Airgas Chairman Receives Lifetime Achievement Award

The American Chemical Society CM&E group honors McCausland for his many years of leadership at one of the nation’s leading suppliers of industrial, medical and specialty gases.

Airgas, Inc. (Radnor, PA) executive chairman Peter McCausland was honored with a lifetime achievement award by Chemical Marketing & Economics (CM&E), a topical group of the American Chemical Society’s New York section (ACS NY). McCausland accepted the award during the group’s Awards for Leadership at the Yale Club in New York City on Thursday, December 6.

McCausland was recognized for his many years of leadership at Airgas, one of the nation’s leading suppliers of industrial, medical and specialty gases. He founded the company in 1982 with the purchase of Connecticut Oxygen, an industrial gas distributor with approximately $3 million in sales.

Through strategic growth initiatives and more than 400 acquisitions in 30 years, McCausland led Airgas to become one of the premier industrial gas companies in the U.S., with sales of more than $4.7 billion in its most recent fiscal year. Since its initial public offering in 1986, the company has delivered a total return to shareholders that is among the highest in the S&P 500 index.

“Few people can found a company, help propel it for three decades and turn it into a consistent top performer in its class,” said George Rodriguez, the chairman of CM&E, board member of ACS NY Section and director at Argeni. “McCausland is a pioneer who has remained undaunted when faced with challenging market shifts. His passion for creating an environment focused on customers, strengthening operational efficiencies and helping society through his foundation constitutes an exemplary pillar for the chemical industry.”

“The CM&E group of the American Chemical Society provides a strong foundation for professional networking and science education, which is fundamental for future generations,” said McCausland. “I am honored to receive this lifetime achievement award and would like to express my profound gratitude to the CM&E group for this recognition and to the more than 15,000 Airgas associates who work tirelessly to bring value to our customers every day.”

The Awards for Leadership have been established by CM&E to honor individuals for extraordinary contributions in the chemical industry. The CM&E Board identified a pool of nominees with exceptional credentials to match the high selectivity hallmark of ACS NY Section.

The CM&E awards are endorsed by the American Chemical Society, the world’s largest scientific society with 160,000 members. Funds raised through the Awards for Leadership will help bolster ACS scholarships, National Chemistry Week (K-12) and other science education programs. www.cmeacs.org

Airgas, through its subsidiaries, is one of the nation’s leading suppliers of industrial, medical and specialty gases, and hardgoods, such as welding equipment and related products. The company is a leading U.S. producer of atmospheric gases with 16 air separation plants, a leading producer of carbon dioxide, dry ice, and nitrous oxide, one of the largest U.S. suppliers of safety products, and a leading U.S. supplier of refrigerants, ammonia products, and process chemicals.

More than 15,000 employees work in approximately 1,100 locations, including branches, retail stores, gas fill plants, specialty gas labs, production facilities and distribution centers.

Airgas also markets 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.