LUXFER AND UTTAM JOINT VENTURE

20 February 2009

LUXFER AND UTTAM ANNOUNCE JOINT VENTURE

NEW DEHLI, India (20 Feb 2009): Luxfer Gas Cylinders, the world’s largest manufacturer of high-pressure aluminium and composite cylinders, and Uttam Air Products, a leading gas manufacturer in India, have signed a joint venture agreement to manufacture aluminium cylinders in India.

The Managing Director of the new venture will be Karan Bhatia, Managing Director of Uttam and President of the All India Industrial Gas Manufacturers Association (AIIGMA), of which both Uttam and Luxfer are members and sponsors.

The new cylinder manufacturing facility will feature state-of-the-art technology, including a computerised quality-control system. “The facility is being set up in the national capital region of Delhi, so it will be very well connected to the rest of the world,” Mr Bhatia said. “Luxfer sees many business opportunities in India, one of the fastest-growing economies in the world,” said Lonnie Smith, General Manager of the Luxfer Asia Pacific Region. “We look forward to working with our colleagues at Uttam to produce cylinders for the medical, speciality gas and alternative fuel markets.” Luxfer is already active in these and many other markets in North America, Europe and Asia Pacific.

Uttam and Luxfer have been business associates since 2004.

Founded in 1900 as a trading and import-export enterprise, Uttam has been a gas manufacturer since 1973 and now operates the largest gas facility in India. For more information, please visit www.uttam.com.