Author: Steve Guglielmo

GAWDA extends its condolences to the friends and family of Joseph H. Abrams, who passed away on Sunday, September 25th.  Joe was a leader in the Industrial Gas industry, and LifeGuard Technologies, as you know it today, would not exist without his ingenuity and dedication to making a safer industry for all. Joe’s contribution to our industry-first began with Joe’s work in cryogenics in 1958, and today the LifeGuard Safety Hoses have become a standard worldwide in all industries and applications. In 1986, Joe owned and sold one of the largest industrial gas companies in Pennsylvania and New Jersey, Woodland…

GAWDA extends its condolences to the friends and family of Lawrence “Larry” Vogel, who passed away peacefully at the age of 79. Larry worked for Norris Cylinder for 35 years until his retirement in 2014. Read his full obituary below: Lawrence “Larry” Vogel, age 79, died peacefully at home in North Plainfield, NJ with his family by his side. He had lived in North Plainfield for 48 years. Born and raised in Charleston, West Virginia, he graduated from St. Albans High School and continued his education at Western Kentucky University, where he received his BA in Business Administration and Marketing.…

Maine Oxy has been in business since 1929. Originally ran by the Albiston Family and was then purchased by Dan Guerin and Bryan Gentry in October of 2012. As of October 1st, 2022, Dan Guerin will be retiring as President but will remain on the board as Maine Oxy will be transitioning into the next phase of our history.  William Gentry will become the President of Maine Oxy. Kelly Gentry is continuing her role as the Head of the Human Resources department. Jason Gentry will oversee the real estate group including Maine Oxy, GFR and GGR. Chris Campbell is continuing…

In a post on the company’s LinkedIn page, Cameron Welding Supply announced the grand opening of its new Los Angeles Store. The new LA store is located at 5221 Telegraph Road, Los Angeles, California, 90022.

Jim joined the Butler Gas Family last summer, immediately contributing nearly two decades of industry experience to the leadership team. Focusing in technical sales and operations, Jim quickly assimilated to the anti-silos culture of the 74-year-old family-owned-and-operated business that believes sales and operations belong together. Jim joins the executive lineup of Vice Presidents Sandy Gobrish and Ben Black. “When we returned from our annual planning retreat,” shared Butler Gas President and CEO Abydee Butler Moore in an internal company announcement. “It became unmistakably clear that our high expectations in distribution excellence and specialty gas growth are deserving of a dedicated strategic champion. Jim’s passion…

Toll Company announced that Karen Rodning passed away on September 20th. Karen worked for Toll Company for over 40 years. The company posted on LinkedIn: It is with deep sadness and heavy hearts that we inform you of the death of our colleague and most importantly friend, Karen Rodning, who passed away on Tuesday Sept. 20th. Karen proudly served the customers here at Toll for over 40 years. Her customers became friends and she will be missed by all. Karen’s passing leaves a big hole in all our hearts. A memorial service for Karen will be held October 20, at…

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…

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…