Year: 2022

Al Mazoch began his career in the gases and welding industry working as a sales representative for Linde Air Products Company, a division of Union Carbide and Carbon Corporation in Houston, Texas. In 1963, Al decided to venture out on his own, when he began Coastal Welding Supply in Beaumont, Texas.  Nearly 60 years later, the company continues to thrive under the leadership of Al’s son, J.C. “Chuck” Mazoch. The company has grown and evolved from a single service location in Beaumont to 200 associates and 13 distribution sites located along the Gulf Coast Petrochemical and Metal Fabrication corridor of…

CGA and GAWDA recently partnered again to host the 3rd annual Young & Emerging Professionals Summit. Sponsored by Weldcoa, this year’s program featured a series of eight technical webinars which followed air gases from production to end use.  More than 700 industry professionals joined us for the Summit, which has gained a reputation as a one-of-a-kind technical training event. The sessions, which included presentations, case studies, and panel discussions, were led by 25 industry subject matter experts.  Throughout the Summit, one point became abundantly clear, prioritizing the development of young and emerging professionals doesn’t just benefit CGA and GAWDA –…

Ask Your Board is a feature that runs in the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th Quarter Issues of Welding & Gases Today. The purpose of Ask Your Board is to ask common business questions that all GAWDA members might be dealing with and to see how GAWDA’s Board of Directors are dealing with these issues within their own companies. To submit a question for GAWDA’s Board Members to consider, please email [email protected]  THE QUESTION The theme for this year’s GAWDA Annual Convention is “Building a Bridge for Future Leaders.” How does your company do a good job of identifying and preparing…

The GAWDA Consultant Program is a GAWDA member benefit that is included as part of your member dues to the association. It is consistently rated as one of the most valuable member benefits that GAWDA provides. Between the four of them, GAWDA’s consultants bring more than 100 years of industry-specific experience to the association. In the first three issues of 2022, we spoke with the consultants about a variety of topics that impacted businesses in 2022. From recently passed or upcoming legislation, to the continued impact of COVID, to an increased frequency of inspections. For our final issue of 2022,…

During World War II, Leonard Hein trained American pilots to fly and fight. Due to his German descent, he wasn’t allowed to fight during the war, but he was able to contribute to the Allied cause by helping to train other pilots. Following the war, Leonard and his wife, Trudy, decided to open a boat and welding supply business. For a long time, Leonard and Trudy were the sole employees of the company that would become Bemidji Welders Supply. Seven days per week, the two would do all of the sales, service, pickups,  and deliveries themselves. Eventually, the company sold…

By Ken Thompson Kudos to GAWDA President Bob Ewing and his SMC organizing partners for a solid Indianapolis Spring Management Conference! GAWDA’s value is defined by its business-related content and the amazing networking opportunities that allow the content to be discussed, exchanged, and absorbed by so many. Three subjects quickly surfaced as the “hot button” topics that appeared in every distributors’ note pads.  First, the rapidly expanding space in which the distributor manages the wide horizon of gases from atmosphere to user. Next, solutions surfacing that permit distributors to level the field in the electronic paths to markets for their…

GAWDA’s first ever online Women of Gases and Welding Roundtable event was a smashing success. This new virtual offering provided an opportunity for women in the industry to network, learn, engage, and connect with one another. The event started with a brief introduction on what WGW entails, followed by an overview of the opportunities available to GAWDA members. The large audience then transitioned into a small group breakout session, allowing participants to introduce themselves, and share their roles within their company and their goals they are currently striving for. The audience then returned back together to participate in an open…

By Ken Thompson CYLINDERS – they are heavy, hard to safely manipulate, often need a fresh coat of paint, and do little more than ‘house’ gaseous goods that are so extremely important to mankind, that we cannot do without them. The distribution of gases absolutely demands their presence. Some of us choose to be in that business! First of all, cylinders cost a lot of money, and more frequently than not, are ‘worth’ far more than the gases they contain. It’s not unusual that a $300 cylinder is required to deliver $2.00 worth of oxygen. Consider for a moment that…

Congress Reinstates Hydrocarbon Taxes – As directed by congress, the Internal Revenue Service has reimposed excise taxes on certain hydrocarbons that have not been collected since the mid-1990s. These Superfund Chemical Excise Taxes were reinstated on chemicals and substances by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act signed into law November 15, 2021. The Superfund Tax is effective as of July 1, 2022 and will remain in effect until the end of 2031. The first payment is due October 31, 2022 for the calendar quarter ending September 30, 2022. The IRS has published a detailed set of Frequently Asked Questions that provide…

Airgas, an Air Liquide company, formally opened a new, state-of-the-art center outside of Cleveland, in Twinsburg, Ohio. The multi-faceted, functional ALTEC Engineering Solutions Center brings the company’s ALTEC Engineering Solutions and Advanced Fabrication teams together to innovate, create and accelerate solutions for customers across a range of industries, including Manufacturing, Metal Fabrication, Construction, Food Production, Heat Treating, and more.  Thirty-five onsite and 45 remote employees will be based at the 42,000 square feet facility. They will host both internal collaborators and customers for interactive training sessions, product development and research projects. With dedicated lab space and industrial testing capacity, this…