Praxair's CoJet Gas Injection System Now Running at Three Asian EAF Steel Mills.

Business Editors

DANBURY, Conn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--July 18, 2003

Praxair, Inc. (NYSE:PX) today announced the installation and operation of its CoJet(R) gas injection system in three electric arc furnaces (EAF) in Asia. The steel mills now running the CoJet system are Hanbo Steel and INI, located in South Korea and Feng Hsin in Taiwan. This now brings the total number of furnaces authorized to use the technology to 70 in the world.

The electric arc furnace at Hanbo Steel is located in DangJin, South Korea with an average output of 150 metric tons per heat. This facility produces re-bar with plans to expand their product line to include hot coils. "Our first results after operating the CoJet system show a reduction in electrical energy of over 40 kWh/t, reductions of over eight minutes for power-on time and nine minutes for tap-to-tap time. Overall productivity has increased by 16%," said Mr. Jung a melting shop general manager at Hanbo Steel.

INI Steel is located in Incheon, South Korea. The EAF there produces 120 metric tons per heat with the primary products being re-bar, rail steel and H and I beams. Results at INI were similar to Hanbo. Electrical energy use dropped by nearly 30 kWh/t along with reductions in power-on time of over six minutes and tap-to-tap time reductions of almost five minutes. Productivity showed an increase of over 15% as a result of Praxair's CoJet gas injection technology.

Feng Hsin is the most efficient EAF in Taiwan producing 1.2 million metric tons of steel per year. Their primary products are re-bar, round bar, angle bar and channel bar. Results from the CoJet system operation have shown an average power-on time savings of six minutes with energy savings of 30 kWh/t.

Praxair currently licenses its CoJet system to steel makers for installation on new or existing electric arc furnaces where it can save a typical mill from US$2 to US$4 per ton of steel produced. The system is marketed through Praxair Metals Technologies, a business dedicated to the commercialization of technologies and services for the global metals industry. The CoJet system uses a computer-based process control system with wall-mounted nozzles that deliver a laser-like, supersonic jet of oxygen into the molten steel bath of an EAF. As a critical component of steel-making, oxygen is injected into the furnace to control the amount of carbon in the steel, provide additional energy for improved melting of scrap and enhance removal of phosphorous for higher quality.

Praxair also licenses its CoJet technology to basic oxygen furnace (BOF) steel mills. Early results have shown that the CoJet system increases productivity, reduces costs, improves yields and decreases dissolved oxygen in the molten steel bath of integrated steel mills.

Praxair Metals Technologies is the Praxair business unit responsible for directing the development and marketing of technology for licensing, process control software and technical services in energy conservation, product quality and productivity to steel, aluminum and other metals customers around the world. For more information, visit us on the Internet at www.praxair.com/metals.

Praxair is the largest industrial gases company in North and South America, and one of the largest worldwide, with 2002 sales of $5.1 billion. The company produces, sells and distributes atmospheric and process gases, and high-performance surface coatings. Praxair products, services and technology bring productivity and environmental benefits to a wide variety of industries, including aerospace, food and beverage, healthcare, semiconductor materials, steel, chemicals and refining, metal fabrication, water treatment, glass and others. For more information, visit Praxair on the Internet at www.praxair.com.

CoJet is a registered trademark of Praxair Technology, Inc.