Airgas Acquires Smith Welding/Bayer Welding Near Detroit

Airgas, Inc. (www.airgas.com) acquired the assets and operations of Smith Welding Supply & Equipment, Inc. and its affiliated company, Bayer Welding Supply, LLC, effective December 31.

The acquisition includes six locations in the Detroit area. Those operations have been integrated with Airgas Great Lakes, one of the regional companies within Airgas. Smith and Bayer had combined annual sales of $16 million in 2006.

It has a central industrial gas fill plant in Ferndale, Mich., that supported branches in Wixom, Clinton, Detroit, and Auburn Hills, and a location in Warren, Mich., that operated as Bayer Welding.

Kevin McBride, president of Airgas Great Lakes, said the new locations will expand his company’s presence in the Detroit area.

Irving Sparage, who operated Smith Welding for the past 28 years, and about 60 associates joined Airgas Great Lakes from Smith Welding/Bayer. Sparage is the grandson of Jack Smith who founded the business.

In a statement on the acquisition, Airgas said Smith Welding Supply was founded in 1917 and operated in the Detroit area as a family-owned business for three generations.