Airgas (FRA:AAS) Net Policyholder Benefits/Claims

Airgas Inc is a supplier of industrial, medical and specialty gases, and hardgoods, such as welding equipment and related products. The Company is a producer of atmospheric gases, carbon dioxide, dry ice and nitrous oxide, suppliers of safety products, and a U.S. supplier of refrigerants, ammonia products and process chemicals. Its production network and supply agreements, gas supply modes (from cylinders to truckload quantities to on-site pipeline supply) and national footprint make it one of the few fully-integrated industrial gas companies in the U.S. The Company also offers supply chain management services and solutions, and product and process technical support across many diverse customer segments. The Company markets its products and services through multiple sales channels, including branch-based sales representatives, retail stores, strategic customer account programs, telesales, catalogs, e-Business and independent distributors. The Company has two business segments, Distribution and All Other Operations. The businesses within the Distribution business segment offer a portfolio of related gas and hardgoods products and services to the end customers. Its products include industrial, medical and specialty gases sold in packaged and bulk quantities, as well as hardgoods. The Company's air separation facilities and national specialty gas labs produce gases that are sold by the various regional and other business units within the Distribution business segment as part of the complementary suite of similar products and services for the Company's customers. Gas sales include: atmospheric gases including nitrogen, oxygen and argon; helium; hydrogen; welding and fuel gases such as acetylene, propylene and propane; carbon dioxide; nitrous oxide; ultra high purity grades of various gases; special application blends; and process chemicals. Within the Distribution business segment, the Company also recognizes rent revenue derived from the rental of its gas cylinders, cryogenic liquid containers, bulk storage tanks, tube trailers and welding-related and other equipment. The All Other Operations business segment consists of six business units which manufacture and/or distribute carbon dioxide, dry ice, nitrous oxide, ammonia and refrigerant gases. Its products produced and/or supplied are carbon dioxide, dry ice (carbon dioxide in solid form), nitrous oxide, ammonia and refrigerant gases. Its business units are Carbon Dioxide & Dry Ice, Nitrous Oxide, Ammonia Products and Refrigerants.