Author: Steve Guglielmo

MWSCO has named Lisa Lorisch as their new Operations Manager, replacing Paul Hengel, who will retire after 45 years of service.  President Troy Elmer remarked, “Lisa has been with MWSCO for 12 years as Human Resources Manager, proving to be a great asset to the company. Most notably, she has done an outstanding job of building our employee benefit package.”   In the 12 years Lisa has been with MWSCO, the company has nearly doubled in size. Having been involved in many areas of the company, Lisa is well equipped for her new role having experience in safety, the employee wellness…

Holston Gases completed the acquisition of the propane business of Combustion Services Propane with operations headquartered in Mcewen, TN. Holston Gases will service these customers from their new facility, located at 1080 HWY 49, Erin, TN 37178. Holston Gases President Joe Baxter said, “We are very pleased to add the over 1,000 propane customers of Combustion Services to those of Holston Gases. Combustion Services has been servicing the middle Tennessee area for more than 13 years and has a great reputation and loyal customers that we are excited to bring into the Holston family.” Al Griffeth, owner of Combustion Services, agreed…

The 160 Employee Owners of CK Supply Inc. have been selected to carry on operations of 101-Year-old Columbia Welding and Machine LLC in Columbia, MO. CK Supply Inc. completed the acquisition of Columbia Welding and Machine LLC., the leading supplier of welding supplies and compressed gases in Columbia, MO. “We are excited and appreciative about the opportunity to continue the legacy of Columbia Welding and Machine. Their reputation for superior customer service and quality products is unmatched in the region.” stated Brad Dunn, CEO of CK Supply Inc. Columbia Welding and Machine has been the leading, independent source in the…

Central McGowan and Minneapolis Oxygen Acquires M&H Gas & Midwest Hydro Testing, Expanding CO₂ Service Footprint Across the Midwest  Central McGowan and Minneapolis Oxygen are proud to announce their acquisition of M&H Gas & Midwest Hydro Testing, a family-owned company headquartered in Independence, Missouri and the Midwest’s largest provider of bulk CO₂ systems for the food service and hospitality industries.  Founded in 1972, M&H Gas has built a reputation for reliable service and innovative CO₂ solutions, serving over 5,000 customers across the region—from convenience stores and national restaurant chains to theme parks and entertainment venues. With over 100 years of combined…

In Memoriam: Ryan Homan GAWDA extends its condolences to the friends and family of Ryan Homan. Lefeld Industrial & Welding Supplies announced that Ryan Homan “Otis” had passed away on March 26, 2025. Ryan was the Fabrication Shop Manager at Lefeld and had been with the company since 1996. The company said, “He brought his quick wit, steady patience, and positive spirit to everyone around him. His legacy will live on, and he will be deeply missed.” Ryan is survived by his wife, Jacqueline,  sons, Josh and Luke; brothers, Chad Homan and Randy & Carol Homan; grandmother, LaDonna Homan; father-in-law…

GAWDA hosted its first Regional Meeting of 2025 in Greenville, SC from March 24-25. More than 170 GAWDA members attended the event, which was organized by co-chairs Nico Arvelo, Britt Lovin, and Linda Smith. Highlights from the event included thebreathtaking views from a trending rooftop at the AC Hotels by Marriott of Downtown Greenville, the challenging Golf Course of The Preserve Golf Club, and the adrenaline-pumping experience of driving high-performance vehicles on five demanding tracks at the BMW Performance Center. Congratulations to Chad Brandenburg from American Welding & Gas, Nicolas Arvelo from EQUIGAS, Inc., and Joshua LeConey from STARRETT in…

Today’s buyers are more informed than ever, turning to Google Search to research gases, welding supplies, and equipment before making a purchase, or in some cases, before even contacting a distributor. Whether they’re comparing welding gas options, searching for distributors, or exploring new technologies, their search behavior offers valuable insights into market demand. Google Trends is a free tool that helps businesses analyze search interest over time. It provides a visual representation of how often specific terms are searched, scaled from 0 to 100—where 100 represents peak popularity for a given term. By tracking search trends, gases and welding distributors…

CK Supply Announces Leadership Transitions: Brad Dunn Named CEO, Tony Ruppel Joins as President, and Ned Lane moving to Chairman of the Board CK Supply Inc., a leading provider of industrial gases, welding supplies, and dry ice solutions, is excited to announce key leadership transitions that will drive the company’s future growth and success. Effective immediately, Brad Dunn, 3rd Generation owner and leader has been promoted to Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of CK Supply. Dunn has been with the company for over 14 years, most recently serving as Executive Vice President, where he oversaw sales, marketing, safety, HR and the…

Like 2024, GAWDA’s suppliers are expecting robust growth in 2025. But unlike 2024, they don’t have the same concerns about a potential election-year surprise looming at the end of it, tempering their expectations. While some suppliers noted that things like tariffs and inflation could dull growth this year, there was a universal expectation of a strong pro-business environment and growth across the board for GAWDA members in 2025! The following are responses from GAWDA suppliers across North America about their expectations for this year. We thank all of the suppliers who participated in this year’s forecast. Be sure to check…

GAWDA Distributors Forecast Gases & Welding Economy for 2025 Every year, the first quarter issue of Welding & Gases Today sets the tone for the coming year with the forecast issue. Not only do we speak with our distributor and supplier (page 58) members, but we also have our sister organizations like the American Welding Society (page 78) and Compressed Gas Association (page 80) contribute their thoughts on the upcoming year, to be combined with the quarterly ITR Economic Forecast (page 88). This issue also features the first look at this year’s Spring Management Conference, which will set the theme…