Airgas to Host Session on Benefits of ISO 17025 Accreditation at PITTCON.

RADNOR, Pa. -- Airgas, Inc. (NYSE:ARG) will host a session on the benefits of ISO 17025 accreditation for the providers and users of calibration gases at the Pittsburgh Conference (PITTCON) on Monday, February 28, 2005 at 4:05 p.m. The presentation, one of four that Airgas will offer, will discuss the process used in gaining accreditation at three of Airgas' laboratories. Douglas King, manager of analytical processes at Airgas Specialty Gas, will speak.

"ISO 17025 accreditation ensures the precision, accuracy and repeatability of specialty gas results that customers in analytical and process settings need to be successful," King said. "This presentation is designed to highlight the benefits and importance of such accreditation, and the steps that must be taken to achieve this measure of analytical consistency."

Topics will include:

--Background on the ISO 17025 and how it compares to other International Organization for Standardization (ISO) programs, including ISO 9001:2000

--The advantages of implementing fully documented and validated analytical procedures for the supplier

--Advantages for customers of accredited facilities, including improved credibility of traceable measurements and potential to bypass the need for third-party audits

ISO 17025 is the international standard for calibration and testing laboratories. The new standard is a requirement in the automotive and aerospace industries, among others. Three Airgas specialty gas laboratories in Royal Oak, MI; Port Allen, LA; and Riverton, NJ have earned ISO 17025 accreditation in the past year from the American Association of Laboratory Accreditation (A2LA). The A2LA is a non-profit, public service, membership society dedicated to the formal recognition of competent testing and calibration laboratories, inspection bodies, proficiency testing providers and reference material producers.

Additional information on the sessions, as well as on Airgas specialty gas product and service offerings, will be available at Airgas booth #4301 during PITTCON, which runs from February 27 to March 4, 2005.

About Airgas, Inc.

Airgas, Inc. (NYSE:ARG) is the largest U.S. distributor of industrial, medical and specialty gases, welding, safety and related products. Its integrated network of about 900 locations includes 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.