Praxair Marks 25 Years of Innovation for the Printing Industry

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind.—Praxair Surface Technologies, a subsidiary of Praxair Inc., is celelebrating 25 years as a leading provider of anilox roll technology to the printing industry worldwide. A primary factor in the company's success is its ability to innovate, and to market its innovations rapidly on a global scale, both in packaging and

processing technology for the printing industry.

Since its initial joint venture in England in 1979, major milestones include Praxair's development of:

° The first laser engraved ceramic roll produced in England in 1981

° The first laser engraved roll installed in the United States in 1982

° Rainbow™ surface treatment with a patented release to resist ink adhesion in 1988

° 60-degree engravings for smoother, better-defined cells in 1988

° Double-hit and multi-hit engraving techniques for more consistent volume in 1994

° YAG laser engraving technology in 1996 for high-volume, high-resolution screen counts in 1996

° Breakthrough first-generation anilox sleeve in 1996

° Open cell technology; ART, REV, TIF in 1999

° Roll ID Audit in 2002

° Proline™ premium engraving solutions for high-density in 2003

° Trio™ engraving solutions for day-to-day needs in corrugated and ultra wide web in 2003

° Second-generation sleeve technology in 2005

Commenting on these accomplishments, Mike McPherron, North American sales manager for Praxair Surface Technologies, stated, "We are proud not only of our 25 years of technological leadership which has contributed greatly to the advancement of the flexographic and offset printing industry, but even more proud that our customers and their customers have come to depend upon Praxair products for unmatched quality, reliability and innovation. Praxair has many new projects under development which will help our customers to further improve

their print quality and production efficiency."