Praxair India Expands Base in Western India

BENGALURU (Bangalore), India, – Praxair India Private Limited, a subsidiary of Praxair, Inc. (NYSE: PX), plans to construct a new state-of-the-art air separation plant in the rapidly growing Pune-Mumbai industrial corridor of western India. The plant, with a capacity of 300 tons per day, is located 60 kilometers (37.28 miles) from Mumbai, at an industrial estate near Kalyan. It will supply liquid oxygen, nitrogen and argon to customers in the Maharashtra and Gujarat regions, the largest and fastest growing merchant market in India. The plant is scheduled to begin operations in late 2012.
Maharashtra and Gujarat are a major hub of automotive, pharmaceutical and general manufacturing industries which use a number of industrial gas applications. Other industries in the region include chemical, food processing, textile, glass and aluminum.

“This plant will help Praxair India move closer to its customers and expand its geographic reach,” said Asit Gangopadhyay, managing director, Praxair India. “Praxair’s unmatched application technology capabilities offer value-added solutions to our customers and will further improve our competitive position in this market. Based on strong customer demand, we plan to install additional liquid capacity in the region in the near future.”

Praxair India has built large air separation units to supply industrial gases to companies such as Tata Steel, JSW Steel, Steel Authority of India (SAIL), Saint-Gobain Glass, Haldia Petrochemicals, Jindal Steel & Power Limited, Hospet Steel, Usha Martin and others. Praxair India is currently building a large facility to supply gaseous hydrogen and nitrogen to Indian Oil Corporation at Paradip, Orissa, and two major air separation plants for SAIL at Bhilai.

About Praxair India
Praxair India is India’s largest industrial and medical gases supplier. Praxair has invested over Rs.2,900 Crores ($640 million) in India to meet the country’s growing industry requirements. With 35 locations across the country employing more than 600 people, Praxair India serves varied industry segments including steel, refineries, petrochemicals, glass, automobile, shipbuilding and healthcare.

About Praxair, Inc.
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, 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.