BOC Gases Announces Helium Price Increase.

MURRAY HILL, N.J. -- BOC Gases has announced that it will increase U.S. helium prices by 8 percent, effective October 1, 2004, or as contracts allow.

This increase is necessary to offset the higher costs of purchasing and producing helium, and will affect customers purchasing helium in liquid dewars, gaseous tube trailers and bulk liquid containers.

The increased helium costs have resulted from a greater reliance on purchases of high-cost crude helium from the U.S. Bureau of Land Management. These purchases are required to offset reduced deliveries of crude helium from lower-cost private sources. Higher labor and fuel costs have also contributed to the increased production and distribution costs.

BOC operates one of the world's largest helium refining facilities in Otis, Kansas, and also has access to helium produced by sources in Wyoming, Utah, Poland, Russia, and Algeria. From these facilities, BOC transports the liquid helium to a worldwide network of 48 local distribution facilities. BOC is the world's leading supplier of helium to diverse markets including magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), optical fiber manufacturing, welding and semiconductor manufacturing. BOC has also developed industry-leading helium recycling capability.

The BOC Group (NYSE:BOX), the worldwide industrial gases, vacuum technologies and distribution services company, serves two million customers in more than 50 countries. It employs 44,500 people and had annual sales of over $7 billion in 2003. Further information about The BOC Group may be obtained on the Internet at www.boc.com.