Item 1. Business

Linde plc, formerly known as Zamalight plc ("Linde plc" or the “Company”), was incorporated as a public limited company under the laws of Ireland on April 18, 2017, by Enceladus Holding Limited ("Enceladus") and Cumberland Corporate Services Limited ("Cumberland"). Zamalight plc was renamed "Linde plc" on July 20, 2017. The Company is registered in Ireland under the registration number 602527 and with its registered office located at Ten Earlsfort Terrace, Dublin 2, D02 T380 Ireland and principal executive offices at The Priestley Centre, 10 Priestley Road, The Surrey Research Park, Guildford, Surrey GU2 7XY, United Kingdom. The Company’s fiscal year ended on December 31, 2017.

The Company was formed in accordance with the requirements of the business combination agreement, dated as of June 1, 2017, as amended (the "business combination agreement"), pursuant to which, among other things, Praxair, Inc. (together with its subsidiaries, “Praxair”) and Linde AG (together with its subsidiaries, “Linde”) agreed to combine their respective businesses through an all-stock transaction, and become subsidiaries of the Company.

In connection with the proposed business combination, Linde plc filed a Registration Statement on Form S-4 ("the registration statement") which was declared effective by the U. S. Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") on August 14, 2017. Linde plc also filed an offer document with the German Federal Financial Supervisory Authority (Bundesanstalt fuer Finanzdienstleistungsaufsicht) (“BaFin”) which was approved for publication by BaFin on August 14, 2017 and published by Linde plc on August 15, 2017 (the "offer document"). Pursuant to the offer document, Linde plc made an offer to exchange each issued and outstanding no-par value bearer share of Linde AG for 1.540 ordinary shares of Linde plc (the “exchange offer”). In addition, upon completion of the exchange offer, Zamalight Subco, Inc., an indirect wholly-owned Delaware subsidiary of Linde plc, will merge with and into Praxair, Inc., with Praxair, Inc. surviving the merger (the “merger”, and together with the exchange offer, the “business combination” ). In the merger, each share of Praxair, Inc. common stock will be converted into the right to receive one Linde plc ordinary share. Praxair, Inc.’s stockholders approved the merger at Praxair, Inc.’s special meeting held on September 27, 2017, and on November 24, 2017, the tender period for the exchange offer expired with approximately 92% of all Linde AG shares entitled to voting rights being tendered. The parties currently expect the business combination to be completed in the second half of 2018. Upon completion of the business combination, Linde plc will apply to list its ordinary shares on the New York Stock Exchange and the Frankfurt Stock Exchange, and will seek inclusion in the S&P 500 and DAX 30 indices.

To date, the Company has not conducted any material activities other than those incidental to its formation and the matters contemplated by the business combination agreement such as the incurrence of SEC registration fees and other transaction-related costs. For additional information related to the business combination agreement, please refer to Note 1 to the consolidated financial statements included in this annual report on Form 10-K (the “Form 10-K”) and to the registration statement.

In addition, the public may read and copy any materials filed with the SEC at the SEC’s Public Reference Room located at 100 F Street NE, Washington, D.C. 20549. The public may also obtain information on the operation of the Public Reference Room by calling the SEC at 1-800-SEC-0330. The SEC also maintains a website, www.sec.gov, that contains reports, proxy information statements and other information regarding issuers that file electronically.