(Archived) Praxair Acquires Houston-Based Gas Distributor

DANBURY, Conn., October 6, 2011 — Praxair Distribution, Inc., a subsidiary of Praxair, Inc. (NYSE: PX), has acquired National Alloy and Equipment, Inc. of Houston, Texas, an independent distributor of industrial and specialty gases and ancillary welding equipment, supplies and services. Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

National Alloy is a market leader in northwestern Houston, one of the fastest growing welding markets in the U.S. The company’s core competency is technical support to the fabricators of high-pressure control packages and drilling risers for harsh off-shore environments that require low-alloy, high-strength wires and fluxes. The ability to design sophisticated welding packages and procedures makes National Alloy a one-stop supplier to the oil & energy industry.

“The addition of National Alloy is a great example of the targeted approach Praxair Distribution is taking to acquire high-quality independent distributors in geographies with attractive growth profiles which complement our existing infrastructure,” said John Panikar, president of Praxair Distribution, Inc.

"For over 20 years, our employees have delivered quality products and services. This, along with our customer service philosophy, has allowed us to become a market leader in the welding and gas segment in Houston," said National Alloy President Tony Hardin. “Combining our business with Praxair not only benefits our employees but will enable us to provide an even broader array of products and services to our customers."

Praxair, Inc. is the largest industrial gases company in North and South America, and one of the largest worldwide, with 2010 sales of $10 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