(Archived) Praxair Acquires Wilson Welding of Warren, Michigan

DANBURY, Conn., June 1, 2007 — Praxair Distribution, Inc., a subsidiary of Praxair, Inc. (NYSE: PX), announced today that it has acquired Wilson Welding & Medical Gases of Warren, Michigan. Wilson is a leading independent distributor of industrial, medical, specialty gases and related equipment and supplies. Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

Wilson operates a cylinder filling plant and retail store in Warren, retail stores in Macomb and Pontiac, and a beverage CO₂ business in Flint, Michigan. The business generated sales of $20 million in 2006 and has 72 employees.

"The addition of Wilson to our existing network in Southeastern Michigan further strengthens Praxair's ability to serve customers throughout the Great Lakes region," said Praxair Distribution President Wayne Yakich. "The Wilson family has created a premier business with a strong commitment to superior customer service. We look forward to continuing this tradition of service by providing our new Praxair customers with a comprehensive array of packaged gases, equipment, supplies and services."

"For 69 years, our dedicated employees have delivered quality products and services with complete confidence and customer satisfaction," said Wilson President Dennis Wilson. "Our philosophy of service has allowed us to become a leader in the packaged gas industry. Combining our business with Praxair will continue to benefit our customers and employees."

Yakich said Praxair looks forward to building on the strong business foundation established by Wilson. "We will be integrating the Wilson employees and operations with Praxair Distribution's 4,200 employees in North America," said Yakich. The integration of Wilson complements the acquisition of Mittler Supply, Inc. of South Bend, Indiana that Praxair Distribution announced March 30.

Praxair, Inc. is the largest industrial gases company in North and South America, and one of the largest worldwide, with 2006 sales of $8.3 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