Company Profile For Praxair, Inc.

Praxair, Inc. (Praxair) is an industrial gas supplier in North and South America. Praxair's primary products for its industrial gases business are atmospheric gases (oxygen, nitrogen, argon, rare gases) and process gases (carbon dioxide, helium, hydrogen, electronic gases, specialty gases, acetylene). The Company also designs, engineers, and builds equipment that produces industrial gases for internal use and external sale. Its surface technologies segment, operated through Praxair Surface Technologies, Inc., supplies wear-resistant and high-temperature corrosion-resistant metallic and ceramic coatings and powders. Praxair serves approximately 25 industries, such as healthcare and petroleum refining; computer-chip manufacturing and beverage carbonation; fiber-optics and steel making, and aerospace, chemicals and water treatment. In July 2009, Praxair's subsidiary, Praxair Surface Technologies, Inc., acquired Sermatech International Holdings Corp. from Arsenal Capital Partners.

BRIEF: For the nine months ended 30 September 2009, Praxair, Inc.'s revenues decreased 22% to $6.55B. Net income decreased 10% to $914M. Revenues reflect lower income from North America region, decreased sales from Europe region and a fall in Surface Technology segment income. Net income was partially offset by decreased cost of sales, lower selling, general & administrative expenses, decreased depreciation expenses and lower interest expenses, net.