UNITED STATES

                    SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

                           Washington, DC  20549


                                 FORM 8-K

                              CURRENT REPORT


                    Pursuant to Section 13 or 15 (d) of
                    the Securities Exchange Act of 1934


             Date of Report (date of earliest event reported):
                              January 3, 2002


                               AIRGAS, INC.
          ______________________________________________________
          (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)



   Delaware                      1-9344                     56-0732648
_______________           ________________________         _____________
(State or other           (Commission File Number)         (I.R.S. Employer
jurisdiction of                                            Identification No.)
incorporation)


                 259 North Radnor-Chester Road, Suite 100
                          Radnor, PA  19087-5283
                 _________________________________________
                 (Address of principal executive offices)


Registrant's telephone number, including area code: (610) 687-5253
                                                    ______________






Item 5.  Other Events.
         ____________

   On January 3, 2002, Airgas, Inc. announced an agreement to purchase the
majority of the U.S. packaged gas business of Air Products and Chemicals,
Inc., as described in the press release attached as Exhibit 99 and
incorporated herein by reference.


Item 7.  Financial Statements, Pro Forma Financial Information and Exhibits
         __________________________________________________________________

(a)  None

(b)  None

(c)  Exhibits.

       99 - Press Release dated January 3, 2002





                                Signatures
                                __________

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities and Exchange Act of 1934,
the Registrant and Co-Registrants have duly caused this report to be signed
on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

AIRGAS, INC.                         AIRGAS EAST, INC.
(Registrant)                         AIRGAS GREAT LAKES, INC.
                                     AIRGAS MID AMERICA, INC.
                                     AIRGAS NORTH CENTRAL, INC.
BY:/s/ Robert M. McLaughlin          AIRGAS SOUTH, INC.
    Robert M. McLaughlin             AIRGAS GULF STATES, INC.
    Vice President & Controller      AIRGAS MID SOUTH, INC.
                                     AIRGAS INTERMOUNTAIN, INC.
                                     AIRGAS NORPAC, INC.
                                     AIRGAS NORTHERN CALIFORNIA & NEVADA, INC.
                                     AIRGAS SOUTHWEST, INC.
                                     AIRGAS WEST, INC.
                                     AIRGAS SAFETY, INC.
                                     RUTLAND TOOL & SUPPLY CO., INC.
                                     AIRGAS CARBONIC, INC.
                                     AIRGAS SPECIALTY GASES, INC.
                                     NITROUS OXIDE CORP.
                                     PURITAN MEDICAL PRODUCTS, INC.
                                     RED-D-ARC, INC.
                                     AIRGAS REALTY, INC.
                                     ATNL, INC.
                                     AIRGAS DATA, LLC
                                     _____________________________________
                                     (Co-Registrants)


                                     BY:/s/ Robert M. McLaughlin
                                         Robert M. McLaughlin
                                         Vice President




DATED:     January 4, 2002