[25] Inventories

The reported inventories are comprised of the following:

Inventories

€ thousand

2012

2011

 

 

 

Materials and supplies

119,980

150,949

Work in progress

74,954

98,387

Finished goods and merchandise

349,049

370,714

Advances paid

5,944

5,319

Total inventories

549,927

625,369

The year-on-year reduction in inventories was mainly attributable to disposals in the amount of €56,626 thousand in connection with the sale of the controlling interest (70 per cent) in Linde Hydraulics.

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