(Archived) Praxair Gains First European License of CoJet® Technology to Integrated Steel Mill

DANBURY, Conn., June 1, 2004 — Praxair, Inc. (NYSE: PX) today announced that it has signed a licensing agreement with the German steel company, ThyssenKrupp Stahl AG, one of the world's largest integrated steel producers, for use of Praxair's patented CoJet^® gas injection system.

"This agreement is an important milestone for Praxair's CoJet technology," said Charles J. Messina, vice president of Praxair Metals Technologies. "The decision by ThyssenKrupp Stahl, which is known as one of the world's most efficient producers of high quality carbon steel, illustrates that the CoJet system can provide substantial technical, cost and productivity benefits in Europe."

ThyssenKrupp Stahl said, "This agreement between ThyssenKrupp Stahl and Praxair reflects the commitment of our steel mill to the application of innovative technologies that provide us with a cost effective competitive edge and superior quality."

Praxair's CoJet gas injection system delivers a laser-like coherent jet of oxygen into the molten steel bath. This coherent jet penetrates more deeply into the bath than a conventional supersonic jet stream, providing a more controlled and intense bath mixing which can increase productivity and reduce costs at a steel mill. The CoJet system has been proven to provide integrated steel producers with significant metallurgical benefits and productivity improvements. Praxair's revolutionary gas injection system is fully implemented at the Usiminas melt shops in Brazil and at U. S. Steel's Gary Works. Installation on Brazil's Cosipa steel mills is currently underway.

ThyssenKrupp Stahl AG is one of the world's leading steel producers, with an annual output of about 15 million metric tons of crude steel and rolled steel and sales amounting to 8 billion Euro. Focusing on flat steel products, ThyssenKrupp Stahl employs both conventional technology and innovative processes in order to strengthen their position to meet the future needs of their customers. The company, headquartered in Duisburg, Germany, will install the CoJet technology at its Bruckhausen location. For more information, please visit ThyssenKrupp Stahl on the Internet at www.thyssen-krupp-stahl.com.

Praxair Metals Technologies is the business unit responsible for the development, marketing and licensing of Praxair's technologies for process control software and technical services in energy conservation, product quality and productivity in ferrous and non-ferrous metals customers around the world. For more information, please visit us on the Internet at www.praxair.com/metals.

Praxair is the largest industrial gases company in North and South America, and one of the largest worldwide, with 2003 sales of $5.6 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.