CONNECTED PERSONS
All relevant boxes should be completed in block capital letters.
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1. Name of company 2. Name of director
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THE BOC GROUP PLC ANTHONY ERIC ISAAC
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3. Please state whether notification indicates 4. Name of the registered holder(s) and, if
that it is in respect of holding of the more than one holder, the number of shares
shareholder named in 2 above or in respect held by each of them (if notified)
of a non-beneficial interest or in the case
of an individual holder if it is a holding
of that person's spouse or children under
the age of 18 or in respect of a
non-beneficial interest
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IN RESPECT OF A HOLDING OF THE DIRECTOR IN 2 ANTHONY ERIC ISAAC
ABOVE
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5. Please state whether notification relates to 6. Please state the nature of the transaction.
a person(s) connected with the director For PEP transactions please indicate whether
named in 2 above and identify the connected general/single co PEP and if
person(s) discretionary/non discretionary
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N/A EXERCISE OF SAYE OPTION
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------- -------------------- ----- ------------------ ----- -------------------- ----- ------------------
7. Number of 8. Percentage of 9. Number of 10. Percentage of
shares/amount of issued class shares/amount of issued class
stock acquired stock disposed
------- -------------------- ----- ------------------ ----- -------------------- ----- ------------------
2,357 Less than 0.01% N/A N/A
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11. Class of 12. Price per 13. Date of 14. Date
security share transaction company
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informed
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ORDINARY SHARES 827P 31 OCTOBER 2003 31 OCTOBER 2003
OF 25P EACH
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15. Total holding following this notification 16. Total percentage holding of issued class
following this notification
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8,057 Ordinary shares of 25p each 0.25%
1,222,045 options over Ordinary shares
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If a director has been granted options by the company please complete the following boxes.
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17. Date of grant 18. Period during which or date on which
options exercisable
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N/A N/A
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19. Total amount paid (if any) for grant of the 20. Description of shares or debentures
option involved: class, number
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N/A N/A
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21. Exercise price (if fixed at time of grant) 22. Total number of shares or debentures over
or indication that price is to be fixed at which options held following this
time of exercise notification
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N/A N/A
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23. Any additional information 24. Name of contact and telephone number for
queries
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N/A KAREN WESTON 01276 807388
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25. Name and signature of authorised company official responsible for
making this notification
KAREN WESTON, ADMINISTRATION ASSISTANT
Date of notification: 31 OCTOBER 2003
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SIGNATURE
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934,
the registrant, The BOC Group plc, has duly caused this report to be signed on
its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.
Date:November 3, 2003
By: /s/ Sarah Larkins
---------------------------------------
Name: Sarah Larkins
Title: Assistant Company Secretary
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