2009-03-09 11:02:12 -
Airgas, Inc. (NYSE:ARG) today announced that it will hold six free technical suite sessions to discuss the demands facing analytical and life science laboratories, and the methods essential to improving lab efficiency at the 2009 Pittsburgh Conference (PITTCON) in Chicago from March 9 through 12, 2009. Attendees of the show should register for the sessions by visiting the Airgas booth (#2021) at McCormick Place South in the McCormick Convention Center. The hour-long sessions, which will be held in Seminar Room 49, will include:
Helium vs. Hydrogen as a Carrier Gas
Two sessions offered: Monday, March 9 at 2 p.m. and Wednesday, March 11 at 9:30 a.m.
Len Sidisky, research and development manager for
Supelco's Gas Separations Business Unit, and Frank Kandl, Airgas' technical manager for specialty gas equipment, will compare helium and hydrogen as carrier gases in gas chromatography. Sidisky and Kandl will also talk about hydrogen and helium's effects on the speed of analysis, selectivity, resolution, sensitivity and safety of use, and provide options for reducing helium usage.
Optimal Small Cylinder Supply Options for Analytical Applications
Three sessions offered: Monday, March 9 at 3 p.m.; Wednesday, March 11 at 11 a.m. and Thursday, March 12 at 1 p.m.
Bryan Dile, Airgas' analytical markets product manager, will reveal the best laboratory supply options available for small-volume process chemical and gas requirements, and discuss how to eliminate hazardous waste removal costs and safety concerns in regard to lecture bottles. Attendees of this session will also get an exclusive, first look at Airgas' newly developed Safe-T-Cyl", a returnable and refillable lecture bottle replacement package with built-in flow device.
Taking the Headaches and Hassles Out of Gas Management Life Sciences
Two sessions offered: Tuesday, March 10 at 9:30 a.m. and Wednesday, March 11 at 3 p.m.
Kris Cackette, Airgas' business manager for life sciences, will demonstrate more effective and efficient ways to free up valuable time in a life sciences laboratory through easy cylinder tracking methods, automatic nitrogen-level monitoring and all-new engineering solutions for gas management.
Designing Greater Efficiency into a New or Existing Lab
Two sessions offered: Tuesday, March 10 at 11 a.m. and Thursday, March 12 at 11 a.m.
Learn how to design a more efficient laboratory by integrating a central gas supply and customized gas management from supply mode to point-of-use service, with highly accurate gas monitoring. Bryan Dile, Airgas' analytical markets product manager, will also discuss how to incorporate all the necessary safety compliance requirements into lab plans.
Generators and Purifiers for Laboratory Gas Supply
Two sessions offered: Tuesday, March 10 at 1:30 p.m. and Thursday, March 12 at 10 a.m.
This session will provide key tips for the proper selection of generators and purifiers used in the analytical process and will feature discussions around generator types, purities and flow rates. Frank Kandl, Airgas' technical manager for specialty gas equipment, will also provide an on-site demonstration of Airgas gas generator selection and flow calculation tools, providing attendees with the ultimate know-how for purifier selection and installation to protect against process contamination.
How to Reduce Gas Usage and the Effects of Contamination
Three sessions: Tuesday, March 10 at 3 p.m.; Wednesday, March 11 at 1:30 p.m. and Thursday, March 12 at 9 a.m.
Frank Kandl, Airgas' technical manager for specialty gas equipment, will provide valuable information for cutting gas usage up to 25 percent, as well as ways to improve the performance of gas carriers without altering gas service or processes. This session will also reveal the effects of contamination on gas carriers and provide tips to prevent contamination.
"We are pleased to offer these technical sessions to help PITTCON attendees discover and understand the myriad ways in which Airgas is engineering the right solutions for analytical and life science laboratories," said Jim Muller, senior vice president for specialty gases and life sciences for Airgas. "These sessions, which are first and foremost designed to educate, also demonstrate the breadth of specialty gas and equipment expertise we provide to laboratories nationwide.?
Attendees at any or all Airgas sessions will be automatically registered to win an Apple iPod nano, and those that present the pre-show postcard are registered to win an Apple iPod touch. Additional information on the technical suites, prize drawings and on Airgas' specialty gases, equipment and service offerings will be available at Airgas booth #2021.
About Airgas, Inc.
Airgas, Inc. (NYSE: ARG), through its subsidiaries, is the largest U.S. distributor of industrial, medical, and specialty gases, and hardgoods, such as welding equipment and supplies. Airgas is also one of the largest U.S. distributors of safety products, the largest U.S. producer of nitrous oxide and dry ice, the largest liquid carbon dioxide producer in the Southeast, and a leading distributor of process chemicals, refrigerants, and ammonia products. More than 14,000 employees work in over 1,100 locations, including branches, retail stores, gas fill plants, specialty gas labs, production facilities and distribution centers. Airgas also distributes 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.
Airgas, Inc.
Media Contact:
Jay Worley, 610-902-6206
jay.worley@airgas.com 
