Airgas South Adds Six Locations in Georgia and Alabama through Acquisitions; Acquires Oxygen Service Company, Inc. and Alabama Cylinder Gas.

RADNOR, Pa. -- Airgas, Inc., (NYSE:ARG) today announced that it has acquired Oxygen Service Company, Inc., headquartered in Macon, GA with four other locations in central and southern Georgia. In a separate transaction, it also announced it has acquired Alabama Cylinder Gas with one location in Enterprise, AL. The six locations, which had more than $7 million in annual sales during the past year, have been integrated into Airgas South, one of the 13 regional companies within Airgas.

"We are delighted to welcome about 35 Oxygen Service associates to the Airgas South team," said Jay Sullivan, president of Airgas South, which is headquartered in Kennesaw, GA and operates more than 50 locations in Georgia, Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, and Tennessee.

"Duell Stone, president and CEO of Oxygen Service, has built a strong, customer-focused company over the past dozen years and we are pleased that he and the other owners have decided to sell to Airgas," added Sullivan. He noted that the acquired locations in Macon, Warner Robins, Dublin, Milledgeville and Valdosta in central and southern Georgia will enhance Airgas' ability to serve customers.

"We are also proud to welcome the ACG associates, including Nelson Hooper, who co-founded ACG with Ronnie Harrison more than 30 years ago. Nelson will serve as our new branch manager in Enterprise, AL," added Sullivan.

About Airgas, Inc.

Airgas, Inc. (NYSE:ARG), through its subsidiaries, is the largest U.S. distributor of industrial, medical, and specialty gases, and related hardgoods, such as welding equipment and supplies. Airgas is also the third-largest U.S. distributor of safety products, the largest U.S. producer of nitrous oxide and dry ice, the largest liquid carbon dioxide producer in the Southeast, and a leading distributor of process chemicals, refrigerants and ammonia products. Its 10,000 employees work in about 900 locations including branches, retail stores, gas fill plants, specialty gas labs, production facilities and distribution centers. Airgas also distributes 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.

Forward-Looking Statement 

This press release may contain statements that are forward-looking, as that term is defined by the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 or by the Securities and Exchange Commission in its rules, regulations and releases. These statements include, but are not limited to, statements regarding: the Company's integration of Oxygen Service Company, Inc. and Alabama Cylinder Gas, Inc.; and the expectation that the acquired operations will improve density and capabilities to serve customers in Georgia. Airgas intends that such forward-looking statements be subject to the safe harbors created thereby. All forward-looking statements are based on current expectations regarding important risk factors and should not be regarded as a representation by the Company or any other person that the results expressed therein will be achieved. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statement include the inability to successfully integrate the operations of Oxygen Service Company and Alabama Cylinder Gas; the Company's inability to retain the former employees of the acquired businesses; customer acceptance of the Company's products; and other factors described in the Company's reports, including Form 10-K dated March 31, 2005 and Forms 10-Q dated June 30, 2005 and September 30, 2005 filed by the Company with the Securities and Exchange Commission.