Industrial gas provider Praxair Inc of Danbury, CT, USA and its divisions and subsidiaries (Praxair Distribution Inc, Praxair Healthcare Services, Praxair Canada Inc, and Praxair Puerto Rico B.V.) is notifying bulk and packaged, industrial, electronics (including semiconductor processing), specialty and medical gas customers in the USA, Canada and Puerto Rico of increases in prices, effective 1 January 2013, or as contracts permit.
Increases are as follows:
Nitrogen, oxygen, and carbon dioxide - up to 15%
Argon and hydrogen - up to 20%
Helium - up to 30%
Facility fees or monthly bulk product charges and cylinder rental rates - up to 15%
Hardgoods - up to 15%
Price adjustments will vary as permitted by individual supply contracts.
Praxair says that the adjustments are due to persistent supply/demand imbalances for some products in the USA and Canada combined with increases in the cost of feedstock and other raw materials. In addition, energy costs in the USA continue to increase.
