Praxair and Lincoln Electric Sign Mutual Cooperation Agreement

Praxair and Lincoln Electric Sign Mutual Cooperation Agreement

March 23, 2006

    SHANGHAI, China, March 23 /Xinhua-PRNewswire/ --
Praxair China, a subsidiary of Praxair Inc. (NYSE: PX),
today announced that its joint venture, Shanghai Praxair
Baosteel Inc. (SPBI), has signed a cooperation agreement
with Lincoln Electric China.

    SPBI will supply cylinders of carbon dioxide, argon,
and argon blends to Lincoln Electric's welding training
centre, applications engineering lab and R&D
laboratories in Baoshan District, Shanghai.  SPBI has also
donated a complete set of manifolds to allow Lincoln to use
the gases effectively. Lincoln Electric will allow Praxair
to use the facilities to train its sales force, engineers
and customers, promote seminars and demonstrate Praxair
welding gases and solutions developments to customers. 

    Praxair China's welding technical centre in Guangzhou
Economic & Technology Development Zone, established in
2004, is the first such investment by a multinational
industrial gases company in China.  The cooperation with
Lincoln Electric will further allow Praxair's technical
team to extend the development of welding solutions to
customers in East China.

    "One important focus of our mutual cooperation
will be on the introduction of leading welding solutions to
fabrication customers in China." commented Douglas
Steyer, applications and market development director for
Praxair Asia.  "The combined application of Lincoln
knowledge in welding processes and Praxair's knowledge in
welding gases will allow both partners to provide an even
greater level of customer service and provide solutions for
a wide range of welding needs."

    "The cooperation of Praxair and Lincoln Electric
brings together two of the strongest teams in the
industry," said Zhang Xuetao, general manager of
Shanghai Praxair Co., Ltd.  "This is an excellent
opportunity for SPBI to present welding gases application
technology to customers via the Lincoln Electric
network." 

    Frank Young, Vice President, North Asia region for
Lincoln Electric said "The welding industry in China
is growing rapidly.  As it grows the demands for improved
technologies, quality, and efficiency increase.  This
agreement with Praxair enhances and complements our
investment in our China Welding Technology Centre and
positions us well to meet these industry needs.  We look
forward to working closely with Praxair to be the leaders
in customer service and welding applications support in
China."

    "We are delighted to form this partnership with
Praxair as both Praxair and Lincoln Electric are leading
companies in welding and cutting industries,"
commented Jian Zhang, Manager of Welding Technology Centre
for Lincoln Electric China.  "The cooperation will
leverage the complementary strength of both companies as
the combination of Lincoln Electric's knowledge in welding
and Praxair's know-how in shielding gas will position both
partners for future achievement in providing higher level
of customer service and welding solution to customers in
China."

    About Praxair China

    Praxair China, a subsidiary of Praxair, Inc., is the
leading global industrial gases supplier in China, serving
a diverse group of industries through the production, sale,
distribution and value-added application of industrial
gases.  With over 1000 employees across the country,
Praxair China, headquartered in Shanghai, operates 13
wholly owned companies and 11 joint ventures.  More
information on Praxair China is available on the Internet
at http://www.praxair.com.cn .

    About Praxair

    With 27,000 employees and operations in 40 countries,
Praxair, Inc. (NYSE: PX) is a global, Fortune 500 company. 
Praxair is the largest industrial gases company in North and
South America, and one of the largest worldwide, with 2005
sales of $7.7 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 http://www.praxair.com .

    For more information, please contact:

     Juno Chen, 
     Praxair Asia, Media 
     Tel:   [phone]
     Email: [e-mail]

SOURCE  Praxair China