Praxair to open facility in Coimbatore

Praxair Surface Technologies, which manufactures high-performance industrial coatings for aviation, oil, power generation and printing industries, will establish a facility in Coimbatore by mid-2008 for manufacturing thermal spray coatings for gate valve components used in oil and natural gas production.

Praxair, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Praxair, Inc, has also signed an agreement with FMC Technologies to supply thermal spray coatings. The coatings provide wear and corrosion protection for gate valves used in oil and natural gas well-heads.

Mark Gruninger, president, Praxair Surface Technologies, said the company's first coatings facility in India at Coimbatore would lead to significant opportunities for Praxair in a fast-growing market.

Praxair Surface Technologies, with 2006 sales of $8.3 billion, currently provides FMC Technologies with thermal spray coating out of its operations in Houston, Texas, and St Etienne, France.