(Archived) Praxair Electronics Receives Supplier of the Year Award from X-FAB

DANBURY, Conn. — September 29, 2003 — Praxair Electronics, a division of Praxair, Inc. (NYSE: PX), today announced that it has been named the 2002 Supplier of the Year by X-FAB, the leading European-American foundry group specializing in mixed-signal applications.

“The quality of our products and services is crucial to X-FAB’s success. Therefore, we carefully select and rate our suppliers, using the awards program as a way to cultivate reliable sources of quality materials,” explained Dr. Manfred Riemer, fab manager of X-FAB Germany. “Praxair Electronics has been selected as the 2002 Supplier of the Year based on its European team’s demonstrated excellence in the areas of product quality, quality systems, environmental systems, on-time delivery, price and service.”

For more than six years, X-FAB’s facility in Erfurt, Germany has been a customer of Praxair GmbH, which is located in Biebesheim-am Rhein, Germany. X-FAB purchases semiconductor process gases that are manufactured at Praxair’s facility in Oevel, Belgium.

“Supplier awards are highly competitive, so we are thrilled that X-FAB has chosen to honor us,” said Mark Gruninger, vice president, Praxair Electronics. “The fact that this award comes from one of our most important European customers highlights the strength and reach of Praxair Electronics’ global supply chain. We have the ability to consistently meet demands for high-quality semiconductor-grade process gases from customers in diverse geographical locations.”

X-FAB has three facilities — in Germany, the United Kingdom and the United States — with a combined capacity of more than 8,000 8-inch equivalent wafer starts per week. Headquartered in Erfurt, Germany, the company employs more than 900 people worldwide.

Praxair is the largest industrial gases company in North and South America, and one of the largest worldwide, with 2002 sales of $5.1 billion. The company produces, sells and distributes atmospheric and process gases, and high-performance surface coatings. Praxair products, services and technologies bring productivity and environmental benefits to a wide variety of industries, including aerospace, chemicals, food and beverage, electronics, energy, healthcare, manufacturing, metals and others. More information on Praxair is available on the Internet at www.praxair.com.