Author: GAWDA MEDIA

 CTR Cryogenic Technology Resources (CTR) began 30 years ago as a one-man operation. President Jeff Winegar opened the company as a field cryogenic vessel repair and cosmetic upgrade start-up. “I spent 18 years in the industry with Air Products and Sunox,” he says. “The relationships I had developed over the years helped in a big way in getting jobs as a start-up service vendor.” As the company has steadily grown over the past three decades, CTR has been able to add more employees and capabilities.  “It has been the long-term quality people that were key to CTR’s success,” says Winegar.…

AOC Mexico AOC Mexico was originally opened in 1993 as Acetileno Oxigeno de Coahuila, which it operated as until 2000 when, due to its growth, it changed its name to AOC. The company started with $7,000 in capital and 50 cylinders. It was founded as a family-owned company and has retained those tenets through the next three decades, operating with the slogan: Safety in Gases. Today, the company has 18 branches, 210 employees, 10 filling plants, 1 hydrogen filling plant, 1 acetylene production plant, and 1 gas metrology laboratory. Though it was founded with a sales mix of 30% gas,…

McDantim Inc. Prior to the 1990s, carbonation was a challenge that plagued the industry. Drinks were either over-carbonated or too flat, which provided a real challenge for the bar and restaurant industry. McDantim, Inc. was founded in 1988 following the sale of Draft Systems to Micro Matic to promote the sale of the Gas Blender for beer dispense. In 1991, Mert Fallon introduced the McDantim blender to the beer industry and, for the first time, bars and restaurants were able to keep the carbonation on beer to the perfect level.  “It helped revolutionize draught beer today,” said late CEO Dan…

American Cap Company Founded in 1988, American Cap Company, LLC (ACC) is a global leader in manufacturing compressed gas cylinder accessories and other cylinder components. Leveraging decades of custom fabrication and machining experience, ACC has a diversified product portfolio and a wide range of capabilities to service several industries.  The 200,000 sq. ft facility in Wheatland, Pennsylvania gives ACC the capacity to serve the manufacturing and warehousing needs of our customers. ACC’s facility and processes are established to provide quick turnaround on high volume production requirements while focusing on continuous improvement and cost reduction. The company’s products and manufacturing capabilities…

Ace Welding Supply, Inc. In 1988, Peter Ficarrotto and business partners opened the door to Ace Welding Supply, Inc. Together with his son, Matthew, who worked for the company part-time before joining full-time in 1994, the two built a company that has endured for the next 35 years. “Ace Welding Supply, Inc., while still a small company today, has built and developed a loyal base of customers,” says Vice President Matthew Carlson. “Many of our customers have been with us for over 20 years. Trust, reliability, excellent service and fair pricing have been the cornerstones of Ace’s business model. We…

Evergreen Midwest In 1978, entrepreneur Joseph Cregan, Sr. founded Evergreen Midwest. Prior to opening Evergreen, Cregan had spent two decades in the compressed gas and welding industry, which gave him the insight and the foresight to put his goals into action. Those commitments continued to live on through the actions of his family and Evergreen Midwest long-after Joseph passed away in 1988. Today, Evergreen Midwest continues his innovation, constantly strengthening the company while benefiting its customers. “Evergreen’s growth has been steady and constant over 45 years,” says President Tom Cregan. “We have developed our business through hard work and a…

Computers Unlimited In 1978, Dr. Mike Schaer and his partner, Stan Hoggatt, established Computers Unlimited in Billings, Montana. Now celebrating its 45th anniversary in 2023, CU has evolved into a world-renowned software development leader. In the early 1990s, Dr. Schaer assumed full ownership of the company. During these formative years, CU had a dedicated team of about 18 employees, who laid the foundation of the company, contributing their expertise in sales, software development, testing, implementation, training, and end-user support. Those core areas of emphasis remain integral to CU’s present-day operations and identity, continuing to drive success today. “We have a…

WEH Technologies Founded in 1973 by Erwin and Karolina Weh, WEH Technologies began as an innovative quick connector provider for pressure, function, and leak testing. Their market intuition led to a diverse product line, making them a key player in the industry. As the business expanded, it not only provided solutions to its customers’ challenges but also played a vital role in enhancing workplace safety and efficiency. The team at WEH remained committed to their vision of developing products that facilitated secure and seamless processes for their clients. Today, the legacy of Erwin and Karolina Weh lives on, as the…

Volunteer Welding Volunteer Welding Supply, Inc. was founded in 1973 by Harold and Evelyn McMurtry. Harold had previously been working for National Cylinder Gas since 1950 and had steadily climbed the ranks, even having been offered the position of National Sales Manager. However, due to his career advancement, the family had moved 7-8 times already and McMurtry wanted to settle down. He asked National Cylinder Gas if he could buy the original location that he started his career at in Nashville in 1950 and the company agreed, and thus, Volunteer Welding was born. Harold and Evelyn had three sons, David…

Ray Murray Ray Murray, Inc. is celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2023. Founded by Ray Murray in 1973, the company today operates four locations in Flint, MI, Bensalem, PA, Lee, MA, and Goldsboro, NC, with 75 employees.  Ray Murray operated the company from 1973 through his retirement in 1997. From 1997-2005, Ray Murray, Jr. and John Murray managed the day-to-day operations of the company. In 2005, Mike Hopsicker became a partner and owner in the company and began serving as President and CEO. In 2021, Hopsicker acquired 100% ownership of the company. “There are many aspects that have helped us…