RADNOR, PA – March 21, 2006 — Airgas, Inc. (NYSE: ARG) today announced that it won the Compressed Gas Association (CGA) Bulk Gas Fleet Safety Award for the first time, with the best safety record among bulk fleets with more than 20 million miles driven in 2005. CGA bases its Fleet Safety Awards on a CGA member’s total vehicle accident frequency rate per million miles driven. Two awards honor bulk gas fleets with more than 20 million miles driven and those fleets with less than 20 million miles driven. Two more awards go to the cylinder vehicle fleets with more and less than 3 million miles driven.
This was the first year that Airgas bulk drivers surpassed the 20-million milestone to compete among the industry’s largest bulk gas fleets. Airgas, which has the largest cylinder delivery fleet among CGA members, won the CGA Cylinder Fleet Safety Award in 2001 and 2002.
“While Airgas is proud to have won the Cylinder Fleet Safety Award twice, this is our first honor for those drivers who deliver bulk atmospheric, ammonia, carbon dioxide and dry ice,” said Airgas Chairman and CEO Peter McCausland. “Our safety performance in the last year demonstrates that we are growing this segment of our business in the right way.”
In accepting the award at the CGA annual meeting this week in Fort Lauderdale, FL, McCausland singled out Duane Young, director of SAFECOR, and John Anderson, director of DOT operations, who coordinates fleet safety training for Airgas. SAFECOR is the Airgas department responsible for coordinating safety, compliance, and regulatory affairs.
“In 2005, nearly 3,000 Airgas drivers drove about 80 million miles, including 25 million bulk miles and 38 million cylinder miles,” said Young. “Even though we have more vehicles driving more miles than in past years, Airgas drivers have focused on lowering preventable and total vehicle accident rates during the past year. We are especially proud of the performance of our bulk drivers, who had a total accident rate of just 1.38 per million miles driven.”
About Airgas, Inc.
Airgas, Inc. (NYSE: ARG), through its subsidiaries, is one of the nation's leading suppliers of industrial, medical and specialty gases, and hardgoods, such as welding equipment and related products. Airgas is a leading U.S. producer of atmospheric gases with 16 air separation plants, a leading producer of carbon dioxide, dry ice, and nitrous oxide, one of the largest U.S. suppliers of safety products, and a leading U.S. supplier of refrigerants, ammonia products, and process chemicals. Approximately 17,000 associates work in more than 1,100 locations, including branches, retail stores, gas fill plants, specialty gas labs, production facilities and distribution centers. Airgas also markets its products and services through e-Business, 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.
Investor Contact:
Joseph Marczely 610-263-8277
joseph.marczely@airgas.com
Media Contact:
Sarah Boxler 610-263-8260
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