Sixth BOC Driver Inducted Into NPTC Driver Hall of Fame.

Business Editors

MURRAY HILL, N.J.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 24, 2004

Ferdinand George, who has driven safely for more than 3.5 million miles during a 37-year career with BOC, became the sixth BOC driver inducted into the National Private Truck Council (NPTC) Driver Hall of Fame in 11 years. More BOC drivers are in the NPTC Hall of Fame than any other private fleet company.

To be elected to the NPTC Hall of Fame, which is sponsored by Bridgestone/Firestone, a driver must be an employee of an NPTC member company and have met the minimum qualifications of 20 years, 2 million miles or 50,000 hours of driving without a preventable accident.

"This is the fourth consecutive year that a BOC driver has been selected for induction into the Hall of Fame," says Charles Rottmund, manager, global transport operations, BOC. "It's a great honor for BOC and a well-deserved recognition for Mr. George, whose professionalism and dedication to safety is reflected in his outstanding driving record."

George, who is based at BOC's Gonzales, Louisiana, liquefied gases depot, became a member of the National Safety Council's Three Million-Mile Club in 1999. He regularly transports liquid oxygen, nitrogen, argon and carbon dioxide throughout the Gulf Coast, logging about 1,780 miles a week throughout Louisiana and Mississippi.

George's responsibilities as a driver for BOC include loading, analyzing and documenting liquefied gases in accordance with company and federal regulations and safely delivering that product to BOC customers.

George credits his safe driving record to the training he has received at BOC. "I believe that you need to be aware of the rules and regulations of safety. You must also get proper rest. I am also always aware of road conditions and the weather and how they impact driving conditions."

"I enjoy what I do for a living and am proud of what I do and whom I work for," George adds.

George was inducted into the Hall of Fame at NPTC's Annual Education Management Conference and Exhibition in Atlanta, Georgia, on May 4. The other five BOC drivers in the NPTC Hall of Fame are: Leon Crosslin (1993), Jake McElroy (1996), John Palmer (2001), Virgil Deck (2002) and Vernon Good (2003). Since the NPTC Hall of fame was founded in 1987, 72 drivers have been inducted.

The National Private Truck Council is the only trade association in North America devoted exclusively to the interests of the private corporate trucking fleet industry and its professional practitioners. NPTC represents a cross-section of manufacturers, distributors, retailers, and public service organizations ranging in size from family-owned small businesses and town utility fleets to Fortune 500 global conglomerates.

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