Praxair Announces Price Increases (PX)

Praxair PX, and its divisions and subsidiaries are notifying bulk and packaged industrial gas customers in the United States and Canada of increases in prices effective March 15, 2011, or as contracts permit, as follows: * Up to 15% for nitrogen, oxygen, argon, hydrogen, and carbon dioxide; * Up to 20% for helium; * Up to 15% for facility fees or monthly bulk product charges and cylinder rental rates; * Up to 6% on equipment and consumables. Price adjustments may be higher or lower than these ranges in accordance with contract provisions. These adjustments are being implemented in response to continuing premium production, distribution and feedstock sourcing costs; current supply/demand imbalances in some products; hardgoods vendor increases; and to improve and maintain infrastructure necessary to reliably supply our customers.