6-K 1 f6k_071106.txt REPORT OF FOREIGN PRIVATE ISSUER 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 of 11 July 2006 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: A notification advising of the receipt of a complaint by Celanese. Page 1 of 3 THE BOC GROUP plc ANNOUNCEMENT RELEASED TO A REGULATORY INFORMATION SERVICE ON 11 JULY 2006 AT 07.36 HRS UNDER REF: PRNUK-1107060729-760B 11 July 2006 NOTIFICATION OF COMPLAINT BY CELANESE The BOC Group plc ("BOC") has been informed by Celanese Corporation that it has lodged a complaint against BOC in the District Court of Dallas County, Texas, relating to the development by Celanese Corporation and Celanese (Nanjing) Chemical Co., Ltd. ("Celanese") of a new acetic acid manufacturing plant in Nanjing, China and associated industrial gas supply arrangements. The amounts claimed are USD 250 million for compensatory damages and an additional amount in exemplary damages, suggesting a total of not less than USD 960 million. Celanese has not served the complaint on BOC. BOC believes the case to be completely without merit and it will vigorously defend it. BOC notes the timing of this complaint and that Celanese gave no indication of a proposed claim prior to its notification of intended legal action. Following notification of the above, Linde AG has informed BOC that it expects the final pre-condition to the offer (which relates to anti-trust) by Linde AG for BOC to be satisfied within the next month and that the scheme document will be despatched to BOC shareholders immediately thereafter. The consent of the High Court to the despatch of the scheme document has been obtained. Completion of the offer is still expected to take place in the third calendar quarter of 2006. Contacts: The BOC Group plc Christopher Marsay, Director Investor Relations 01276 477222 The Maitland Consultancy Neil Bennett 0207 379 5151 This announcement does not constitute an offer or invitation to purchase any securities. BOC Shareholders are advised to read carefully the formal documentation in relation to the offer by Linde AG once it has been despatched. This announcement includes 'forward-looking statements' under United States securities laws. These include, without limitation, those concerning the outcome of pending and threatened litigation, the completion of the offer, as well as statements typically containing words such as "intends", "expects", "believes", "anticipates", "targets", "estimates" and words of similar import. By their nature, forward-looking statements involve risk and uncertainty because they relate to events and depend on circumstances that will occur in the future. There are a number of factors that could cause actual results and developments to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. More detailed information about certain of these factors is contained in BOC's filings with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), including its annual report on Form 20-F, which are available on BOC's website, www.boc.com, and on the SEC's website, www.sec.gov. Other unknown or unpredictable factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements. BOC does not undertake any obligation to update publicly or revise forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except to the extent legally required. Page 2 of 3 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: July 11, 2006 By: /s/ Carol Hunt --------------------------------- Name: Carol Hunt Title: Deputy Company Secretary Page 3 of 3

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1. Name of company 2. Name of shareholder having a major interest -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- THE BOC GROUP plc UBS AG -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3. Please state whether notification indicates that it 4. Name of the registered holder(s) and, if more than one is in respect of holding of the shareholder named holder, the number of shares held by each of them in 2 above or in respect 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 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- NOTIFICATION IN RESPECT OF THE PARTY SEE ATTACHED SCHEDULE NAMED IN 2 ABOVE -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 5. Number of 6. Percentage of issued 7. Number of shares/amount 8. Percentage of issued class shares/amount of stock class of stock disposed acquired -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 9. Class of security 10. Date of transaction 11. Date company informed -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ORDINARY SHARES OF 25P EACH 20 JUNE 2006 21 JUNE 2006 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 12. Total holding following this notification 13. Total percentage holding of issued class following this notification -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 58,180,122 11.31% -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 14. Any additional information 15. Name of contact and telephone number for queries -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- IN A LETTER DATED 21 JUNE 2006, THE BOC GROUP plc CAROL HUNT HAS BEEN ADVISED THAT UBS AG HOLDS AN 11.31% DEPUTY COMPANY SECRETARY (PREVIOUSLY 7.15%) INTEREST IN THE ORDINARY SHARE 01276 807759 CAPITAL OF THE COMPANY. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 16. Name and signature of authorised company official responsible for making this notification -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- CAROL HUNT -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Date of notification 22 JUNE 2006 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

------------------------------------------------------ ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Name of person dealing (Note 1) Stephen Ellis ORMROD ------------------------------------------------------ ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Company dealt in The BOC Group plc ------------------------------------------------------ ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Class of relevant security to which the Ordinary shares of 25 pence each dealings being disclosed relate (Note 2) ------------------------------------------------------ ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Date of dealing 1 May 2006 ------------------------------------------------------ -----------------------------------------------------------------------

(a) Interests and short positions (following dealing) in the class of relevant security dealt in (Note 3) ------------------------------------------------------ ---------------------- ---------------------- Long Short ------------------------------------------------------ ---------------------- ---------------------- Number (%) Number (%) ------------------------------------------------------ ---------- ----------- ---------- ----------- (1) Relevant securities 11,650 0.002% N/A N/A ------------------------------------------------------ ---------- ----------- ---------- ----------- (2) Derivatives (other than options) N/A N/A N/A N/A ------------------------------------------------------ ---------- ----------- ---------- ----------- (3) Options and agreements to purchase/sell N/A N/A N/A N/A ------------------------------------------------------ ---------- ----------- ---------- ----------- Total 11,650 0.002% N/A N/A ------------------------------------------------------ ---------- ----------- ---------- ----------- (b) Interests and short positions in relevant securities of the company, other than the class dealt in (Note 3) ------------------------------------------------------ ---------------------- ---------------------- Class of relevant security: Long Short ------------------------------------------------------ ---------------------- ---------------------- Number (%) Number (%) ------------------------------------------------------ ---------- ----------- ---------- ----------- (1) Relevant securities N/A N/A N/A N/A ------------------------------------------------------ ---------- ----------- ---------- ----------- (2) Derivatives (other than options) N/A N/A N/A N/A ------------------------------------------------------ ---------- ----------- ---------- ----------- Page 7 of 25 ------------------------------------------------------ ---------- ----------- ---------- ----------- (3) Options and agreements to purchase/sell N/A N/A N/A N/A ------------------------------------------------------ ---------- ----------- ---------- ----------- Total N/A N/A N/A N/A ------------------------------------------------------ ---------- ----------- ---------- -----------

------------------------------------- ---------------------------------- ----------------------------- Purchase/sale Number of securities Price per unit (Note 5) ------------------------------------- ---------------------------------- ----------------------------- Purchase (SAYE) 377 894p ------------------------------------- ---------------------------------- -----------------------------

------------------ ----------------------- --------------------------------- ------------------------- Product name, Long/short (Note 6) Number of securities (Note 7) Price per unit (Note 5) e.g. CFD ------------------ ----------------------- --------------------------------- ------------------------- N/A N/A N/A N/A ------------------ ----------------------- --------------------------------- -------------------------

---------------------- ------------------- ------------------------ ------------- ---------------- --------- ----------------- Product name, Writing, Number of securities Exercise Type, e.g. Expiry Option money e.g. call option selling, to which the option price American, date paid/received purchasing, relates (Note 7) European etc. per unit varying etc. (Note 5) ---------------------- ------------------- ------------------------ ------------- ---------------- --------- ----------------- N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A ---------------------- ------------------- ------------------------ ------------- ---------------- --------- -----------------

--------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------ ------------------------------------------- Product name, e.g. call option Number of securities Exercise price per unit (Note 5) --------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------ ------------------------------------------- SAYE 377 894p --------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------ -------------------------------------------

--------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------ ------------------------------------------- Nature of transaction (Note 8) Details Price per unit (if applicable) (Note 5) --------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------ ------------------------------------------- N/A N/A N/A --------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------ -------------------------------------------

----------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------- Date of disclosure 23 June 2006 ----------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------- Contact name Sarah Larkins ----------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------- Telephone number 01276 807383 ----------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------- Name of offeree/offeror with which associated The BOC Group plc ----------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------- Specify category and nature of associate status (Note 10) Category (3) - directors (together with their close relatives and related trusts) of The BOC Group plc and its subsidiaries and fellow subsidiaries and their associated companies. ----------------------------------------------------------------- -------------------------------------------------

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1. Name of company 2. Name of shareholder having a major interest -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- THE BOC GROUP plc UBS AG -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3. Please state whether notification indicates that it 4. Name of the registered holder(s) and, if more than one is in respect of holding of the shareholder named holder, the number of shares held by each of them in 2 above or in respect 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 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- NOTIFICATION IN RESPECT OF THE PARTY SEE ATTACHED SCHEDULE NAMED IN 2 ABOVE -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 5. Number of 6. Percentage of issued 7. Number of shares/amount 8. Percentage of issued class shares/amount of stock class of stock disposed acquired -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 9. Class of security 10. Date of transaction 11. Date company informed -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ORDINARY SHARES OF 25P EACH 23 JUNE 2006 27 JUNE 2006 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 12. Total holding following this notification 13. Total percentage holding of issued class following this notification -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 57,585,555 11.20% -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 14. Any additional information 15. Name of contact and telephone number for queries -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- IN A LETTER DATED 26 JUNE 2006, THE BOC GROUP plc SARAH LARKINS HAS BEEN ADVISED THAT UBS AG HOLDS AN 11.20% ASSISTANT COMPANY SECRETARY (PREVIOUSLY 11.31%) INTEREST IN THE ORDINARY SHARE 01276 807383 CAPITAL OF THE COMPANY. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 16. Name and signature of authorised company official responsible for making this notification -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- SARAH LARKINS -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Date of notification 27 JUNE 2006 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1. Name of company 2. Name of shareholder having a major interest THE BOC GROUP plc BARCLAYS PLC THROUGH THE FOLLOWING LEGAL ENTITIES: - BARCLAYS GLOBAL INVESTORS JAPAN LTD - 207,527 BARCLAYS GLOBAL INVESTORS LTD - 6,424,252 BARCLAYS CAPITAL SECURITIES LTD - 879,300 GERRARD LTD - 3,023,483 BARCLAYS LIFE ASSURANCE CO LTD - 823,504 BARCLAYS PRIVATE BANK AND TRUST LTD - 163 BARCLAYS GLOBAL INVESTORS CANADA LTD - 36,236 BARCLAYS GLOBAL INVESTORS, N.A. - 5,469,313 BARCLAYS BANK PLC - 10,287,520 BARCLAYS GLOBAL FUND ADVISORS - 1,514,232 BARCLAYS BANK TRUST COMPANY LTD - 65,277 BARCLAYS GLOBAL INVESTORS JAPAN TRUST & BANKING - 575,663 BARCLAYS GLOBAL INVESTORS AUSTRALIA LTD - 184,849 BARCLAYS PRIVATE BANK LTD - 6,920 BARCLAYS PRIVATE BANK AND TRUST LTD - 4,220 BARCLAYS CAPITAL INC - 10,240 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3. Please state whether notification indicates that 4. Name of the registered holder(s) and, if more than one it is in respect of holding of the shareholder holder, the number of shares held by each of them named in 2 above or in respect 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 SEE ATTACHED SCHEDULE. under the age of 18 NOTIFICATION IN RESPECT OF PARTY NAMED IN 2 ABOVE. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 5. Number of 6. Percentage of issued 7. Number of 8. Percentage of issued class shares/amount of class shares/amount of stock stock acquired disposed -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Page 15 of 25 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 9. Class of security 10. Date of transaction 11. Date company informed ORDINARY SHARES OF 25P EACH 23 JUNE 2006 28 JUNE 2006 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 12. Total holding following this notification 13. Total percentage holding of issued class following this notification 29,512,699 5.74% -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 14. Any additional information 15. Name of contact and telephone number for queries IN A LETTER DATED 26 JUNE 2006, THE BOC GROUP plc SARAH LARKINS HAS BEEN ADVISED THAT BARCLAYS PLC HOLDS A 5.74% ASSISTANT COMPANY SECRETARY (PREVIOUSLY 3.87%) INTEREST IN THE ORDINARY SHARE 01276 807383 CAPITAL OF THE COMPANY. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 16. Name and signature of authorised company official responsible for making this notification SARAH LARKINS -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Date of notification ___28 JUNE 2006_________ --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1. Name of company 2. Name of shareholder having a major interest THE BOC GROUP plc BARCLAYS PLC THROUGH THE FOLLOWING LEGAL ENTITIES: - BARCLAYS GLOBAL INVESTORS LTD - 6,424,252 BARCLAYS GLOBAL INVESTORS CANADA LTD - 36,236 BARCLAYS PRIVATE BANK AND TRUST LTD - 163 BARCLAYS CAPITAL INC - 10,240 GERRARD LTD - 2,930,071 BARCLAYS GLOBAL INVESTORS, N.A. - 5,467,559 BARCLAYS BANK TRUST COMPANY LTD - 65,277 BARCLAYS GLOBAL INVESTORS AUSTRALIA LTD - 184,849 BARCLAYS PRIVATE BANK LTD - 6,920 BARCLAYS GLOBAL INVESTORS JAPAN LTD - 207,527 BARCLAYS GLOBAL INVESTORS JAPAN TRUST & BANKING - 575,663 BARCLAYS GLOBAL FUND ADVISORS - 1,517,328 BARCLAYS CAPITAL SECURITIES LTD - 879,080 BARCLAYS PRIVATE BANK AND TRUST LTD - 4,220 BARCLAYS LIFE ASSURANCE CO LTD - 823,504 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3. Please state whether notification indicates that 4. Name of the registered holder(s) and, if more than one it is in respect of holding of the shareholder holder, the number of shares held by each of them named in 2 above or in respect of a non-beneficial interest or in the case of an individual holder if it is a holding of that person's spouse or SEE ATTACHED SCHEDULE. children under the age of 18 NOTIFICATION IN RESPECT OF PARTY NAMED IN 2 ABOVE. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 5. Number of 6. Percentage of issued 7. Number of 8. Percentage of issued class shares/amount of class shares/amount of stock stock acquired disposed -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 9. Class of security 10. Date of transaction 11. Date company informed ORDINARY SHARES OF 25P EACH 26 JUNE 2006 29 JUNE 2006 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Page 20 of 25 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 12. Total holding following this notification 13. Total percentage holding of issued class following this notification 19,132,889 3.72% -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 14. Any additional information 15. Name of contact and telephone number for queries IN A LETTER DATED 27 JUNE 2006, THE BOC GROUP plc SARAH LARKINS HAS BEEN ADVISED THAT BARCLAYS PLC HOLDS A 3.72% ASSISTANT COMPANY SECRETARY (PREVIOUSLY 5.74%) INTEREST IN THE ORDINARY SHARE 01276 807383 CAPITAL OF THE COMPANY. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 16. Name and signature of authorised company official responsible for making this notification SARAH LARKINS -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Date of notification ___29 JUNE 2006_________ --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1. Name of company 2. Name of shareholder having a major interest -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- THE BOC GROUP plc UBS AG -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3. Please state whether notification indicates that 4. Name of the registered holder(s) and, if more than one it is in respect of holding of the shareholder holder, the number of shares held by each of them named in 2 above or in respect 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 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- NOTIFICATION IN RESPECT OF THE PARTY UBS AG LONDON BRANCH - 37,576,042 NAMED IN 2 ABOVE UBS GLOBAL ASSET MANAGEMENT LIFE LIMITED - 1,326,779 UBS SECURITIES LLC - 9,800 UBS FINANCIAL SERVICES INC - 1,060 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 5. Number of 6. Percentage of issued 7. Number of shares/amount 8. Percentage of issued class shares/amount of class of stock disposed stock acquired -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 9. Class of security 10. Date of transaction 11. Date company informed -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ORDINARY SHARES OF 25P EACH 27 JUNE 2006 29 JUNE 2006 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 12. Total holding following this notification 13. Total percentage holding of issued class following this notification -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 37,913,681 7.37% -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 14. Any additional information 15. Name of contact and telephone number for queries -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- IN A LETTER DATED 28 JUNE 2006, THE BOC GROUP plc SARAH LARKINS HAS BEEN ADVISED THAT UBS AG HOLDS A 7.37% ASSISTANT COMPANY SECRETARY (PREVIOUSLY 11.20%) INTEREST IN THE ORDINARY 01276 807383 SHARE CAPITAL OF THE COMPANY. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 16. Name and signature of authorised company official responsible for making this notification -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- SARAH LARKINS -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Date of notification 30 JUNE 2006 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

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