(Archived) Praxair Chemax Opens Operations Center in Tainan, Taiwan

Danbury, Conn, September 8, 2005 — Praxair Chemax Semiconductor Materials Co., Ltd., a joint venture between Praxair, Inc. (NYSE:PX), and China Petrochemical Development Corp., has announced the opening of an operations center located in Tainan in southern Taiwan. The facility located near the Tainan Science Park will offer technical support as well as just-in-time delivery of such products as silane, ammonia, phosphine, arsine, and nitrogen trifluoride.

"Praxair continues to demonstrate its commitment to serve the growing Taiwan market by providing local support for our customers," said Mike Marino, managing director Praxair Electronics gases. "The addition of the operations center in Tainan, along with our facility located near Hsinchu, enables us to support a broad customer base throughout the country."

Joyce Chen, president of Praxair Chemax Semiconductor Materials Co., Ltd., added, "Praxair has made a substantial investment in providing products and services for our customers in Taiwan and will continue to invest in their future needs and requirements."

About Praxair Chemax Semiconductor Materials
Praxair Chemax Semiconductor Materials Co., Ltd. (Praxair Chemax) is a joint venture between Praxair, Inc. and Chemax International Corp., a wholly-owned subsidiary of China Petrochemical Development Corp. Headquartered in Jubei, Taiwan, with a warehouse in Toufen, Praxair Chemax offers a complete gas, chemical, and delivery system solution to semiconductor manufacturers. Located near Hsinchu Science-Based Park, we provide our customers with high-purity gases and safe, reliable specialty gases and gas delivery systems. Praxair Chemax is continuing to expand its product and services portfolio, which includes a 6.5 grade ammonia, a high-flow bulk ammonia system, sputtering targets and spare parts and consumables management. The offering provides the semiconductor industry an integrated source for process gases, materials supply and related equipment. www.praxair.com/semiconductor.

About Praxair Inc.
Praxair is the largest industrial gases company in North and South America, and one of the largest worldwide, with 2004 sales of $6.6 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 is available on the Internet at www.praxair.com.