Airgas, Inc. (NYSE: ARG), the largest U.S. distributor of industrial,
medical, and specialty gases, and related supplies today introduced
Airgas SmartTag, the industry′s first visual identification system for
managing cylinder gas expiration. Used primarily for EPA Protocol gas
cylinders, Airgas SmartTag is a small, microprocessor-controlled Radio
Frequency Identification (RFID) collar that fits around the neck of a
gas cylinder and provides instant, on-site access to cylinder contents
data.
Airgas SmartTag is a small, microprocessor-controlled Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) collar that fits around the neck of an EPA Protocol gas cylinder and provides instant, on-site access to cylinder contents data. (Photo: Airgas, Inc.)
'All it takes is a glance and you′ll know if the gas is good,? said Bob
Davis, Airgas Vice President ? Environmental and Sustainable
Technologies. 'Airgas SmartTag has lights so you can quickly see if the
cylinder contents are ready for use, nearing expiration, or past the
expiration date. This is critical when you′re using EPA Protocol gases
because you cannot use an expired Protocol gas when monitoring
emissions. Airgas SmartTag helps keep our customers in compliance. ?
According to Davis, Airgas SmartTag has a green light that flashes to
show the gas is ready for use, a yellow light that indicates when the
gas is within 60 days of expiration, and a red light that indicates the
gas is past its expiration date and should not be used. The RFID
technology and a printed barcode enable customers and Airgas personnel
to easily track cylinders.
With the Airgas SmartTag system, all data pertaining to the gas is
imbedded into the RFID collar when the cylinder is filled. Data includes
identification of the gas or gas mixture, the location where the
cylinder was filled, gas pressure within the cylinder after the cylinder
was filled, a Certification of Analysis, and expiration date for the gas
in the cylinder. When the cylinder is connected at a customer location,
the RFID collar records cylinder gas pressure and gas volume used
throughout any given period of time. The device records and stores data
for easy retrieval and transmits data to a provided hand-held display
that customers and Airgas personnel can use to retrieve the information
and track cylinder usage. Davis said that the ability to transmit the
data without the use of email was important to customers.
'Airgas SmartTag eliminates many of the concerns users of EPA Protocol
gases have,? Davis explained. 'From monumental concerns about not
knowing when the gas will expire, which could result in non compliance
with EPA regulations and significant penalties, to concerns about
relying on email for notification of gases that have expired and then
trying to locate those specific cylinders among all cylinders on site.
Airgas SmartTag technology was developed to put an end to those
headaches and hassles.?
For more information about Airgas SmartTag technology, contact Bob Davis
at (610) 675-6854, or
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 a leading U.S.
producer of atmospheric gases, carbon dioxide, dry ice, and nitrous
oxide, one of the largest U.S. distributors of safety products, and a
leading U.S. distributor of refrigerants, ammonia products, and process
chemicals. More than 15,000 employees work in approximately 1,100
locations, including branches, retail stores, gas fill plants, specialty
gas labs, production facilities and distribution centers. Airgas also
markets 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
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