Praxair Expands Its Surface Technologies Business with Treffers Acquisition

Praxairrface Technologies division of <%=company%>(Danbury, Conn.) has signed a letter of intent to acquire Treffers Precision, Inc., a privately held company located in Phoenix, Ariz. The acquisition extends Praxair's holdings in a range of metal, ceramic and other materials applications for surface coatings, ranging from primary metals to semiconductors.

Treffers Precision has annual sales of approximately $17 million and 208 employees. Terms of the acquisition were not disclosed, and the acquisition is subject to U.S. antitrust review. The company is primarily a metal finishing business, providing chrome, nickel, cadmium and copper plating and anodizing for aerospace gas turbine engine components, as well as other industrial applications. It also provides repair services on airframe components, manufactures shafts for small motors and computer applications, and manufactures and anodizes electrodes used in semiconductor processing equipment.

"The Treffers Precision acquisition represents a strategic expansion of Praxair's aviation services business [and] broadens the capability and offerings in existing and high growth markets," said Praxair Surface Technologies president Thomas W. von Krannichfeldt.

Treffers Precision is the 11th global acquisition by Praxair Surface Technologies over the past three years, representing combined sales of about $100 million. Earlier acquisitions include Pyromet Enterprises, Seattle Specialty Ceramics, Inc. and Miller Thermal in the United States; BAJ Coatings Ltd. and the Sandon division of Brent International in the U.K.; Coatec Gesellschaft fur Oberflachenveredelung mbH in Germany; Rolmaster Industrial LTDA in Brazil; Metalcoat S.A. in Spain; H.L. Graphia in Denmark; and Laser Metalworking S.r.l. in Italy.

Praxair Surface Technologies is a wholly owned subsidiary of Praxair, Inc., with 34 plants in 11 countries and 1997 annual sales of $381 million. The company is a leading, worldwide supplier of powders, coatings and other products for a variety of industries, including aircraft, printing, textile, chemical, primary metals, semiconductors and optical. It also provides aircraft engine and airframe component repair services.