Airgas Acquires Three distribution Businesses

Airgas, Inc., (www.airgas.com) acquired Wright Welding Supply, Inc., an industrial gas and welding supply distributor in Des Moines, Iowa, and two distributors in Texas and British Columbia. The three acquisitions represent about $22 million in annual sales for Airgas.

Wright Welding Supply, Inc. operates five locations in Iowa and eastern Nebraska, and has an industrial and specialty gas fill plant in Des Moines. The operations employ nearly 40 people, and will be integrated with Airgas North Central, one of the regional companies within Airgas.

Airgas also acquired Basin Welding Supply in Odessa, Texas. Airgas said that company’s new fill plant will improve its ability to fill packaged gases for customers in Odessa and the surrounding area. The fill plant is in Odessa, and opened in February.

Finally, Airgas acquired Mainland Welding Supplies Ltd. in Surrey, British Columbia. The gases and welding distributor has been merged with Airgas Canada.

Airgas, Inc. is a U.S. distributor of industrial, medical, and specialty gases, and hard goods, such as welding equipment and supplies. Airgas is also a distributor of safety products, producer of nitrous oxide and dry ice, liquid carbon dioxide producer, and a distributor of process chemicals, refrigerants, and ammonia products.