Latest In Praxair

Sales in North America increased 2 percent year over year.

Sales growth was strongest in North America and Asia.

Higher prices and volumes drove the sales increase.

Praxair reported double-digit sales growth in all geographic regions.

Sales for the industrial gases company increased across all geographic regions.

The strongest growth for the industrial gases company came from manufacturing, metals, chemicals and electronics markets.

The industrial gases company continued expansion in Russia and the Middle East.

Sales for the industrial gases company increased as a result of strong volume growth in all geographic regions.

Growth broad-based across geographic regions, end-markets.

Chemicals, metals and electronics end markets show strongest growth, while manufacturing continues to lag.

CEO: Recovery will be ‘slow and deliberate.’

Sequentially, sales for the industrial gases distributor rose 7% from the second quarter 2009.

Praxair, Danbury, CT, will be laying off 1,600 employees and closing underperforming and non-core product lines and businesses in response to a substantial decline in demand for the fourth quarter. The company saw a fall-off in demand in November and is expecting additional customer plant closings in December.
 
We have moved quickly to take the necessary preemptive steps to make sure we have a cost structure appropriate to the current economic environment,” CEO Steve Angel said. “The slowdown in commodity production and manufacturing has been unprecedented and we believe customers are reducing inventory down the supply chain.”
 
The company expects new projects and new business applications to offset some of the slowdown in demand, with business beginning to return …

Industrial gases provider Praxair, Inc., Danbury, CT, reported third quarter profit of $355 million, an increase of 16% over the third quarter of 2007. Sales were $2.9 billion, up 20% from the prior-year quarter.
 
Year-to-date, the company reported sales of $8.4 billion, up 22% from the same period a year ago. Profit improved 17.4% to $1 billion.
 
Praxair achieved strong sales growth in every geographic region, led by South America and Asia.
 
In North America, third-quarter sales were $1.6 billion, 19% above the prior year. Excluding the effect of higher natural gas prices passed through to customers in hydrogen prices, sales growth was 14%. Acquisitions of U.S. packaged gas distributors contributed 4% to sales growth.
 
In Europe, sales …

Praxair Inc., Danbury, CT, reported second quarter sales of $2.88 billion, up 23% from the second quarter of 2007. Profits were up 20% over the prior-year period to $349 million.
 
Sales for the first six months ended June 30, 2008, were $5.54 billion, an increase of 23% over the first six months of 2007. Profits were $665 million, up 18%.
 
The company saw strong sales growth in every geographic region, led by South America and Asia.
 
In North America, second-quarter sales reached $1.57 billion, 22% above the prior year. Excluding the effect of higher natural gas prices passed through to customers in hydrogen prices, sales growth was 18%, led by higher sales to energy and general manufacturing markets.
 
In Europe, sales in the second quarter …