Year: 2022

Middlesex Gases, a leading supplier of specialty, medical, and industrial gases in New England, now has the capability to manufacture medical-grade, FDA-approved CO2 in-house at its Everett, Massachusetts, headquarters and filling plant. Medical CO2 is a gas widely used throughout the medical, health care, life sciences, and biotech industries for everything from minimally invasive surgeries and cryotherapy to helping maintain the sensitive environment of lab incubators. However, over the past two years, supply chain issues have made it increasingly difficult for Middlesex to secure this essential gas on a reliable basis for its customers. In April 2021, the company decided…

Holston Gases completed the acquisition of Alpine Gas Company with operations headquartered in Carrolton, GA. Holston Gases will consolidate their operation into the Holston Gases facility located at 25 Brightwave Blvd, Carrolton, GA 30117. Holston Gases President Robert Anders said, “We are very pleased to add the 3100 propane customers of Alpine Gas to those of Holston Gases. Alpine Gas Inc. has been servicing the north Georgia area for over 58 years and has a great reputation and loyal customers that we are excited to bring into the Holston family.” The owner of Alpine Gas Inc. agreed that the consolidation of…

When Steve Guglielmo advised that this was Welding and Gases Today’s anniversary edition, I was excited. As it happens, the magazine’s landmark issue coincides with an anniversary of my own. I started my career in the gases and welding business 50 years ago on June 1, 1972. From Floppy Disk to the Cloud My long and fulfilling career has been punctuated by the digital changes that have transformed society. I still have my first calling card that bears the title, “Sales Engineer, North Texas, Airco Welding Products.” In that position, I called on distributors. As part of my training, I…

By Mike Marks, Indian River Consulting Group As we’re all aware: The supply chain is no longer as dependable as it used to be. It’s now the equivalent of a wild pendulum with sporadic oscillations.  Demand is also fuzzy and seems to be ever-changing. Think about the start of the pandemic, when there was a massive shortage of masks and gloves. People were doing some really interesting things to find and stockpile these supplies. Now, companies give away masks and gloves because they have so much backstock. It’s the same scenario that is going to play out in the automotive…

Many small to medium-sized B2B companies deal with the same problem, day after day, year after year. They’ve long understood the value of marketing and its role in helping gain exposure for their brands, drive traffic to their websites, and generate leads for their sales teams.  But they often lack the financial backing to do it right.  Any good marketing program requires an investment on three primary fronts: labor, technology, and advertising.  Let’s review how SMBs can get the biggest impact from lean marketing budgets.  Vision vs. Reality What should your marketing budget be?  That’s an age-old question, but important,…

Ask Your Board is a new feature that will run 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 How has your company changed its marketing strategy over the last 5-10 years? Have you found the increase in reach has translated to an…

The past three years have been difficult for all of us. From the depths of the pandemic, we returned to in-person business, but the “new normal” changed the way we worked. And now, as we deal with the fallout from the pandemic, including unprecedented inflation, supply chain issues, and labor shortages, it has, at times, been difficult to find things to celebrate. But through the gloom, GAWDA members have continued to persevere and thrive. This year, we recognize those GAWDA members who are celebrating milestone anniversaries in 2022. Reaching these incredible milestones is impressive at any time. But it’s especially…

Jack Van Steenburg, Chief Safety Officer for the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, set out the agency’s agenda and priorities in a presentation at a recent trucking industry meeting. He started by noting that there were 38,824 highway fatalities recorded in 2020, including 5,125 fatalities involving heavy trucks and buses. Both of these numbers are expected to increase when the 2021 numbers are final. In addition, some 831 large truck occupants were killed in crashes in 2020, and 43% of them were not wearing seat belts.  Van Steenburg noted that the number of new motor carrier entrants has risen dramatically…

By Paul Bernier, ASP There are real dangers of heat stress in the workplace, and it can happen quickly to anyone working in hot, humid conditions. A worker may suffer cramps, dizzy or fainting spells, or even more serious issues such as heat stroke, or even death. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, an average of about 45 workers die each year from heat stress in the U.S. Although there is not a specific federal standard addressing heat stress, employers are more aware than ever, looking to protect their workers from heat related illness while keeping them as…

By Tom Badstubner, Marilyn Dempsey, Michael Dodd, Rick Schweitzer and Steve Guglielmo 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 two issues of 2022, we spoke with the consultants about a variety of topics that will impact your business in 2022. From recently passed or upcoming legislation, to the continued impact…