(Archived) Praxair China Signs Contract with Changhong Electric Co., Ltd

SHANGHAI, China, April 22, 2009 — Praxair China has signed a contract with Changhong Electric Co., Ltd. (Changhong), one of China’s largest providers of consumer electronics, to supply xenon gas mixtures to its manufacturing facility in the city of Mian Yang, Sichuan province.

Changhong, a new Praxair customer, will use the xenon gas mixtures in the production of its plasma display panels to ensure good functionality of the panels in response speed and display brightness.

“As the only independent Chinese developer and manufacturer of plasma display panels, Changhong has been in constant pursuit of innovation and is very pleased to have Praxair China as our supplier to enable us to produce a quality product with a technical competitiveness,” said Mr. Zhao Yong, chairman of Changhong.

“This contract establishes an important relationship with Changhong and is a key step for Praxair to enter the Southwest China market,” commented David Chow, president of Praxair China. “We are pleased to support one of the leading Chinese players in household appliances and electronics with our reliable supply and accumulated technical experience in this industry.”   

About Changhong Electric
Established in 1958, Changhong is now one of the largest Chinese consumer electronics providers and specializes in manufacturing, marketing and R&D for consumer electronics products. Changhong became a publicly traded company with shares listed on the Shanghai Stock Exchange in 1994. In 2005, Changhong became one of the world’s top 500 brands, and in 2008 its overall brand was valued above U.S. $9 billion (65.589 billion RMB). Today, Changhong has more than 30,000 employees worldwide and branches and offices in the U.S., Europe, Australia, Russia, Southeast Asia and the Middle East. More information on Changhong is available on the Internet at www.changhong.com.cn.

About Praxair China
Praxair (China) Investment Co., Ltd is a leading industrial gas provider in China. Headquartered in Shanghai, it has 17 wholly owned companies, 11 joint ventures and over 1,200 employees in the country. More information on Praxair China is available on the Internet at www.praxair.cn.

About Praxair
Praxair, Inc. (NYSE: PX) is the largest industrial gases company in North and South America, and one of the largest worldwide, with 2008 sales of $10.8 billion. The company produces, sells and distributes atmospheric, process and specialty 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.