Airgas to Unveil Award-Winning New Products at PITTCON 2013


Innovations Designed for Gas Purity and Efficiency in Analytical and Life Science Laboratories



RADNOR, PA - Airgas, Inc. (NYSE: ARG), one of the largest U.S. suppliers of specialty gases and equipment, will unveil three new products designed to maximize efficiency and purity in gas chromatography at the Pittsburgh Conference on Analytical Chemistry and Applied Spectroscopy (PITTCON) in Philadelphia, March 18th - 21st. Two of the products - Airgas Gas Flow Calculator and Airgas SmartTag - have recently garnered the Golden Gas Award™ from Gases Instrumentation International magazine. The Airgas Ultra High Purity Regulator will also be added to Airgas' diverse range of gas equipment solutions and will be on display at PITTCON.



"Our customers are always striving to streamline their gas usage and find efficiencies where possible, and that's particularly true during the current helium shortage," explains Bill Russo, Vice President - Airgas Specialty Gases. "Our newest system components and software which will be on display at PITTCON support laboratory gas users in their efforts to get the most out of their gas purchases."



The award-winning Airgas Gas Flow Calculator helps laboratories evaluate total gas usage for all gas chromatography applications and achieve gas reduction goals. It can be used to calculate actual gas usage at each instrument attached to the gas stream to determine amounts of waste from gas leaks or gas being used for non-analytical applications. The Airgas Gas Flow Calculator can also help determine if switching from helium to hydrogen as a carrier gas will be a cost-effective solution.



"We've found that there is often miscommunication between chemists and gas supply representatives because they speak in different gas measurements - chemists reference linear gas rates and columns, where as gas representatives speak in cubic feet and cylinders," says Frank Kandl, Product Manager - Airgas Specialty Gas Equipment. "With the help of the Airgas Gas Flow Calculator, both parties are on the same page and the accurate amount of gas needed may be provided more effectively."



Also to be unveiled is the Airgas SmartTag, the industry's first visual alert system for managing gas expiration, as well as on-site verification of gas contents, Certificate of Analysis, point-in-time validation of devices connected to the cylinder, cylinder fill history, location where the cylinder was filled, and more. The unique microprocessor collar fitted to each cylinder provides instant data retrieved by handheld and wall readers so that information may be printed or blue-toothed to a customer's own data base. Unlike common Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) devices that contain minimal data, the award-winning Airgas SmartTag collars store up to 21 fields of data for optimal cylinder gas storage, inventory, and reorder processes.



"The capabilities of the data provided by the collars are limited only by how a customer would like to use it. It could be as simple as a quick visual indication that the cylinder is 'in date' or an extensive report for all cylinders on site," explains Kandl.



The latest specialty gas regulator offering from Airgas is the Ultra High Purity Stainless Steel Regulator, designed to drastically reduce the gas path and prevent contaminants from entering the gas stream during cylinder change-outs. The new regulators are designed with a check valve cylinder connection, packless diaphragm valve built into the regulator body, and 1/8" stainless steel compression fitting to maintain gas purity. As the only regulator with a diaphragm valve built into the body, the Airgas Ultra High Purity Stainless Steel Regulator has less internal volume which produces better sensitivity and responsiveness.



"This regulator series has unique features that make it an excellent choice for high-tolerance gas mixtures and use in high purity applications," explains Kandl.



More information on the new Airgas products, as well as information on all Airgas specialty gas product and service offerings, is available at the Airgas exhibit (Booth #1219), March 18th - 21st. Registered PITTCON attendees who visit the Airgas exhibit will be entered in a drawing for a grand prize of a Microsoft Surface™ tablet. For more information on PITTCON, visit www.pittcon.org.



About Airgas, Inc.

Airgas, Inc. (NYSE: ARG), through its subsidiaries, is one of the nation's leading suppliers of industrial, medical and specialty gases, and hardgoods, such as welding equipment and related products. Airgas is a leading U.S. producer of atmospheric gases with 16 air separation plants, a leading producer of carbon dioxide, dry ice, and nitrous oxide, one of the largest U.S. suppliers of safety products, and a leading U.S. supplier of refrigerants, ammonia products, and process chemicals. More than 15,000 employees work in approximately 1,100 locations, including branches, retail stores, gas fill plants, specialty gas labs, production facilities, and distribution centers. Airgas also markets its products and services through eBusiness, catalog, and telesales channels. Its national scale and strong local presence offer a competitive edge to its diversified customer base. For more information, please visit www.airgas.com.



Media Contact:

Doug Sherman (610) 902-6270

doug.sherman@airgas.com



Airgas, Inc.

259 North Radnor-Chester Road Suite 100,

Radnor, PA 19087-5283

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