Airgas Awarded NIST Contract for Standard Reference Materials (SRMs)

Airgas-supplied and NIST-Certified SRM gas mixtures serve as the basis for
production of EPA protocol gases used for calibrating emissions monitoring
equipment
RADNOR, Pa.--(Business Wire)--
Airgas, Inc. (NYSE:ARG) announced today that it has signed a five-year contract
with the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), an agency within
the U.S. Department of Commerce, to provide the agency with Standard Reference
Material (SRM) gas mixtures. NIST certifies the concentration and consistency of
SRM gas mixtures and provides SRMs worldwide for use in calibrating instruments,
such as Continuous Emissions Monitors (CEMs).

"NIST SRMs are the yardstick by which all other gas mixtures are measured," said
Bob Davis, director - utilities, Airgas, Inc. "Airgas has made a significant
investment in technology over the past few years in order to engineer the most
accurate calibration standards available, and we are pleased to now supply NIST
with gas samples used in producing their SRMs."

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) mandates the use of EPA protocol
gases for power utilities and other stationary emissions sources (Code of
Federal Regulations 40, Part 75, Part 60, and Part 58). EPA protocol gases are
traceable directly or indirectly to NIST SRMs and are required to produce the
accurate measurements necessary for reporting pollutant emissions.

As the sole-source SRM provider for NIST, Airgas will supply more than 500
different high-tolerance gas mixtures within the first year of the five-year
contract.

About Airgas, Inc.

Based in Radnor, Pennsylvania, Airgas, Inc. (NYSE:ARG), through its
subsidiaries, is the largest U.S. distributor of industrial, medical, and
specialty gases, and hardgoods, such as welding equipment and supplies. Airgas
is also one of the largest U.S. distributors of safety products, the largest
U.S. producer of nitrous oxide and dry ice, the largest liquid carbon dioxide
producer in the Southeast, and a leading distributor of process chemicals,
refrigerants, and ammonia products. More than 14,000 employees work in over
1,100 locations, including branches, retail stores, gas fill plants, specialty
gas labs, production facilities, and distribution centers. Airgas also
distributes its products and services through eBusiness, 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.

Airgas, Inc.
Media Contact:
Jay Worley 610-902-6206
jay.worley@airgas.com
or
Investor Contact:
Barry Strzelec, 610-902-6256
barry.strzelec@airgas.com

Copyright Business Wire 2009