Each day, Airgas branch associates like Tom Ballos in Harrisburg, PA, meet their customers’ needs with a deep product inventory and in-depth product knowledge. Through more than 300 acquisitions, Airgas has created the largest footprint in the U.S. for distributing gases, welding supplies, safety and related products. Today, about 9,000 associates work in about 800 locations, including some 600 retail stores, 200 cylinder fill plants, 18 acetylene plants and 51 specialty gas laboratories. These numbers add up to give Airgas the presence to serve customers of all sizes, whether they need products and services at one location across the street or multiple sites across the country. Our 800,000 customers know that branch managers, associates and drivers are there to serve them with a welcoming handshake and a deep understanding of their gas, welding and safety needs. We’ve maintained this strong local focus, from our first acquisition in 1982 with the “Airgas One” branch in Stratford, CT, to more than 120 locations we plan to acquire from The BOC Group at the end of July 2004.