(Archived) Praxair's New Prostar Platinum Line Delivers Top Quality, Specialty Gas Handling Equipment

DANBURY, Conn., December 11, 2003 — Praxair, Inc.  (NYSE: PX) today announced the launch of its ProStar® Platinum brand of gas processing equipment, focused specifically on the high-purity, specialty gas application requirements of laboratories as well as the environmental, biopharmaceutical, utilities, and petrochemical industries. This new product line meets the rigorous demands for precision, reliability, safety and efficiency of the end-users.

“This year marks the 10th anniversary of the launch of Praxair's ProStar® brand of premium quality products,” said Tom Archie, specialty gases business director for Praxair Distribution, Inc., a subsidiary of Praxair, Inc. "This addition to the ProStar brand greatly advances our commitment to provide high quality gas processing equipment, innovative and customized solutions, and technical support to the market. The combination of Praxair’s ProStar Platinum brand of products with the recent openings of our Equipment Center of Excellence in San Antonio, Texas, and North American Specialty Gas Customer Technical Support Center in Bethlehem, Pa., makes us the single source for current and prospective customers to have all of their specialty gases questions answered."

Praxair Specialty Gases and Equipment full-service offerings to the analytical and scientific markets include:

• High purity gases and gas mixtures for a wide range of applications
• Total turnkey specialty gas handling solutions
• Customized specialty gases process handling equipment
• Ultra high-purity equipment
• Speciality gas equipment upgrades
• Training for gas applications and gas handling equipment use

Praxair Distribution, Inc. and its subsidiaries and distributors deliver a large array of industrial and specialty gases, equipment and supplies, technical expertise, and services to thousands of customers in the United States and Canada. With hundreds of locations throughout North America, Praxair provides differentiated product and service offerings that help customers achieve their objectives faster, better and at lower total cost. For more information on Praxair's specialty gases and equipment offerings, go to www.praxair.com/specialtygases.

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.