Welding & Gases Today | Q2 2025 by Welding & Gases Today

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EXECUTIVE EDITOR

John Ospina jospina@gawda.org

PUBLISHER

Bill Brod billb@gawdamedia.com

EDITOR IN CHIEF

Steve Guglielmo steveg@gawdamedia.com

CONTRIBUTING EDITORS

Natasha Alexis nalexis@gawda.org

Andrea Levy alevy@gawda.org

DESIGN DIRECTOR

Robin Barnes robinb@gawdamedia.com

VICE PRESIDENT, SALES

Tim Hudson timh@gawdamedia.com

ACCOUNT MANAGER

Lesli Mitchell leslim@gawdamedia.com

RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT COORDINATOR

Athena Cossette athenac@gawdamedia.com

GRAPHIC DESIGN

Jeannine Papelino

FEATURES

Tech Trends & Takeaways

A Look at GAWDA’s Technology Committee Ahead of SMC 2025

BY STEVE GUGLIELMO AND HECTOR VILLARREAL

82 A Guide to Digital Transformation Investments for Distributors

BY MIKE MARKS

86 Customer Expectations in 2025

BY ART WASKEY

Combating Brain Drain and Building the Future

Sustaining a Resilient Culture

BY RANDY SQUIBB

Search Engine Trends for the Gases and Welding Industry

NEWS ROUNDUP

Welding & Gases Today (USPS 22-975) is published quarterly: Winter, Spring, Summer and Fall, with additional publications in Spring and Summer. • Non-member subscription rate is $195 per year. • GAWDA members (key contacts and branch locations) receive the magazine as part of their dues. • GAWDA members can order additional yearly subscriptions (4 issues) for $40. • Welding & Gases Today is published by Data Key Holdings, LLC on behalf of the Gases and Welding Distributors Association. • Periodicals postage paid at Ft. Lauderdale, FL, and at additional mailing offices (ISSN 1558-5344). • Editorial correspondence should be sent to Editors, c/o editor@gawdamedia.com. Advertising correspondence and materials should be sent to William Brod, Data Key Holdings, LLC, 19 Albany St., Suite 2E Cazenovia, NY 13035; telephone (315) 445-2347, fax (315) 422-1721. • Postmaster: Send address changes to Welding & Gases Today, Gases and Welding Distributors Association, One Oakwood Blvd, Suite 195, Hollywood, FL 33020 • Welding & Gases Today is the official journal of the Gases and Welding Distributors Association (GAWDA) and carries news and announcements concerning GAWDA. • It is not responsible for contents or opinions other than association activities. • Contents are copyright ©2025 Data Key Holdings, LLC. • All rights reserved. • Nothing may be reproduced in whole or in part without written permission of the publisher. • Questions and comments can be sent via e-mail to Editors, c/o editorial@gawdamedia.com. • Data Key Holdings, LLC reserves the right to print portions of or all of any correspondence mailed to the editors without liability on its part and no such correspondence will be returned. • Visit Welding & Gases Today Online at www.GAWDAmedia. org. Statement of Ownership Publication Title Welding & Gases Today. Publication number 22-975. Filing date 09/2024. Issue frequency quarterly + 2 special issues. # of issues published annually: 6. Subscription price part of member dues. Mailing address of known office of publication and headquarters: One Oakwood Boulevard, Suite 195, Hollywood, FL 33020. Headquarters address same. Publisher: William Brod, Data Key Communications, 9 Albany St., Suite 2E Cazenovia, NY 13035. Editor: John C. Ospina, GAWDA Executive Director, One Oakwood Boulevard, Suite 195, Hollywood, FL 33020. Editor in Chief: Steve Guglielmo Data Key Holdings, LLC, 9 Albany St., Suite 2E Cazenovia, NY 13035. Owner: GAWDA, One Oakwood Boulevard, Suite 195, Hollywood, FL 33020. Average net press run 1803/1875. Outside county paid/requested mail subscriptions 1850/1875. In-county paid/ requested mail subscriptions 0/0. Sales through dealers and carriers 0/0. Requested copies by other mail classes 0/0. Total paid and or requested circulation 1775/1803. Outside county nonrequested copies 0/0. In-county nonrequested copies 0/0. Nonrequested copies distributed through USPS by other classes 0/0. Nonrequested copies distributed outside the mail 150/400. Total nonrequested distribution 150/400. Total distribution 1850/1875. Copies not distributed

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Successfully Navigating Change and Maintaining a Resilient Culture

Eric Wood is GAWDA’s 2024-2025 President as well as COO of O.E. Meyer Company. He can be reached at 419-6253054 or by email at ewood@oemeyer.com

Hello GAWDA Members, and thank you for taking the time from your day to read this article and for checking out this issue of Welding & Gases Today. This issue and article coincide with our SMC in Dallas, Texas, and I am so excited to spend time with our members and volunteers and share my theme and vision for 2025.

My theme for 2025 is “Sustaining a Resilient Culture.”

I find relevance and examples of resilience in the GAWDA organization and in the companies we represent. It goes without saying that change is ever-present.

The changes and challenges we experience are many. The most difficult changes that can affect a company’s culture can be the disruptions in our business related to changes in ownership and/or leadership changes within our companies. Leadership transitions are an unavoidable part of any organization, but their influence on company culture can be significant. Whether a company is going through a planned succession, an unexpected leadership change, or a shift in business strategy, the way new leaders integrate into the organization can either enhance or disrupt the workplace culture. Effectively managing these transitions is crucial for ensuring stability, keeping employees motivated, and achieving longterm success.

Here at the SMC, we will hear from Aaron Brandt and Evan Smith from Hypertherm. They will discuss and share with us the Hypertherm culture and Hypertherm’s recent leadership transition and share some of their thoughts regarding the challenges with a change of such magnitude.

This year, GAWDA celebrates its 80th anniversary. It takes resilience, effort, and generosity for a trade organization such as ours to succeed and continue to grow for 80 years. Despite the challenges we’ve faced, our industry remains strong, and partner companies continue to contribute regardless of the headwinds we face.

For eight decades, GAWDA has been a pillar of strength in our industry. We’ve grown, adapted, and thrived because of our commitment to those values, and we will continue to do so. GAWDA is strong, and together, we’ll ensure it stays strong for the next 80 years.

Throughout 2025, as we celebrate this big milestone, you can expect plenty of moments to reflect on GAWDA’s rich history and all that we've achieved together. But it won’t just be about looking back; we’ll also be looking ahead, focusing on how we’ll keep building and strengthening the resilient culture that’s made us who we are today.

One last point on resilience and culture. GAWDA Gives Back is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year. For 25 years, the GAWDA organization and its members have created and embraced a culture of generosity and a culture of resilience. Members have continued to be charitable and generous regardless of our current economic cycles, contributing astounding amounts to those in need. For this, we are also resilient!

In the past 25 years, GAWDA Gives Back has changed the lives of many people and organizations. I thank our predecessors for making GAWDA Gives Back so impactful, and I find the opportunity to choose one very humbling. I can’t think of a better way to contribute and sustain our generous culture as GAWDA president than by choosing a worthy cause in which we can make a difference.

LEADERS IN INNOVATION

At Lincoln Electric, we maintain a commitment to innovation in everything we do. From the new POWER MIG® 262P, to the Elevate™ SLi Battery Powered Welder, we are driven to deliver new products that make your customers’ welding experience easier, more productive, more efficient – in a word, better. As the world leader in the engineering, design and manufacture of advanced arc welding equipment and solutions, we are proud to offer a full lineup of innovative products, backed with the expertise and support you can trust.

Cutting Through the Noise

GAWDA provides resources to help members make sense of the ever-changing stream of information.

John Ospina is GAWDA’s Executive Director. He can be reached at GAWDA Headquarters in Hollywood, FL, via telephone at 844-251-3219 or via email at jospina@gawda.org.

GAWDA is working to develop programs to keep up with the overwhelming stream of information we face today.

GAWDA has launched our new LMS and is now hosting the updated GAWDA University modules. Each member company can open an account where a designated person in your company serves as the manager that can assign user privileges to employees. This person can track employee progress and see who has completed and passed the assigned courses. These courses come with a certificate of completion for your HR records. In the 30 days since we launched, there have been more than 30 companies and 109 users signed up for the program.

GAWDA is now hosting all 13 CGA eLearning modules on the new LMS. Prior to this change, the modules were only open to distributors. Under the new agreement, the eLearning modules are now open to all member companies through the members-only site.

Since the beginning of the year, we have seen all kinds of changes coming out of Washington D.C. that are impacting businesses. Our consultants are swamped with questions on a regular basis with members trying to keep up with the ever-changing landscape. Trying to keep up with the constant changes is like drinking out of a fire hydrant.

To help clarify some of the questions, we were able to provide GAWDA members access to a special webinar on April 8th hosted by the National Association of Wholesale Distributors (NAW) on “Navigating Tariffs: Strategic Insights for Wholesaler-Distributors in 2025.” For those of

you who missed it, we also added the host of that webinar, Brian Wild, Chief Government Relations Officer, National Association of Wholesaler-Distributors (NAW), to the SMC speaker lineup. Brian will break down the latest developments on tariffs and their real-time impact on the gases and welding industry. With clarity and insider insight, he’ll explain how trade policy decisions are made, what to expect next, and what GAWDA members can do to protect and position their businesses in this evolving economic climate.

At the 2025 Annual Convention, Alex Chausovsky, Director of Analytics and Consulting at the Bundy Group, and Eugene Chausovsky, Senior Director for Analytical Development for New Lines Institute, which is a foreign policy think tank based in Washington D.C., will present on the impact of geopolitics on business. During this presentation, they will discuss the effects of geopolitical policies and how they impact the way we do business. They’ll cover tariffs, global trade issues, conflict hot spots, and other trends that could affect your business.

During our 2026 SMC, Alex Chausovsky and Eugene Chausovsky will be back to host a series of simulation exercises on crisis management scenarios based on geopolitical and economic trends of that time. These exercises are designed as an interactive way to look at potential problems and develop ways to work through them and find creative solutions.

There’s no question that we need to be prepared for whatever may come. GAWDA is committed to help you face these and other new challenges coming our way.

If You Build It, They Will Come

But will they stay?

Steve Guglielmo is GAWDA Media’s Editor-in-Chief. He has more than a decade of experience working with industrial associations. He can be reached at steveg@gawdamedia.com.

In the Q1 Issue of Welding & Gases

Today, my editor’s column was entitled “Building a Culture that’s Worth Sustaining.” I love this year’s theme of “Sustaining a Resilient Culture,” but, as I explored in that Q1 Issue, I also find it fascinating to explore how strong cultures are built in the first place.

One of my all-time favorite movies is Field of Dreams, and its most famous line —“If you build it, they will come”—feels especially relevant as GAWDA celebrates its 80th anniversary. Over the past eight decades, this association has built an incredible culture. And, as we set new attendance records with each passing show, the axiom proves true. But, as this year’s theme reminds us, it’s not enough to build something great. You have to keep building to keep it great.

This principle applies not just to GAWDA’s culture but to the way we have always embraced innovation and change. Internally, we always refer to the Q2 issue as “The SMC Issue,” because it debuts on-site at the Spring Management Conference. But, looking at this edition’s content, it might be more fitting to call it “The Technology Issue” or “The AI Issue.”

As you will read in our interview with Technology Co-Chair Hector Villarreal on pages 72, the committee was created to tackle AI, cybersecurity, and e-commerce—three areas our Board of Directors identified as critical for our mem-

bers. As Hector explains, “There is no finish line in e-commerce. There’s no finish line in cybersecurity. You always have to be evolving.”

That point hit home for me. If you build it, they will come. But if you don’t keep building it, they won’t stay. And that idea is echoed throughout this issue, as you’ll read in articles like “A Guide to Digital Transformation Investments for Distributors” (page 82), “Customer Expectations in 2025” (page 86), and the Member Profiles of Haun Welding Supply and SafTCart.

Art Waskey wrote in his article on page 86, “The overarching goal of a successful distribution business is to provide the best possible customer value, products, and services with ease and efficiency. Becoming more productive with AI tools allows you to grow and prosper.

These tools are the next frontier for our members. And I’m so proud that GAWDA is once again on the cutting edge in bringing those tools and education to our members.

I’m so excited for this year’s SMC, and I’m even more excited to be celebrating GAWDA’s 80th Anniversary throughout the year. The continuous innovation and evolution have allowed GAWDA and our members to have built and continue to build “Resilient Cultures” that are worth sustaining.

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Jack Butler

NWSA PRESIDENT 1992-1993

BUTLER GAS PRODUCTS

Life After the Presidency

In my GAWDA (then NWSA, National Welding Supply Association) President Year of 1993, time was the currency and speed was the base, as the internet was rapidly accelerating business methods and Peter McCausland was consolidating our association membership under the Airgas marquee. We had the initial wave of Baby Boomers joining the industry, and I had the honor and fun of serving NWSA alongside Jack Dammann, Randy Squibb, Dan Paris, Jim Robertson, Gary Armstrong, Bill Higley, Chip Valentine, Dave Mahoney, and current GAWDA Hall of Famers Bob Roberts and Wally Brant. My Fab-Five mentors of Ken Thompson, John Beringer, Bob Jackson, Larry Kissler, and Andy Castiglione Sr. imprinted on me their industry actions and behavior. I was a lucky 41-year-old in 1993 with a team of industry titans supporting me.

Our spring meeting theme was “Why Technology? Because it Works!” and in Maui in the fall, I suggested “Chart A New Course” to turn headwinds to tailwinds as the internet, gas manufacturing and distribution safety, Total Quality Management, and NWSA membership consolidation were hot topics for our industry. Our Executive Committee of two Jacks, Randy, John, and Dan with enlisted Board Vice Presidents Jim Robertson (safety), Gary Armstrong

(technology), and Bill Higley (training /education) met in Nashville, Indianapolis, Baltimore, Reno, and Fort Worth throughout the year with about 200 people at each meeting. We created two learning forums: The “Industry Forum,” where supplier CEOs shared their technology and safety ideas, and “Operation Interchange,” where NWSA distributors shared best practices about specific new technologies. The great people skills of our speakers, combined with our members’ willingness to share, made “Why Technology? Because it Works!” an exposé of industry success stories and near misses. The Baby Boomers were stepping up, and our NWSA mentors kept challenging us with difficult assignments. The Great Generation was passing the baton to the Baby Boomers, and it was inspirational to follow behind these trailblazers.

My father, Butler Gas founder John A. Butler (Jack), always taught me that luck is the crossroads of preparedness and opportunity, and NWSA received a bolt of luck in the early 1990s. As our NWSA Safety Committee, led by Jim Robertson and Bonnie Stanage, was rapidly developing new safety and compliance manuals to meet federally mandated deadlines, we met Rick Schweitzer on this safety journey, and the rest is history. Our early 1990s NWSA Safety Committee evolved from basic manu-

PRESIDENCY Life After

als to the industry’s first publications of advanced safety and compliance procedures rooted in established CGA standards. This journey took less than 365 days. Jim, Bonnie, and Rick created this 1993 safety quantum leap for the entire packaged gas distribution industry.

When my daughter, Abydee, became GAWDA President at 33-years-old in 2020 and 2021, it was more eventful and exciting than my year in 1993. Abydee had the COVID Pandemic, with the collapse of in-person collaboration, to deal with in her years, so my brush with the early internet hassles seems pale by comparison. My wife, Elissa, and I were so proud of Abydee’s leadership during these unforgiving times, and thanks to Wally Brant, Gary Halter, and Indiana Oxygen Company, a shuf-

News From GAWDA Life After PRESIDENCY

fling of the GAWDA Officer terms was implemented, and Abydee had a second presidential year in 2021 to have in-person Conventions. Thank goodness for the GAWDA Consultants and PPP-funding during these years. Our business and association were lucky to have Abydee lead during these tough times with her innovative thinking, volunteering skills, and industry network across GAWDA, IOMA, and CGA.

My father told me on his deathbed, “Become a lifetime learner; get active in these associations, they will help you and teach you the business,” and obviously, we followed his advice for generations. Abydee and I believe that Butler Gas’s active engagement in GAWDA, IOMA, CGA, BIG, IWDC, and the University of Pittsburgh IEE (Family Business Center) is our secret sauce for continuous improvement over the last 77 years. We participate and volunteer actively, meet friends for life, and have fun as we keep sharpening the saw, utilizing associations to train our colleagues, and learning best practices and new ideas.

At Butler Gas, we strive to be the region’s best gas manufacturer and distributor, excelling as the packaged gas supplier of choice by driving sustainable customer growth and relationships, exceeding our 100-Year Plan. We believe customers do not have to sacrifice service for capabilities. We are a safe, customer-focused manufacturer and distributor of packaged gas products and mutually profitable business solutions. GAWDA enables the secret sauce.

Back home at Butler Gas in Pittsburgh, Abydee is leading our talented team, growing our 100-Year Plan of striving daily for 100% safety, nurturing our colleagues and empowering them to succeed, wowing our custom-

ers, and earning responsible levels of profit for continual investment in the business. Our family business succession plan is 3rd-gen-complete with Abydee as President and CEO, alongside Elissa’s and my active roles as Treasurer and Chairman, respectively. At 73 years old, I still enjoy the competition of the game of business, and the fun from actively coaching and mentoring. My job is being the “Head Scout and Tribal Knowledge Coach,” and I still sell wholesale gases (acetylene, specialty gases, hydrogen, and helium) to many industry friends whom I’m grateful to also call customers. I have fun analyzing gas-centric continuous improvement projects, but my favorite duties now involve my granddaughters, Ivy and Coda. I am Papa; Elissa is Gramme,

GAS SYSTEM CONFIDENCE DOWN THE ENTIRE LINE

News From GAWDA Life After PRESIDENCY

and we try to bring our A-game to cherish our 7-year-old and 4-year-old next generation. Being Papa is my new passion, and we all know that time is much more important than money, so I am taking time to smell the roses. You will see me and Elissa chasing Ivy and Coda at GAWDA and IWDC as they network with their “industry sisters and brothers,” as Ivy calls her new friends. Butler Gas is a business-first family business, and we all travel well for networking and learning.

Our GAWDA Officers are all next-gens just like our NWSA team back in 1993. It has been so cool to watch Woody, Allie, Kevin, and Colleen sprout their wings during my career and become such strong industry leaders and public speakers, too. GAWDA has great next-gen talent now, and these four rising stars are ready for prime time

cial intelligence, FDA/DOT/EPA rising regulations, and Technology? Because it Works!” and “Chart A New Course”

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Our main focus is to reduce customer cost by limiting the product footprint, minimizing maintenance, and extending product life.

CONSULTANTS

GAWDA Consultants Give Advice for Working in a Changing Regulatory Environment

A new administration brings new regulatory priorities.

BY TOM BADSTUBNER, MARILYN DEMPSEY, MICHAEL DODD, RICK SCHWEITZER AND STEVE GUGLIELMO

The First Quarter Issue of Welding & Gases Today discussed the theoretical regulatory changes and priorities that would come with the new Presidential administration and Congress. Now, with both underway, the priorities are becoming clearer. Here to break down what has changed and what it means for GAWDA members are GAWDA’s Consultants. Between the four of them, GAWDA’s Consultants bring more than 150 years of industry-specific experience to the association.

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. Thank you to Tom Badstubner, GAWDA’s FDA and Medical Gases Consultant; Marilyn Dempsey, DHS, EPA, and OSHA Consultant; Mike Dodd, DOT Consultant; and Rick Schweitzer, Government Affairs and Human Resources Consultant, for lending their time and expertise to discuss these important topics. The following is a lightly edited transcript of that conversation.

Those attending the 2025 GAWDA SMC in Dallas should be sure to attend the Consultant Roundtable during the Educational Track Sessions from 10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. on Tuesday, May 6, 2025.

WELDING & GASES TODAY: Since we last spoke for the Q1 Issue of Welding & Gases Today, is there anything that has changed or that is going on with the various agencies that is important for GAWDA members to be aware of?

MIKE DODD: For DOT, there hasn’t been anything new. It’s been very quiet. I like it.

TOM BADSTUBNER: The new Medical Gas regulations were released last summer and become effective this December 18. We're looking at the impact of new regulations on our operations. We have already drafted the SOPs that go along with the new requirements. We are asking members to take the next couple of months to look over the SOPs and plan implementation strategies. The implementation process just needs to be completed before December.

Just last week, the FDA sent out a survey, Form 4003, to medical gas manufacturers across the country. The survey has a dozen questions in it, and some are difficult to answer. The FDA is asking for a lot of information, including the last six months of sales of medical gases and where they went, how much was sold, etc. This is a massive request. We have developed a sample response template for members to use when answering the FDA Form 4003. Contact jodie@asteriskllc.com for a copy of the response template.

GAWDA CONSULTANTS

The interesting thing that they've done with this latest one is that they're actually asking for things that are required under the new rules (Supplier NDA/NADA, etc.). We haven't implemented all the new rules yet, so some of the answers will be based on the old rules, and some will be based on what we expect for the new rules. So, contact us if you get one of these 4003 forms and you want some suggested ways on how to respond to some of those questions.

MARILYN DEMPSEY: I think when the Trump administration placed a “Regulatory Freeze Pending Review” on all proposed or recently published (but have not taken effect) until the rule has been reviewed by the department or agency head is huge, not only for our industry, but all businesses operating in the U.S. This freeze includes: “Heat Injury and Illness Prevention in Outdoor and Indoor Work Settings,” OSHA’s “Walkaround Rule” and the “Emergency Response Standard.

RICK SCHWEITZER: For me, unlike with Mike, the answer is everything! The biggest thing is that EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin announced that the agency was either rescinding, reconsidering, or rolling back 31 separate programs or rules

Whether you agree or disagree with these policies, they are noteworthy because they represent a 180-degree change in the regulatory approach of this administration compared to the two prior Democratic administrations.

that came out of the Biden administration or, in some cases, the Obama administration. This includes things like Advance Clean Trucks waiver that was granted to the California Air Resources Board, or the California waiver for the Omnibus Nitrogen Oxide rules on trucks. It also includes the Greenhouse Gas Phase Three final rule that came out of the EPA. It includes the calculation of the social cost of carbon, which is an objective

Roundtable GAWDA CONSULTANTS

calculation that underlies a number of EPA clean air rules, but has varied dramatically between the Obama, Trump, and Biden administrations.

They're also going to go back and reconsider the 2009 determination that greenhouse gas, itself, is harmful to public health and reassess the analysis that went into that determination and see if they can either rescind it or revise it in some way.

Whether you agree or disagree with these policies, they are noteworthy because they represent a 180-degree change in the regulatory approach of this administration compared to the two prior Democratic administrations. This is simply the opening salvo in what is going to be an ongoing legal and policy battle in Congress and in the courts. Some of these changes will require submissions to Congress under the Congressional Review Act. And, there is even a legal question as to whether the Congressional Review Act applies to EPA waivers under the Clean Air Act.

There will also be fights in courts as to the extent to which the EPA can reconsider or justify its right to reconsideration of a number of rules. They will need to go through rulemakings to undo several of these items.

This is a long way from over. It’s an amazing change in policy that will affect everything that the EPA does.

WGT: When we spoke in December for the Q1 issue, it was all theoretical. We knew there was going to be a new President, we knew there was going to be a new Congress, and we could speculate as to what that was going to mean. Now we’re in March, and we know for sure the direction of things, as it pertains to DOT, FDA, etc. Have we seen any shift in policy or specific focus from those agencies as it pertains to audits or to directives or anything like that?

RICK: Yes. At DOT, we have. Just last week, the acting general counsel at the DOT issued a memo on their enforcement policy, and it is much more business-friendly. It says that their enforcement activities, which include enforcement of safety regulations for HAZMAT, for trucks, and for all modes of transportation, have to be based on due process. They have to be fair, they have to, for instance, provide you with exculpatory evidence, if they have any. And you don't even have to ask for it. They have to make sure that those people who are involved in prosecuting the enforcement action are not the same people advising those who are the decision makers. So there is a separation of functions between the judge and the prosecutor, which has not always been the case.

It also says that there has to be fair warning and an explanation of the regulations that you're being held accountable to, to make sure you know exactly what it is that you're supposed to comply with and that there is supposed to be compliance assistance, as well as enforcement, so as to bring you into compliance as much as to punish you for non-compliance.

In all, it's a remarkable document. You can read more about that document in the April 1, 2025, issue of the GAWDA Connection.

WGT: Mike, has this made its way into the practical application of audits that we've seen?

MIKE: No, it hasn't yet. The stuff Rick sees is ahead of time. As far as DOT’s impact on the distributor, their record keeping, their drivers, trucks, cylinder filling, requalification, etc. Everything is status quo. Nothing has changed there. And I don't expect it to.

TOM: So far, the FDA is auditing about the same as before. This new FDA Form 4003 request discussed above might influence the FDA’s strategy for which firms to visit.

MARILYN: I believe the freeze on the “Walk Around” rule is the biggest change for OSHA, and it may become a permanent freeze. This would be a significant win for businesses like ours because no outsider should be permitted to participate in an OSHA inspection unless they are directly involved in the reason for the inspection.

WGT: Rick, this will be our third administration since we’ve started doing these round tables. You hear the 24-hour news cycle talk about how polarized things are. When the Presidency or Congress changes parties, there will obviously be a change in priorities. But is it normal, in history, for the changes to be this drastic each time? Or is this more whiplash than usual?

RICK: No, this is more whiplash than we're used to.

MIKE: This is more than normal.

RICK: We've been doing this for a long time. We've sat through a number of changes in administrations and changes of parties. The last couple of changes: from Bush to Obama, from Obama to Trump, from Trump to Biden, and now, from Biden back to Trump, there have been 180-degree changes in policies because of the polarization of the electorate.

GAWDA CONSULTANTS

We have, basically, a 50/50 deadlock in the electorate. Both sides see the government’s function very differently. To represent the side that elected you, you have to have a policy approach that is diametrically opposed to what your predecessor did. And we’re seeing that again here.

Similar to what I said with the EPA programs, we’re going to see fights in the courts between the Trump administration and a number of, at least district court, judges over the administration's ability to control spending and fire federal workers. We are going back and forth on whether we can have particular programs defunded, whether particular agencies can furlough or fire some of their employees, or, in some cases, all of their employees. Ultimately, the appellate courts are going to have to decide a number of these very fundamental issues.

WGT: The reason I ask is not to make a judgment or to bring up politics. But it seems like it must be difficult to do business in an environment where every four years, or in some cases even two years, the environment shifts so

rapidly. How does a GAWDA member operate when the ground shifts so dramatically every 2-4 years?

RICK: You have to pay attention to what's going on. That’s the best thing I can say. You have to do the best you can with the information that is available to you. Each administration is going to have its priorities. The Biden administration's priorities were environmental regulation, including things like environmental justice, labor issues, supporting workers and the unionization of the workforce, and climate change. Those priorities are no longer the priorities of the Trump administration. They are promoting energy independence and trying to promote business. We'll see how that goes. But you have to roll with it as a business owner and pay attention to what the priorities are and where you need to change your practices to comply with them.

MIKE: I don't think it's going to change the delivery of product, the delivery of cylinders, the filling of cylinders, etc. But what I do anticipate is that there's very likely going to be some supply issues from their vendors, for hard goods. They’ll

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Roundtable GAWDA CONSULTANTS

have to deal with that and find alternative sources. And I’m sure they’re doing it right now.

RICK: A number of members are dealing with the fallout of the tariffs or the threat of tariffs, at least, right now. Things like petroleum products, LPG, but also cylinders, hard goods, depending on where they're sourced. That's going to be, at least on a temporary basis, and maybe even longer. That is going to be an issue for members.

WGT: Shifting away from Washington, we are coming up this month on the 5-year anniversary of the first consultant safety webinar online. The webinars were started, initially, because of the COVID lockdowns. They were never supposed to be a permanent thing; they were supposed to get us through COVID because of all the uncertainties with doing business during that time. Can you reflect back on the safety calls and what it means to continue to do them, and the good that has come out of them now, five years later?

MIKE: The first 6-7 months were about understanding COVID, taking care of employees, preventing the spread of COVID, and keeping businesses open. From my perspective, the last 4 years have been training sessions. I've been using my piece to do microburst training sessions of all the different things inside DOT.

MARILYN: The roundtable calls started within the first month of my becoming a GAWDA Consultant, and it was a crazy time. Like Mike said, the first 6-9 months, it was survival of the business. Now, the calls are another means for members to receive good, pertinent information in a very expedient manner.

TOM: I think that’s what the members continue to expect the consultant webinars to be moving forward. These webinars are opportunities to discuss the latest agency actions, regulatory enforcement, and policy revisions. Also, they are a good training opportunity for current issues. I think the webinars are a great way to keep in touch with the members.

RICK: I think back on the first year of COVID, and I remember saying, “We’re just making it up as we go along." And that was true of those who deal with the government, but it was also true of the government itself. We’re finding out even more how much that was true. This was uncharted territory. We were trying to deal with a pandemic of the likes we have never dealt with before. We tried to come up with a rational government/business response and a rational social response. No one wanted to get sick and die. We didn't want our employees to get

sick and die. We didn't want our businesses to go under. So, we were trying to come up with some way to deal with that, and we all did the best we could.

As Mike and Tom said, it's morphed into just keeping the members apprised of what is going on on a day-to-day basis. As you mentioned, Steve, now we're dealing with a ping-pong back and forth between administrations and the politics of all of the policies that change every 2-4 years. I still see a continuing need to have these monthly sessions. I think it has strengthened the membership and helped them to do business better.

WGT: We're coming up on the SMC. This will be at the SMC in Dallas. You will have a panel discussion during the educational track sessions. Is there anything you specifically plan on touching on for the Q&A portion that you can preview or get people excited about?

TOM: I think a subject that will come up during the roundtable for FDA compliance is “what's a rational strategy for implementing new regulations?” What's the best way to do that?

MIKE: I'm not planning to present anything specific. I'm going to be asking questions from the audience about any topic they want to talk about: drivers, trucks, cylinder filling, cylinder requal. Hopefully, there will be questions. Tom and Rick will mostly talk about the new stuff coming in. Rick will be talking about hanging on, and this is what is going on as of today.

RICK: One new regulation that is going to come into effect that I want to address that I talked about last week at the safety managers conference is the EPA ban on products containing methylene chloride. There is a May 5th deadline on that for sales by retailers. I want to reemphasize that. That also appeared in the April 1st GAWDA Connection.

Just to let them know that there are, even GAWDA members, who have alternative products in the marketplace already. There are a lot of antispatter products that have methylene chloride in them that you won't be able to sell anymore. There are some other things you can use.

MARILYN: I’m going to talk about the “Lessons Learned” from the GAWDA Safety Committee and the information to mitigate those experiences.

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DOT Training, Documentation, and Frequency

BY MICHAEL DODD, GAWDA DOT CONSULTANT

GAWDA DOT & Safety

Consultant Michael Dodd is president of MLD Safety Associates in Poplar Bluff, MO. Members can reach him at 573-718-2887 and at MLDSafety@hotmail. com.

The following is an excerpt from the GAWDA Safety Organizer, a monthly bulletin sent to GAWDA members. For more information on the GAWDA Safety Organizer, or to read past issues, visit the GAWDA.org Members-Only Section.

Here is a compiled list of all required DOT training, documentation, and frequencies.

HAZMAT TRAINING (172.700-.704)

A HAZMAT employer must train, test, and certify (sign the training documentation form) every HAZMAT employee who, in the course of employment, has any function that directly affects hazardous materials transportation safety. The HAZMAT employee must be trained in General Awareness, Safety, Function Specific, and Driver issues as applicable to the employee’s duties.

Function-specific items for our industry would include:

• Cylinder filling of high-pressure, cryogenic liquids, liquefied gases such as carbon dioxide, LPG products, and acetylene.

• Cylinder requalification, such as high-pressure (hydrotest), low-pressure gases (visual inspection), and acetylene.

DRIVER TRAINING (177.816)

177.816 says that the driver must receive training on the safe operation of the motor vehicle that will be transporting hazardous materials. This section goes on to describe in detail the issues the driver must be trained on. Please note: 177.816 (c) states: The driver training requirements may be satisfied by compliance with the current requirements for a Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) with a tank vehicle or hazardous materials endorsement.

GAWDA CONSULTANTS

Safety Alert

GAWDA has an excellent Driver Training Manual available. This would be an excellent source for driver safety meetings. It is set up into six short training modules, with each module having its own test. Then, there is a final overall test covering all the topics in the manual. Each of these modules would make an excellent driver safety meeting training session of a few minutes each. If a company did one module every two months, they would cover the complete manual in the year and could start back over again the following year with refresher training.

SECURITY

• In-depth training on the written plan: HAZMAT employees of employers who are required to have a security plan must receive in-depth security training on the security plan and its implementation. In-depth security training must include company security objectives, specific security procedures, employee responsibilities, actions to take in the event of a security breach, and the organizational security structure.

• Security Awareness training: Each HAZMAT employee must receive security awareness training. This training must include an awareness of security risks associated with hazardous materials transportation and methods designed to enhance transportation security. A component covering how to recognize and respond to possible security threats must be included.

I have a HAZMAT general awareness, safety, and security awareness test and certification if you wish to use it. Just ask, and I will email it to you. If you need to do only the security awareness portion with certain employees, then you just scratch through the other portion of the answer page and just do the security part of the test questions and answers.

DOCUMENTATION OF TRAINING (172.704(D))

A record of current training, inclusive of the preceding three years, must be created and retained by each HAZMAT employer for each HAZMAT employee for as long as that employee is employed by the employer as a HAZMAT employee and for 90 days thereafter.

The record must include:

• HAZMAT employee’s name;

• Most recent training completion date of the HAZMAT employee’s training;

• Description, copy, or the location of the training materials used to meet the training requirements;

• Name and address of the person providing the training;

• Certification that the HAZMAT employee has been trained and tested. (This is where someone within the company signs the training documentation.)

DRUG AND ALCOHOL

• 382.601 covers two important points: a written policy and distributing that policy to your drivers. Drivers are not required to undergo formal training. However, the employer must provide a copy of the company’s written drug and alcohol policy to each driver. Written notice of the availability of these materials must be provided to union representatives. These materials must be distributed prior to the start of alcohol and drug testing. Each driver must sign a receipt that he/she has received a copy of the materials. The JJ Keller pamphlet, product code 38797, does a great job of this.

• 382.603 covers training for driver supervisors. Each employer shall ensure that all persons designated to supervise drivers receive at least 60 minutes of training on alcohol misuse and receive at least an additional 60 minutes of training on controlled substance use. The training will be used by the supervisors to determine whether reasonable suspicion exists to require a driver to undergo testing under §382.307 (reasonable suspicion testing). The training shall include the physical, behavioral, speech, and performance indicators of probable alcohol misuse and use of controlled substances. Recurrent training for supervisory personnel is not required.

• This training is available on the GAWDA University website.

TRAINING FREQUENCY

The HAZMAT (general awareness, safety, function-specific (which includes driver training), and security awareness) must be done at least every three years.

The security in-depth training is required every three years unless you update your security plan, and then you must train on the changes to the plan.

The supervisor drug and alcohol awareness training is only one-time training, but I suggest that you conduct this training every few years to keep the supervisors aware of the requirements.

If there are any questions regarding this Traffic Bulletin, please contact me.

DOT & Safety GAWDA CONSULTANTS FDA & Medical Gases

GAWDA Medical Gas SOP Program Updates

BY TOM BADSTUBNER, GAWDA FDA CONSULTANT

GAWDA’s FDA and Medical Gases Consultant Thomas L. Badstubner is president of AsteRisk, LLC in Lewisville, TX. Members can reach him at 508-883-0927 and tom@asteriskllc.com

The GAWDA Medical Gas SOPs have long been the industry standard procedures for medical gases. The procedures are practical methods to comply with FDA regulations and current enforcement. They are consistent with CGA positions on FDA compliance. Revision Schedule – we have rewritten the SOPs to be compliant with the new medical gas regulations (21 CFR 213). These new procedures are available now. You have until 12/18/2025 to become compliant with the new regulations. In addition to the new SOPs (version 7), we are also supporting the latest updates to the old regulations (version 6.5) until they expire in December. Consider when, this year, you wish to migrate your medical gas compliance from the old regulations to the new regulations.

Annually, we digitally sign the current version and issue an update. This annual update, along with the update training, occurs during the January GAWDA Medical Gas Roundtable (1/31/2025). (A recording is available in case you missed the Roundtable.) The signed old procedures for version 6.5 will be valid until 12/18/2025. The signed new procedures will be valid until the end of the following year (i.e., up to 12/31/2026). This gives you plenty of time to migrate your SOPs to the most flexible, compliant, and up-to-date version.

HOW DO YOU RECEIVE THE GAWDA MEDICAL GAS PROCEDURES?

Paper - Years ago, we distributed the procedures only in printed manuals. This was difficult to maintain and update. (FYI – we can still get the SOPs to you on paper if you prefer.)

FDATechSupport.com – This website allows us to better deliver the content you need. If you do not already have a user account on FDATechSupport.com, please let us know.

Customized Procedures - We can also deliver your own customized PDF version of the GAWDA Medical Gas SOPs. The consolidated PDF file will have your logo, and it will contain only the procedures that you need. If you have not already received your customized SOPs, contact tom@asteriskllc.com or andre@asteriskllc.com. We will get the SOP selection tool to you.

FREE TRAINING AVAILABLE

You have access to free compliance and operations training. Please let jodie@asteriskllc.com know if you would like the link to the following training resources:

• Administrative Personnel –CGMP Training

` Food and Medical Gas – CGMP Training for Administrative Personnel

• Food Gases

` Food Gas – Qualified Facilities and submitting the FDA Attestation

` Food Gas – CGMP Training for Pumpers

` Food Gas – For Owners and Managers

• Medical Gases

` Medical Gas – CGMP Training for Pumpers

` Medical Gas – CGMP Training for Drivers

` Medical Gas Liquid Container Valve Outlet and Labeling Regulations

• Specialty Gases

` Hazards and Precautions for Mixtures Containing Both Carbon Monoxide and Carbon Dioxide in Steel Cylinders

• CGA Resources

` FREE e-Learning Resources from CGA

` CGA Safety Posters

Scan this QR code to visit the GAWDA.org Members-Only Section, where you can access exclusive content for GAWDA members.

PRIVATE LABEL WELDING PRODUCTS

HANDS DOWN, THE BEST ARTICLE

BY PAUL BERNIER, ASP

Paul Bernier, ASP, is the Safety Products Manager at General Air Service & Supply. He is also an Authorized OSHA Instructor. He has worked in the welding and gas industry since 1996. Paul is Vice President of Southern Colorado ASSP (American Society of Safety Professionals) Chapter.

Paul can be reached at 719-761-7076 or pbernier@generalair.com

One of the most common injuries on a worker’s body is related to the hand. We use them nonstop in almost every industry, especially ours. From administrative workers to drivers and cylinder fillers, we depend on our hands to get the job done.

However, even knowing how important our hands are, they are injured all the time and in situations that can almost always be avoided. In fact, accidents involving hands are the second leading type of injury on the job. Here are some recent statistics:

• Annually, there are approximately 110,000 lost time cases due to hand injuries.

• More than one million workers are treated each year for hand injuries.

• 70% of workers who experienced hand injuries were not wearing gloves.

• Another 30% of workers who wore gloves and were injured were wearing the wrong type or damaged gloves.

Lacerations are the most common type of hand injury, followed by crush injuries, then fractures. Since crush injuries are common in our industry, with workers handling cylinders, this article is mostly directed at the new ANSI impact standard and what it means to us.

In 2019, ANSI standard 138-2019 was developed by the International Safety Equipment Asso-

ciation (ISEA) and approved by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI). Although this standard has not yet been adopted by OSHA, it could fall into the “General Duty Clause,” which basically requires employers to recognize possible hazards and protect their employees from injuries and sickness.

WHAT IS THE ANSI 138 STANDARD?

The standard establishes the testing procedures that manufacturers must follow, the classification criteria, and the label requirements.

The ANSI 138 standard aims to protect workers’ dorsal side of their hands by using impact-resistant gloves. The impact-resistant gloves are specifically designed to focus on the knuckles, fingers, and thumbs from forceful injuries. The standard establishes different levels of measurement to resist the impact and possible crushing injury.

HOW ARE THEY TESTED?

The gloves are placed on an anvil, then a weight is dropped on the glove and recorded in kilonewtons (kN). A lower number indicates better resistance to impact, and a higher number means less impact resistance or protection. This test is repeated several times to ensure accuracy. The test will measure the impact on the thumb, knuckles, fingers, and finger joints.

The results of the test divide the gloves into three categories of impact resistance. In other words, the ratings indicate how well the gloves will offer protection against impact. The glove performance is then assigned an impact-rating level.

• Level 1: Less than 9 kN transferred through the glove, offering some protection

• Level 2: Less than 6.5 kN transferred through, offering mid-level impact rating

• Level 3: Less than 4 kN transferred through the glove, offering a high impact rating

This testing and rating system makes it easy for the consumer to know which glove is needed for the risk and possible hazards of a specific job.

HOW ARE THEY LABELED?

This is what a glove label may look like, and it has a lot of information for the consumer.

• ANSI/ISEA 138 depicts the impact level that the glove provides and was successfully tested to.

• The ANSI A4 Cut explains the cut resistance at which the glove was tested and passed; cut resistance levels are A1 through A9, with A9 offering the best cut protection.

• EN388 is the “European Nations” ratings, which have been adopted by most glove manufacturers, showing a lot of information, 4X41D

This document is provided solely for the purpose of proofing and is not to be considered the final artwork.

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` 4 is abrasion resistance (1-4), 4 being the most protection.

` X means the glove was not tested for cut protection using ANSI 105; they decided to use the more accurate EN388 or ISO test, which is depicted in the last digit.

` 4 is the tear resistance (1-4), 4 being the highest level.

` 1 is the puncture resistance (1-4), 4 being the highest.

` D is the EN388 cut resistance level (A-F), F offering the highest protection.

In general, if a person is working around falling objects, objects that could fall, or working with heavy objects or equipment, that worker is at a high risk for impact injuries to their hands. In our industry, moving heavy non-forgiving cylinders around could cause impact injuries to the hands, and many such injuries have been recorded. In fact, a close member of my family lost part of his finger in a crushing injury while moving cylinders.

I almost always end these articles with “if you’re not providing these safety items to your customer, then who is?” But since this is a general safety article explaining how gloves can protect workers who encounter this type of hazard, it is

also directed at workers in our industry. Cylinders are notorious for having poor handles, making them difficult to move around, thus causing many possible hazards to workers who handle them. Very common ones we can address are “caught between” and “crushed by” cylinder injuries. Remember the OSHA General Duty Clause, and protect your workers the best you can against risks that can cause injuries, sickness, or death.

Paul Bernier appeared in the April Episode of GAWDA TV as part of “The Safety Episode.” To see the full interview with Paul, scan the QR Code.

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Breakthrough Easy-to-Use AI for Gas Distributors

Tired of manually setting up new accounts, logging cylinder information, and calculating rental costs? Save time, eliminate human error, and achieve cost savings with the introduction of new Datacor AI technologies, to be rolled out in stages over the next 12 months. The following information is a summary of an interview with Lou Zhang, Senior Lead, Data Science at Datacor who is a key contributor to the Datacor AI initiatives.

USE CELL PHONE CAMERA TO STREAMLINE DATA ENTRY

The first AI feature to be rolled out in 2025 includes the use of a cell phone camera to input information quickly and easily into Datacor software. Things like inputting cylinder/asset information will now be a simple picture that assigns a digital barcode to the asset and sets it up in your system with relevant information like manufacture date, manufacturer, pressures, retest dates, and any other data to capture for your records. The best part is that the hardware cost is minimal, as this feature will be available on any iOS or Android phone, eliminating the need for a distributor to purchase or rent dedicated handhelds.

This same camera feature will also enable users to simply take a picture of a purchase order or invoice, updating the customer account in the system, adding products to production,

and facilitating delivery, all in an instant. The system also saves time setting up new accounts, as the AI can extract account information from a picture to populate as many fields as possible, all while eliminating human error. This time-saving measure will have a positive impact on production throughout the business, while also feeding the database with better, more timely, and relevant information that will contribute to future forecasting, preventative maintenance schedules, and recertification dates.

Data Integrity checks and balances are implemented by setting rules that enable the system to monitor data and highlight any potential issues for double-checking. Example of the scanning capability. Cylinders look different but the reader still works with high accuracy in beta testing.

WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS?

Ordering Recommendations Based on Futures Commodities

FORECASTING FUTURE COST AND SALES

Another AI feature that Datacor believes will set them apart from other software companies is their state-of-the-art sales forecasting and supply chain optimization. This will take forecasting to the next level by incorporating profitability optimization through analysis of all supply chain levels. Datacor will provide recommendations based on commodity futures to help distributors buy products, molecules, and raw materials at the optimal time through a recommendations feature that analyzes the costs of the goods sold. Distributors being able to buy some molecules up to 24 months in advance, this feature can help guide a distributor to buy at the right time while still selling at market prices.

Sales forecasting will include all the regular data points, including current trends, seasonality, historical invoice data, sales promotions, while accounting for current costs and pricing, helping you easily map and track sales to ensure year-over-year growth, keeping your sales team focused and organized while harmonizing production, ordering, asset utilization, and staff efficiency.

OPTIMIZE PRICING

Distributors will now have access to a business calculator to ensure that all costs and profits are accurately reflected in all products, including rental contracts. Streamline quotes while ensuring price integrity, saving time and administrative work for your sales staff and allowing them more time to build new and strengthen existing relationships with customers.

Aside from rental business quoting, Datacor software includes price intelligence features that analyze the distribution of prices for your customers, allowing you to see how much they have paid for each product over time. This provides valuable insights, including the mean, median, and mode, as well as the percentiles for the prices. With this at hand, you’ll have a far better idea of how much a customer should pay for each specific product you offer.

NUMEROUS ROLES WILL SEE DAILY TIME SAVINGS

One of the primary factors that companies consider when evaluating software is ROI. The return on investment for these offerings will be most evident in increased productivity across different departments at all levels of an organization. These AI features are sure to streamline daily tasks for drivers, administrators, purchasing personnel, warehouse staff, accountants, sales managers, Vice Presidents, and all the way up to the C-Suite and beyond.

IDEAL FOR MID-SIZE TO SMALL COMPANIES

Datacor products have demonstrated significant advancements in recent years, thanks to acquisitions and the recruitment of industry-leading software engineers. For GAWDA members, Trackabout and Infonetics are among the commonly used solutions for asset tracking, point of sale, and accounting among welding and gas distributors. Datacor has been able to harness the best of those offerings, combined with acquisitions from outside this industry, to deliver the best software experience for both gas distributors and mid-size to small manufacturing and wholesale distribution companies on the supplier side of the GAWDA Membership. Many of the supplier companies have similar needs to the distributors because their products and operations are of a similar size.

If you are a GAWDA Distributor or Supplier Member looking for effective and practical software solutions to run your business, consider Datacor to be your complete software and asset tracking partner. Visit www.datacor.com to learn more.

Ask Your GAWDA BOARD

Ask Your GAWDA Board of Directors

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 steveg@gawdamedia.com

THE QUESTION

In their Forecast Responses in Q1, many members expressed reservations related to the impact that potential tariffs might have on the supply chain and the economy. How is your business preparing for any possible impacts or opportunities these tariff changes might present for supply chains, pricing, and operations, and what conversations, if any, have you had with customers about these potential effects?

PRESIDENT

ERIC WOOD O.E. Meyer Company

Our company is actively taking steps to minimize the potential effects of tariffs on our operations. We are closely keeping an eye on trade policy changes and meeting often to review and discuss any developing changes. Furthermore, we are assessing our pricing strategies and cost structures to ensure competitiveness without losing gross profit dollars, while not sacrificing the quality of our products or services.

We continue to monitor the supply chain and are keeping a higher stock of essential components on hand when needed to reduce any potential disruptions and continue to purchase capital assets such as cylinders and bulk tanks before the tariffs are implemented. Our objective is to remain flexible and responsive in this dynamic trade landscape.

We are assessing our pricing strategies and cost structures to ensure competitiveness without losing gross profit dollars, while not sacrificing the quality of our products or services.

GAWDA BOARD Ask

FIRST VICE PRESIDENT KEVIN FALCONER

PRESIDENT-ELECT ALLISON EARLBECK

Earlbeck Gases & Technologies

We have selectively boosted inventory levels for key items, ensuring we have enough on hand to weather

short-term disruptions. We have also explored broadening our supplier pool to help stabilize pricing in the case where there is a domestic alternative and keep supply channels available if one vendor’s costs surge due to tariffs or if there is a shortage.

On the customer side, our customers are well aware of the potential impacts of tariffs. We’re working closely with them to map out upcoming projects, ensuring we can ramp up supply or place large orders in advance of any cost or leadtime pressures.

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We first focused on our backend systems, particularly pricing and billing. We’ve added clear wording and a separate line item on invoices to account for tariff-related charges. We’re in ongoing discussions with affected vendors to understand their tariff strategies, which will help shape our customer communications. Our approach is to address the issue early, frequently, and transparently. While we’ll provide options for customers, clear communication will be essential in navigating these challenges together.

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Ask Your GAWDA BOARD

SECOND VICE PRESIDENT

COLLEEN KOHLER

Noble Gas Solutions

In an effort to prepare for potential tariff impacts, Noble has been enhancing our current sourcing strategy. Unfortunately, tariffs are not something Noble can completely avoid. Our reaction has to be creative. Where we can, we will shop the market for alternative suppliers, both domestic and international. Noble will also evaluate how much we can absorb in the short term vs. what we need to pass on to our customer base. Strengthening our core service offering will help maintain customer loyalty. Also, having open, transparent conversations with our customers always helps in times like these.

VICE PRESIDENT BRAD DUNN CK Supply

In our industry, supply chain management is a constant challenge, with shortages shifting from one product line to another. During times of disruption, distributors with strong processes and relationships can turn challenges into opportunities by stepping in front of those less prepared. At CK Supply, we

take a proactive approach with open communication with key vendors and customers to anticipate potential disruptions and adapt accordingly. We closely monitor orders and inventory with a strong focus on ensuring accurate, up-to-date cost information for both our employee-owners and customers. It is important to stay calm, as experience has taught me that yelling at the TV and complaining about forces beyond my control won’t get product into our warehouse any faster!

VICE PRESIDENT JOHN HILL

Willard C. Starcher, Inc.

There seems to be very little we can do to prevent disruption to our business because of the tariffs. The best we can do is try to keep up with the daily notifications of price changes by our vendors. We have increased the inventory of items that we feel may be critical to our customers during the next few months.

VICE PRESIDENT JUSTIN JOHNSON

Keen Compressed Gas Company

As the political landscape has changed in 2025, along with other dis-

tributor companies, Keen has been forced to pay close attention to potential tariffs and unexpected price fluctuations. Internally, we are double-checking pricing from our suppliers prior to quoting customers and effectively communicating about the uncertainty of quoted prices changing. We have asked for additional support from our key suppliers toward any projected changes that can be forecasted, allowing us more time to react. The issue is fluid and seems to move in a different direction daily, but we are working to find opportunities within the changing environment to increase inventory levels where appropriate and maximize on immediate purchasing opportunities.

VICE PRESIDENT

JASON KIRBY

Central McGowan, Inc.

Tariffs can significantly impact businesses by increasing costs, disrupting supply chains, and affecting pricing strategies. As we all know, higher tariffs can make imported materials and products more expensive, forcing companies to either absorb the costs, pass them on to customers, or seek alternative suppliers. This can reduce profit margins and competitiveness, especially in industries like ours that rely heavily on global sourcing. To stay ahead, Central

McGowan is looking at diversifying our supply chains, passing on the tariffs to our customers, and adding standard verbiage to all quotes stating, “All prices quoted are subject to applicable tariffs, which may vary based on regulations and market conditions. Final pricing will reflect any tariffs in effect at the time of purchase.”

VICE PRESIDENT DOUG MORTON

Eleet Cryogenics

The impact of tariffs has been a challenge that we are all currently navigating, whether it pertains to finished products or the materials used in fabrication. We anticipate that the situation will stabilize soon, and we are committed to maintaining transparency throughout this process. It is likely that domestic companies will also adjust their pricing in response to these circumstances. As such, our pricing now includes a footnote indicating that it is subject to tariffs or unforeseen charges. Should tariffs be lifted, we will promptly adjust invoices accordingly, ensuring we uphold the highest standards of integrity in our operations.

Corner COMMITTEE

Committee Corner

As part of its continued push to help GAWDA members get the most out of their membership dues in the association and stay on the front lines of emerging industry trends and hot-button issues, GAWDA has several volunteer committees devoted to specific areas of the industry. The volunteer committees include Government Affairs, Industry Partnering, Insurance & Benefits, Member Services, Safety, Technology, Women of Gases and Welding, and Young Professionals. This feature in Welding & Gases Today will update readers on the latest news and events from each committee. We thank all the committee chairs for their help and input, as well as their service to the association and its members.

If you are interested in enhancing your GAWDA experience and joining a committee, visit gawda.org/about/committees to fill out a GAWDA volunteer form today.

GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS COMMITTEE

Co-Chair Chuck Beal, American Welding & Gas

Co-Chair Rick

Schweitzer, GAWDA Legal Counsel

The GAWDA Government Affairs Committee will meet in person during GAWDA's Spring Management Conference on Sunday, May 4, 2025, in Dallas, TX. The Government Affairs Committee will have a combined meeting with GAWDA's Safety Committee during the SMC. The Committee continues to work on its primary priorities:

1. The Food and Drug Administration issued a long-awaited final rule on medical gases on June 18, 2024. The new requirements went into effect on December 18, 2025, except for annual reports. The final rule includes regulatory changes for product labeling, Current Good Manufacturing Practices, product certification, and post-marketing safety reporting. CGA’s Medical Gas Committee is providing additional advice on how to handle these issues. Through Tom Badstubner, GAWDA has provided compliance information to members on the new final rule.

2. A federal court has enjoined implementation of the U.S. Department of Labor’s final rule increasing the threshold salary amounts for Executive, Administrative, and Professional employees to be exempt from overtime pay requirements. The final rule increased the standard salary level employee total annual compensation threshold on the rule’s effective date of July 1, 2024. The rule would have again increased the thresholds on January 1, 2025. The final rule also provided for future updates of these levels every three years to reflect current earnings data. The Trump Administration is not expected to defend the rule in court.

3. The Trump Administration has issued an Executive Order requiring federal agencies to withdraw ten final rules for each new rule or proposed rule from that agency. In addition, agencies have been directed to provide a list of existing regulations that may be withdrawn or modified to be consistent with current administration policy. The Administration has also ordered agencies to cease all activities of programs promoting Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion and Environmental Justice.

4. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration has issued a proposed rule to protect indoor and outdoor workers from heat illness and injury while on the job. If finalized, the rule would affect 35 million workers nationwide. The regulatory text shows that employers will have to have a written heat injury and illness prevention plan and monitor heat levels at each work site, both indoors and outdoors. OSHA would adopt two heat index thresholds that would apply nationally and would factor in humidity as well as temperature. One, at 80 degrees Fahrenheit, would require employers to provide drinking water and break areas that

workers can use as needed. Employers would also need to have a plan for new and returning workers to gradually increase their workload, allowing their bodies to adjust to the heat. More protections would kick in at 90 degrees, including monitoring for signs of heat illness and mandatory 15-minute rest breaks every two hours. Employers would be required to check on people working alone every few hours and to issue a hazard alert, reminding their workers of the importance of staying hydrated. The deadline for comments was January 14, 2025.

5. The EPA Administrator has asked Congress to rescind waivers previously granted to the California Air Resources Board to impose stricter emissions requirements for internal combustion engines for commercial trucks, and ultimately to ban the sale or operation of non-Zero-Emission Vehicles after 2036.

6. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration plans to implement its final rule to integrate the driver’s medical examination results into the Commercial Driver’s License database at the State level as of June 23, 2025. The final rule,

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which was first published in 2015, is intended to facilitate the electronic transmission of examination results (medically qualified, medically unqualified, and voided) and additional information (e.g., corrective lenses, hearing aid, medical exemption, skill performance evaluation certificate, etc.) from examinations performed for commercial learner’s permit and commercial driver’s license applicants

Co-Chair, Luke Martin, Middlesex Gases & Technologies

and holders from FMCSA’s National Registry of Certified Medical Examiners to the State Driver’s Licensing Agencies to be posted on the Commercial Driver’s License Information System driver motor vehicle record.

For more information about the way that the regulatory environment has changed under the Trump administration, be sure to read the Consultant Roundtable article on page 20.

INDUSTRY PARTNERING COMMITTEE

The Industry Partnering Committee will look to build on the success of its inaugural “Best in Show Award,” which debuted at last year’s SMC in San Antonio, as the Award will return for the 2025 SMC in Dallas. Members of the IPC, along with GAWDA HQ staff, will evaluate exhibitors of the Contact Booth Program on a variety of best practices to determine the winner of this prestigious award, who will be recognized from

Co-Chair, Dan Kipka, Oxygen Service Company

the stage during the SMC. The Committee has continued to discuss ways to enhance the program even further.

The IPC also introduced its new co-chair, Luke Martin, of Middlesex Gases & Technologies, and thanks former co-chair Justin Johnson for his years of hard work and dedication on behalf of the IPC. The Committee continues to work on its other priorities, in addition to Best in Show, including the Networking 360 Program, which will return to the Annual Convention in Tampa in October, as well as continuing to promote the WEMCO Excellence in Wellness Awards. Its number one priority with regards to the Networking 360 Program is tackling distributor no-shows and brainstorming strategies to boost engagement, including potential collaboration with other committees and promotional content like testimonials and GAWDA TV segments. If you have ideas for how to boost engagement, please share them with the committee during the SMC!

INSURANCE AND BENEFITS COMMITTEE

Co-Chair, Liz Letke, The Horton Group

The Insurance and Benefits Committee will meet in person on Sunday, May 4, 2025, during the GAWDA Spring Management Conference in Dallas, Texas. The Committee’s primary mission for the last several years has been the unwinding of the previous “Insurance Trust.” With the closure of the trust, GAWDA was able to return more than $1.1m to participating GAWDA benefits member companies, while continuing to provide them with the same benefit at a lower annual rate than

what they were previously paying. This is, obviously, a huge deal — companies received dividends ranging from $2k-$140k. In a market where insurance prices continue to rise, the fact that we were able to deliver our participating GAWDA members not only savings on their current benefits, but a dividend refund, is super exciting. Our committee could not have done this without the help and partnership of the GAWDA Executive Team, in particular John Ospina and David Walker, the team at Grossman Yanak & Ford, and the team at My Benefit Advisor. In addition to its work in unwinding the trust, the Insurance and Benefits Committee continues to work hard promoting GAWDA’s Ancillary Benefits Program, a comprehensive program that offers a range of valuable benefits aimed at improving the well-being of GAWDA members and their employees. If you have not yet explored GAWDA’s Ancillary Benefits Program, you should do so today, as companies that participate in the program have saved thousands of dollars. Visit https://www.gawda.org/resources/consultant-directory/group-life-insurance/ for more information.

Co-Chair Terry Scanlan, Messer

MEMBER SERVICES COMMITTEE

Co-Chair, Ben Black, Butler Gas Products

Co-Chair, John Tapley, Chart Industries

The GAWDA Member Services Committee continues to grow, as it is now up to 31 members with 16 distributors and 15 suppliers, and three subcommittees. The Committee meets monthly on TEAMS and will meet in person at the SMC in Dallas.

The MSC continues its work through its three subcommittees. The committees’ major activities include:

Engagement – Co-Chaired by Colleen Kohler and Peter Kaduc

• The subcommittee continues to grow engagement with its GAWDA TV Interviews hosted by Co-Chair Colleen Kohler. In the April 1, 2025, episode, Colleen interviewed industry legend Sue Reiter. Additional interviews are planned during the SMC and will be distributed throughout the year.

• Continued efforts to develop a content calendar using GAWDA’s LinkedIn page, which now boasts more than 3,300 followers on the HQ account and 636 members in the GAWDA group.

• The committee is focused on developing supplier success stories using the GAWDA Consultants.

Lead Generation – Chaired by Jay Spielvogel

• The subcommittee is utilized for prospective member outreach, primarily focused on non-GAWDA companies who are part of other buying groups and associations such as AIWD, IBDEA, and IWDC. This is an ongoing process

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Newcomers – Chaired by Jason Cowles

• The purpose of the Newcomers Subcommittee is to welcome and integrate new members by providing a comprehensive introduction to our organization.

• During the 2025 SMC, the MSC and Newcomers Subcommittee will introduce “GAWDA Guides” as a way to integrate newcomers into the association and ensure they are

Co-Chair, Bill Woods, American Welding & Gas

able to meet and network effectively throughout the event. During the April 1, 2025, episode of GAWDA TV, Jason gave the SMC Update to discuss GAWDA Guides in-depth.

• The committee is very active in leading the way to ensure new members and those members who tend to be on the sidelines can find value and support throughout GAWDA for the most impactful experience possible.

SAFETY COMMITTEE

Co-Chair, Jim Herring, SafTCart

The Safety Committee will meet in person during the 2025 Spring Management Conference in Dallas, Texas. The Committee will meet in tandem with the Government Affairs Committee. Since September and following the face-to-face meeting in Phoenix, the Safety Committee has been working with GAWDA to assist with GAWDA University since the original program was officially ending December 31, 2024, thus sending the Safety Committee in a new direction.

The committee, working with John Ospina and Natasha Alexis, has been working on the existing GAWDA U topics for relevance and consistency as it pertains to the membership.

To date, the committee has made the following recommendations:

Co-Chair, John Vrana, Red Ball Oxygen

The Nitrous Oxide Facts and Guidelines received several updates, which include changes to volume information and removal of some of the slides, along with changing one question on the test to reflect more pertinent information.

A second subcommittee recommended several updates to the Confined Space Awareness course due to the outdated nature of the content and to make sure it meets OSHA training guidelines.

Another subcommittee reviewed the Occupational Health Training module along with the Hearing Conservation module and recommended that both modules should be removed since the first module should be part of HazCom and that Hearing Conservation should be based on the individual company’s Hearing Conservation Program.

A Load Securement pictogram and an update to the Cylinder Loading Dock Safety sample practice were also presented and subsequently published under Members-Only Documents.

To learn more about the revamped GAWDA University, visit https://www.gawda.org/gawda-university-2/

The committee continues to meet on the second Tuesday of each month and works to further the goals of GAWDA.

TECHNOLOGY COMMITTEE

Co-Chair, Hector Villarreal, Weldcoa

The Technology Committee will celebrate its one-year anniversary at the 2025 Spring Management Conference, as it officially launched during last year’s SMC in San Antonio. During this year’s SMC, the Tech Committee was tasked with putting together two educational sessions, which will take place on Tuesday, May 6, 2025.

The first session is entitled, “Cybersecurity: Experiences and Lessons Learned” and features an esteemed panel including Ryan Esparaza, Esprigas; John Vrana, Red Ball Oxygen; Tom Barnes, Castor Security; and Keith Johnson, Obviam. The Panel will be moderated by CU’s David Schaer.

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The second session will tackle the topic of e-commerce in a panel entitled, “Lighting the Way to B2B E-Commerce Success.” This will also be a panel discussion of industry heavy-hitters: Ryan Esparaza, David Schaer, and Marisa Leek from Keen Compressed Gas.

In addition to the work that the Committee has done in preparing these educational panels, the Committee has broken up into three subcommittees, each tackling an important topic of the day: Cybersecurity, E-Commerce, and Artificial Intelligence. Check out the interview with Co-Chair Hector Villarreal on page 72 and look out for the interview in the May 1 episode of GAWDA TV.

The Tech Committee is also working on gathering white papers on various technologies and apps that it can share with the GAWDA Membership on a regular basis.

WOMEN OF GASES AND WELDING COMMITTEE

Chair Judy Miller, WESCO Gas & Welding Supply

Following an extremely successful year in 2024, the WGW will focus in 2025 on expanding its programs, including more virtual events, enhancing its online presence through the GAWDA WGW page and LinkedIn, and revitalizing the WGW scholarship program to support aspiring women in the industry.

In addition to its committee meeting at the 2025 SMC, the WGW Committee will also be hosting a lunch and learn on Monday, May 5th, from 12:15 p.m. to 1:15 p.m., which includes the opportunity to hear from AWG’s VP of Business Development, Michael Crambes. The lunch is open to all who would like to attend.

The committee will also look to build on the success of its virtual meet & greets, which launched to great fanfare in 2024, with three planned in 2025. These virtual meet & greets are for female members of GAWDA and provide a safe and comfortable environment for networking and skill-sharing.

The committee will look to revitalize its educational grant this year, which provides winners the opportunity to attend the

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University of Innovative Distribution. Past winners have raved about the experience, and many have reapplied for the scholarship. Last year, the committee raised $23,950 in donations, demonstrating our members’ strong commitment to supporting professional women in the industry. This paid for three winners to attend the UID from March 10-13 in Indianapolis.

Finally, the Committee continues to explore potential activities and options for events at the 2025 Annual Convention in Tampa, FL. During the 2024 AC, the Committee partnered with the Young Professionals Committee to host a wildly successful pickleball tournament.

YOUNG PROFESSIONALS COMMITTEE

During the 2025 SMC in Dallas, the Young Professionals Committee will host a Lunch and Learn event presented by GAWDA President Eric Wood. This is a unique opportunity for all GAWDA members, both leaders and young professionals, to hear from Eric as he shares valuable insights and lessons learned from his years of experience in the gas and welding industry.

The YP Committee will also host a Networking After Party immediately following the President’s Welcome Reception and Dinner on Sunday, May 4th. Join industry legends and fellow up-and-coming leaders for a fun, relaxed evening of networking and connecting with your peers. This is the perfect opportunity to unwind, share ideas, and build lasting relationships with others in the industry. Drink tickets will be given to those who attend the Lunch and Learn and YP committee members. There will be a cash bar for all other attendees.

In addition to its work for the SMC, the YP Committee has also been hard at work with the Regional Chairs, preparing events at several of the Regional Meetings throughout the year. The Committee continues to post regularly on its LinkedIn page, which has grown to 611 followers, and hosts Peerto-Peer virtual group meetings on various important topics. Be on the lookout for upcoming Peer-to-Peer virtual events!

Co-Chair, Andy Riordan, American Welding & Gas

Co-Chair, Marie Ratermann Williams, Ratermann Manufacturing, Inc.

Member Profile GAWDA DISTRIBUTOR

THE HAUN WAY

Humble, Helpful, Heart-Driven, Honest

Fourth-generation leaders Josh and Erich Haun are doubling down on the culture that helped build the company.

BY STEVE GUGLIELMO

Nearly seven decades in, Haun Welding Supply continues to strike a balance between honoring its legacy and charting a forward-looking path. Officially incorporated in 1958, Haun’s story actually starts decades earlier. In 1930, Orval Haun was building welders for U.S.L. Battery Co. in Niagara Falls. A decade later, he moved to Syracuse to help launch welder manufacturing for the Syracuse Owen-Dyneto Co. There, he and a colleague devised a new, more efficient way to build welders. When management passed on the innovation, Orval didn’t. He started building his own machines from his basement, selling them on weekends.

By 1948, Orval was expanding beyond equipment and into the supply side of the business. In 1955, he made the leap, leaving his job to focus full-time on running a full-line distributorship. His son, Ken, joined the newly formed business after graduating

from Syracuse University and serving in the Air Force. In 1957, they exited the manufacturing side entirely to focus on distribution. One year later, Haun Welding Supply became official. Today, the company is led by the family’s fourth generation. Ken’s son, Mark, serves as Chairman of the Board. His grandsons—Josh and Erich—are co-presidents, and Kyle Haun plays a key role in the sales team. What started in a basement is now a 23-location business stretching across the Northeast. The growth has been steady. The values, unshakable.

BRANCHING OUT AND BUILDING UP

"We’ve always looked for smart growth," says Co-President Josh Haun. "Some of it’s been through acquisition, some of it through opening up new branches. But at the end of the day, it’s about spotting the right opportunity—and having the right person to run with it."

GAWDA DISTRIBUTOR

That mindset has helped Haun grow from its Headquarters in Syracuse, NY, to a 310-person company that spans from southeastern Pennsylvania all the way to New Hampshire and Connecticut and up to the Canadian border. The physical footprint is impressive. But they’ll be the first to tell you: the secret isn’t geography.

"If we don’t have someone in place who fits our values, who understands the market and has the relationships—it’s tough," Josh says. "We’ve had branches that would start off and be stagnant for years, because we didn’t have the right people in place. It makes a huge difference. We’ve really tried to focus on having someone in place that fits our values and is knowledgeable in the industry and has connections in their market."

THE 4HS AND A CLEAR IDENTITY

The focus on fit and culture isn’t lip service at Haun—it’s codified. In 2021, as the company prepared to transition from its third to its fourth generation, the company worked with a consultant to capture what employees had been saying for years: Haun just feels different.

"We put a name to it," says Co-President Erich Haun. "We call it our ‘4Hs.’ Humble, Helpful, Heart-Driven, and Honest. That’s what we hire for. That’s how we lead. And when it’s not the right fit, that’s how we know."

And while the culture has always been strong, it’s not immune to change. With many longtime employees reaching retirement age, the leadership team recognized that knowledge and relationships were walking out the door.

"We were stretched thin," says Erich. "We had two sales managers for five states. One VP overseeing every branch, which at the time was 17 branches. It wasn’t scalable. We had outgrown that model. And we weren’t present enough."

Their solution? Regionalize and reorganize. Today, the company is divided into four territories, each with a dedicated sales and operations manager. That structure has opened pathways for internal promotions and allowed them to stay connected at every level.

Member Profile GAWDA DISTRIBUTOR

LEARNING BY DOING

Josh and Erich both joined Haun full-time in 2010. Josh left a middle school teaching job in Charlotte. Erich had been running a painting company. But, as most multi-generation GAWDA members can attest, they weren’t handed a silver spoon. Both of them proved their mettle working up the company ladder.

"I didn’t feel ready," Erich says about his first job of running the company’s Albany branch. "I’d only worked the counter and warehouse. But I had a mentor who had been here 15 years, and he showed me the ropes. That’s how I learned."

Josh, meanwhile, jumped into the credit department, replacing a retiring manager.

Those early years were formative. However, the ultimate test came just a decade later when, at the height of the COVID19 pandemic, the brothers assumed the role of co-presidents.

"It was a very challenging time to transition leadership," Josh says. "But it was also a really good opportunity, because it gave us a challenge to overcome. It brought our team together. It forced us to communicate, and act, and come together as a team to keep our employees safe and productive.”

FUTURE-FOCUSED, VALUE-DRIVEN

In the past ten years, Haun Welding Supply has doubled in size. But that growth hasn’t come at the cost of its identity. If anything, it’s sharpened it.

"We’ve gotten really clear on what we’re good at," says Erich. "We used to carry everything—all kinds of tools. But customers can get that anywhere. Now, we focus on our core. Where can we add the most value?”

That clarity extends to their customer relationships, too. With more information at their fingertips, today’s buyers are more educated—and more demanding.

"They’re not just looking for a supplier," Josh says. "They’re looking for a partner. Someone who can help them improve efficiency, solve problems, and make their lives easier. That’s what we aim to be."

To meet that standard, the company has continued to finetune its ERP system and streamline operations across locations.

"We’re building the infrastructure now to support where we’re going," Erich says. "That’s how we make sure the experience is consistent no matter which Haun branch you walk into."

ALL ABOUT PEOPLE

At the end of the day, for all the systems and strategies, Haun Welding Supply’s success still comes down to one thing.

"It’s our people," concludes Erich. "That’s what drives everything—growth, culture, relationships. If we’ve got the right people in the right spots, we’ll be just fine."

Nearly seventy years in, that formula speaks for itself.

An Anchor Employer in the Mississippi Delta

SafTCart’s culture has allowed the company to become an industry leader in cart manufacturing.

BY TIM HUDSON

This winter, I made my first trip ever to Mississippi to check out SafTCart, located in Clarksdale, about an hour and a half south of the Memphis Airport. With 150,000 square feet of manufacturing space inside several buildings on a 15-acre lot in a business park, SafTCart continues to expand its footprint within the industry. I was fortunate to be hosted on this visit by Executive Vice President Jim Herring, who was as gracious a host as you would expect if you’ve met him at a GAWDA Event before. Thanks to Jim and the entire team at SafTCart, I got a behind-the-scenes look at how large of an operation SafTCart has become over the years.

In 1969, Walker Welding was a typical GAWDA distributor. With eight branches in Mississippi, its stores sold welding equipment with the complementary gases needed to operate them, and a young Jimmy Walker Sr. and his wife, Helen, at the helm. Twenty years into Walker Welders, in 1989, they started

manufacturing cylinder carts in a back shop area. From there, they began mass-producing the carts under the brand SafTCart.

With a name like SafTCart, you’d obviously expect to see a bunch of carts throughout the facility. However, their business has exploded way beyond just the carts. Their core business has expanded to seven different categories of products, including carts, cages, cradles, pallets, racks, truck bodies and trailers, and now, Pods, which are essentially large cages for micro bulk tanks. SafTCart’s largest growth in recent years has been in their truck beds/trailers, where they have a dedicated building with around 20 employees assembling nearly 150 truck bodies per year.

Member Profile GAWDA SUPPLIER

Another area of growth for the company has been the galvanized aluminum offering, which essentially provides their existing steel products in a more durable galvanized aluminum option. This is particularly beneficial for distributors who operate in winter weather conditions and are exposed to road salt, which can cause steel products to rust over time.

Throughout the years, SafTCart has continuously reinvested in the business, adding equipment to help streamline processes and become self-sufficient. Things that were previously outsourced are now handled in-house due to these investments. Three laser cutting machines, a steel bender, a custom conveyor system, two giant ovens, and numerous welding machines are just some of the equipment in their arsenal for manufacturing steel products.

The increased production over the years has made SafTCart an anchor employer for Clarksdale, employing nearly 130 people within a 70-mile radius of the company’s headquarters. A common theme among both administrative and warehouse employees is that many have been with SafTCart for at least a decade, with some approaching 30 or more years of service. Most of the staff work in production/shipping, while they also have their administrative offices on-site. A recent acquisition has added 20 employees, all located in Charlotte, at the Carolina Piping facility.

Most relatable to many GAWDA members – both distributors and suppliers – is the family legacy within the business.

Scan the QR code to watch GAWDA TV: Episode 68 (National Safety Month) to see Tim’s visit to Saf T Cart.

Each member of the Walker family has played a pivotal role in its growth over the years. Currently, there are three generations involved, each with its own defined roles. Starting at the top, Mr. Walker and Helen still travel to various trade shows to promote and maintain their generational relationships. Representing the second generation, Jimmy Walker Jr. serves as the CEO; Jim Herring, EVP and COO; Melinda Herring, Sales Ambassador; and Charlie Walker, Sales Manager. The grandchildren currently involved in the business include Reid Walker, Operations; Connor Herring, Marketing, Quality Assurance and IT DIrector; Andy Parks, Operations; and Nolan Walker, Operations. At one time or another, each member of all three generations has contributed to the company's success.

The culture of SafTCart reflects these family values and focus. Even the employees who are not related to the Walkers are still very genuine in their interactions, and you can tell they treat the business as if it were their own. Long-time employees like the infamous IT Andy, in customer service; Ruby in shipping and logistics; and Tishana in accounts payable. In production, key longtime employees like L.A. Walker, Pallet Line Manager and Welder; Terriz Thigpen, Assembly and Shipping; and M.C., in shipping; have been with SafTCart pretty much since the beginning. A more recent hire with a significant impact was Billy Monfort, the truck bed engineer, who joined in 2020.

What I observed during my visit is that SafTCart is a business that has been built on hard work and being scrappy. Real war stories are what you could point to as being the difference between winning and losing in business. Just the day before I arrived, they had one of those war stories, with equipment issues causing the team to find fast solutions to keep produc-

FAMILY TREE

Jimmy Walker Sr + Helen Walker

tion going, resulting in team members working well past their scheduled work time. However, they stayed late to ensure that production was on schedule the following day.

Other, less urgent war stories, such as picking up second-hand equipment from another business and incorporating it into their operations, are common to hear on the floor. These monster machines had to be disassembled before being transported and then reassembled on site at SafTCart. I could tell from Jim’s voice that he was likely involved in many of those capital investments, alongside other family members who contributed to the facility and equipment expansions, helping build the operation into what it is today.

GAWDA members across the country likely have their own personal war stories in their businesses, similar to what SafTCart has experienced in its 50+ year history. Those war stories are what make businesses what they are today. In the case of SafTCart, they have become a proud 3rd-generation, worldclass manufacturer from Clarksdale, Mississippi.

Jimmy Walker Jr + Camille Walker

Jim Herring + Melinda Herring

Charlie Walker + Donna Walker

Lisa Parks + Shan Parks

Chelsea Walker Jimmy Herring*

Nolan Walker

Andy Parks

Josh Parks

Mary-Ann Sedita + Chris Sedita*

Maria Sedita

Nicholas Sedita

Paige Herring

Connor Herring Reid Walker

Ann-Elizabeth Walker

* = deceased

News From GAWDA

Celebrating 80 Years of GAWDA

Honoring Our Legacy, Leadership, and Members.

BY NATASHA ALEXIS, GAWDA VICE PRESIDENT, OPERATIONS AND ADMINISTRATION

In 1945, a small group of industry leaders came together with one shared goal: to improve safety and support one another in the welding and gases industry. Eight decades later, that same spirit of collaboration continues to define GAWDA — an association dedicated to building relationships grounded in a shared purpose.

Today, GAWDA proudly represents a significant portion of businesses in the industrial gas and welding industry, from family-owned distributors to global suppliers. By serving as a unifying voice for these companies, GAWDA has played a vital role in advancing

industry standards, promoting safety, and fostering meaningful connections that drive business success.

Having had the privilege of serving GAWDA for 15 years, I’ve witnessed firsthand how this association’s culture of collaboration and commitment has endured through decades of change.

A LEGACY OF LEADERSHIP AND GROWTH

GAWDA’s longevity is a testament to its strong leadership and dedicated membership. Over the years, the association has experienced transitions in ownership and changes in executive leadership. Yet, through each shift,

GAWDA has remained focused on delivering value to its members.

From expanding educational resources to strengthening safety programs, each generation of leaders has built upon the work of those who came before. Their dedication has ensured that GAWDA’s core values — safety, service, and community — have remained at the heart of the organization.

PROGRAMS THAT DRIVE PROGRESS

GAWDA has consistently evolved to meet the changing needs of its members. Decades ago, GAWDA introduced the GAWDA Consultants, providing mem-

GAWDA News From

bers with expert guidance on safety, compliance, and operational best practices — resources that continue to serve as invaluable tools for members today.

More recently, GAWDA has expanded its educational offerings with programs like the MBA Program,

designed to develop the next generation of industry leaders, and the ACE Driver Training Program, which addresses the growing need for qualified drivers in the industry.

Additionally, GAWDA’s new Pooled Employer 401(k) Plan gives members access to a cost-effective retirement solution, reinforcing GAWDA’s commitment to supporting its members’ long-term success.

MEMBERS DRIVING SUCCESS

While GAWDA’s Executive Committee and Board of Directors have provided vision and guidance, the dedication of its members has also driven GAWDA’s success.

From Regional Chairs fostering local connections in their backyards to committee volunteers driving strategic initiatives, GAWDA members have consistently stepped up to support their peers and strengthen the industry.

LOOKING AHEAD

As GAWDA celebrates 80 years, its legacy of leadership, resilience, and community endures. With innovative programs, engaged members, and dedicated leaders, GAWDA is well-positioned to support its members and the industry for generations to come.

On this milestone anniversary, I encourage you to reflect on your own GAWDA journey — the relationships you’ve built, the insights you’ve gained, and the ways you’ve contributed to strengthening our industry.

Our legacy is built by members like you. Whether you’ve been with us for decades or are just beginning your GAWDA journey, I believe our best days are still ahead — and I’m proud to serve you as GAWDA continues to build the future.

Sunday, May 4, to Tuesday, May 6, 2025

Held at the Omni Dallas Hotel

Scan the QR code to visit the GAWDA SMC 2025 event website

The attire for the conference is business casual.

Optional attire for the President’s Welcome Reception & Dinner: the event theme is “Caddyshack” and attendees have the option to embrace the film and show off your creativity with themed outfits.

The Omni Dallas Hotel is an incredibly convenient and accessible location for this year’s SMC, centrally located and no more than a 4-hour flight for members from either coast. The nearest airport to the Omni Dallas Hotel is the Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport (DFW), which is just 19 miles and 20 minutes from the hotel. DFW is also the global headquarters for American Airlines and Southwest Airlines, providing direct access to every major city in the U.S. Transportation options available from the airport include UBER, Lyft, and taxis. The hotel is also just a 7-minute walk from Eddie Bernie Johnson Union Station, where attendees can take the Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) light rail to the DFW Airport Station. For more information, visit www.omnihotels.com/hotels/dallas/property-details/directions.

Event Hotel & City

The Omni Dallas hotel is located in the heart of Dallas, an eminently walkable city for those who want to explore the area around the resort. The sophisticated

23-story downtown Omni Dallas Hotel provides the perfect blend of uncompromised service, luxurious accommodations, and location. Guests will enjoy a fully equipped, state-of-the-art fitness center, full-service Mokara Spa, and a heated infinity swimming pool with stunning views of downtown. Local attractions in “The Big D” include the Dallas Museum of Art, Dallas World Aquarium, Sixth Floor Museum at Dealey Plaza, and AT&T Stadium, home of the Dallas Cowboys.

Added Value

Two crowd-favorites return for 2025, as the Educational Track Sessions will take place on Tuesday, May 6th, and the “Best in Show” Award will take place for the second time this year during the world-famous Contact Booth Program on Monday, May 5th. The Young Professionals will be hosting a Lunch & Learn with GAWDA President Eric Wood on Sunday, May 4th, as well as a networking after-party following the Welcome Reception that evening. The WGW Committee will also be hosting an educational lunch on Monday, May 5th.

Photo credit: Omni Dallas Hotel

PREVIEW

Explore Dallas

Located “Deep in the Heart of Texas,” Dallas has something for everybody to enjoy. And the Omni Dallas Hotel is right in the center of it all. Make time to visit everything that Dallas has to offer. See below for four amazing experiences and visit https://www.visitdallas. com/ for other experiences nearby.

Dallas, Texas, is one of the top visitor destinations in North America. And from state-of-the-art sports facilities to authentic culinary delights in the vibrant downtown district, Omni Dallas Hotel puts you near everything. Dallas is a major center for entertainment, from sports and music to the arts. With a renowned symphony orchestra, opera, ballet, theater, and major league sporting teams, adults and families alike will find an array of activities, day or night.

Globe Life Field

Globe Life Field is home to Major League Baseball’s Texas Rangers. Located in Arlington, TX, the ballpark is just 22 minutes from the Omni Dallas Hotel. The Rangers will be home on May 3rd and 4th. On Saturday, May 3rd, the Rangers take on the Seattle Mariners at 6:05 p.m. local time. The Theme for that game is “Sesame Street – Elmo Night,” and tickets purchased through the Rangers’ website will include a Texas Rangers-themed Elmo plush. On Sunday, May 4th, the Rangers will again take on the Mariners at 1:35 p.m. CDT. The theme for that game is “Embossed Short Sleeve Hoodie,” and the first 15,000 fans through the gates will receive a team-embossed short-sleeved hoodie. For ticket information, visit https://www.mlb.com/rangers/tickets

The Sixth Floor Museum at Dealey Plaza

Located just half a mile from the hotel, the Sixth Floor Museum at Dealey Plaza chronicles the life, death, and

legacy of President John F. Kennedy. Located within a national historic landmark site, the Museum is in the former Texas School Book Depository building, where evidence was found directly linking it to the assassination of President Kennedy on November 22, 1963. Virtually unchanged from the 1963 warehouse appearance, the sixth floor’s immersive exhibit is a journey of the life and presidency of President Kennedy, the culture of the era, the reasons for his trip to Texas, and insights into the facts and mystery surrounding his death. Learn how the world reacted to his death, how his history is now fading into memory, and yet his legacy remains relevant.

Six Flags Over Texas

Located just 20 minutes from the Omni Dallas Hotel, Six Flags Over Texas in Arlington is the original Six Flags theme park, offering over 40 thrilling rides, including 14 world-class roller coasters. Attendees can experience the adrenaline rush of the Titan, the tallest and fastest coaster in Texas, or enjoy family-friendly attractions and live entertainment. With diverse dining options and unique shopping experiences, Six Flags Over Texas provides a perfect blend of excitement and leisure for visitors of all ages.

Dallas Museum of Art

Situated in the heart of the Dallas Arts District, the Dallas Museum of Art (DMA) offers attendees a rich cultural experience just a short distance from the Omni Dallas Hotel. As one of the ten largest art museums in the U.S., the DMA boasts a collection of over 24,000 works spanning 5,000 years, featuring masterpieces from renowned artists such as O'Keeffe, Pollock, Renoir, and Van Gogh. Visitors can explore diverse exhibitions, attend engaging programs, and enjoy free general admission. The museum is open Tuesday through Sunday, 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., with extended hours until 9:00 p.m. on Thursdays.

President’s Welcome Reception and Dinner

Held at The Tower Club Dallas

SUNDAY, MAY 04, 2025 5:30 – 9:30 p.m.

GAWDA President Eric Wood and his wife, Paula, invite you to tee off the Spring Management Conference with a fun and nostalgic “Caddyshack” theme.

Optional attire for the President’s Welcome Reception & Dinner: Attendees have the option to embrace the film and show off your creativity with themed outfits.

PREVIEW

SMC AGENDA

SATURDAY, MAY 03, 2025

12:00 p.m. – 5:30 p.m.

Early Badge Pickup Level 2 – Arts District Foyer

SUNDAY, MAY 04, 2025

8:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.

8:00 a.m. – 9:00 a.m.

9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

12:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m.

Conference Registration Level 3 – Registration Desk

Executive Committee Meeting Level 2 – Greenville Ave

Board Meeting with Regional and Committee Chairs

Level 2 – Greenville Ave

Committee Meetings Level 2 – Arts District 2-6

• Government Affairs and Safety Committee: Arts District 6

• Industry Partnering Committee: Arts District 4

• Insurance and Benefits Committee: Arts District 3

• Member Services Committee: Arts District 5

• Technology Committee: Arts District 2

12:30 p.m. – 1:30 p.m.

1:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.

*Times Subject to Change

2:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.

5:30 p.m. – 9:30 p.m.

MONDAY, MAY 05, 2025

6:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.

6:00 a.m. – 1:15 p.m.

7:30 a.m. – 8:30 a.m.

8:30 a.m. – 12:15 p.m

Conference Registration Level 3 – Registration Desk

*All times Central

Exhibitor Booth Move-in Level 3 – Dallas Ballroom

Group Breakfast Level 3 – Trinity Ballroom

General Business Session Level 3 – Trinity Ballroom

Main Stage Speakers

John O’Leary Transformative Author and Speaker

12:15 p.m. – 1:15 p.m.

Kyle Scheele Business Innovation and Leadership

Brian Wild Chief Government Relations Officer, NAW

Group Lunch Level 3 – Trinity Ballroom

Women of Gases and Welding Luncheon

12:15 p.m. – 1:15 p.m.

Lunch and Learn Presentation with GAWDA President Eric Wood

Sponsored by the GAWDA Young Professionals Level 2 – Greenville Ave

Exhibitor Move-In Level 3 – Dallas Ballroom

Women of Gases and Welding Committee Meeting Level 2 – Arts District 2

President’s Welcome Reception and Dinner

Offsite – Tower Club Dallas Theme: Caddyshack

See page 61 for more details

Young Professionals

1:15 p.m. – 5:15 p.m.

5:30 p.m.

SpeakerMichael Crambes Vice President of Business Development, American Welding & Gas (Open to all, but space is limited) Level 3 – Fair Park 1

Contact Booth Program Level 3 – Dallas Ballroom

Industry Hospitalities

TUESDAY, MAY 06, 2025

7:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.

7:00 a.m. – 7:55 a.m.

8:00 a.m. – 9:00 a.m.

Conference Registration Level 3 – Registration Desk

Group Breakfast Level 3 – Trinity Ballroom

General Business Session Level 3 – Trinity Ballroom

Main Stage Speakers

9:30 p.m. – 12:00 a.m.

Networking After Party

Offsite – Tower Club Dallas

Aaron Brandt President and CEO, Hypertherm

Evan Smith

Retired President and CEO Hypertherm

9:15 a.m. – 10:15 a.m.

Educational Sessions Level 3 – Dallas Ballrooms EFG

Cybersecurity: Experiences and Lessons Learned

• Tom Barnes, Co-Founder and VP, Castor Security

• Ryan Esparza, Chief Technology Officer, EspriGas

• Keith Johnson, Executive Vice President, Obviam

• John Vrana, Director of IT, Red Ball Oxygen

• Moderated by David Schaer, President, Computers Unlimited

Securing The Next Generation Workforce: Attracting, Recruiting and Retaining Talent In Trucking, Supply Chain and Logistics

Presented by:

• Lindsey Trent, Co-Founder and President, Next Gen Trucking

Fueling Success: Looking Ahead – Gas Distribution Independents Ten Year Outlook

Fireside chat presented by:

• Will Gentry, Partner, Chief Sales and Marketing Officer, Maine Oxy

• Dave Wiens, CEO, Pulsa Sensors

10:15 a.m. – 10:30 a.m. Break

10:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m

Educational Sessions Level 3 – Dallas Ballrooms EFG

E-Commerce: Lighting The Way To B2B E-Commerce Success

• Ryan Esparza, Esprigas

• Marisa Leek, Keen Compressed Gas Co.

• David Schaer, Computers Unlimited

• Moderated by Hector Villarreal, President and Co-Owner, Weldcoa

Unlocking The Hydrogen Opportunity For Regional Distributors

Presented by:

• Sunny Punj, COO, CGI Gases

GAWDA Question? Ask A Consultant

Q&A Panel: GAWDA Consultants

• Thomas Badstubner, FDA and Medical Gases

• Marilyn Dempsey, DHS, EPA and OSHA

• Michael Dodd, DOT

• Rick Schweitzer, Legal Counsel

• Moderated by Albert Castillo, Vice President, Field Sales, North America Sales, The Lincoln Electric Company

MEET THE MAIN STAGE SPEAKERS

JOHN O’LEARY

Transformative

Author and Speaker

At just nine years old, John O’Leary survived a devastating explosion that burned 100% of his body and left him with less than a 1% chance of survival. His story, first told in his parents’ book Overwhelming Odds, has since inspired millions. Today, John speaks to over 50,000 people annually, delivering powerful messages on resilience, personal accountability, and the ability of one individual to spark meaningful change. He is the bestselling author of On Fire and In Awe, and is known for his emotional storytelling, humor, and authentic delivery.

WHY ATTEND:

John’s message perfectly aligns with this year’s theme of Sustaining a Resilient Culture. GAWDA members will walk away with a renewed sense of purpose, tools to reengage teams through authentic leadership, and inspiration to reignite passion amid today’s challenges. His session is a moving reminder that resilience isn’t just about surviving—it’s about leading boldly, building community, and choosing impact every single day.

MONDAY, MAY 05, 2025

KYLE SCHEELE

Business

Innovation and Leadership

Called “the patron saint of crazy ideas,” Kyle Scheele is a speaker, author, and creative powerhouse who’s known for bold projects—like giving a Viking funeral to 21,000 regrets and gaining a million TikTok followers in just 25 hours. His wildly inventive ideas have been featured in Fast Company, WIRED, The Washington Post, and more, and his videos have racked up over 250 million views. Kyle uses storytelling, humor, and heart to help organizations unlock creativity, rethink constraints, and drive meaningful innovation.

WHY ATTEND:

Kyle’s dynamic keynotes are perfect for leaders looking to turn everyday teams into idea factories. His message resonates with GAWDA members navigating change and looking to spark creativity in the face of tight resources. Whether he’s sharing practical tools for innovation, redefining what it means to think “inside the box,” or reminding us of the power of one person to drive impact—Kyle leaves audiences energized, inspired, and ready to think differently.

BRIAN WILD Chief Government Relations Officer, NAW

Brian Wild brings decades of experience at the highest levels of government—including the U.S. Senate, House of Representatives, and as an advisor to Vice President Dick Cheney. As the National Association of Wholesaler-Distributors Chief Government Relations Officer, Brian is a trusted advocate for the wholesale distribution industry, known for building coalitions and navigating complex policy landscapes in Washington, D.C. His strategic work ensures that the voices of distributors—large and small—are heard by Congress, the White House, and key federal agencies.

WHY ATTEND:

Brian will break down the latest developments on tariffs and their real-time impact on the gas and welding industry. With clarity and insider insight, he’ll explain how trade policy decisions are made, what to expect next, and what GAWDA members can do to protect and position their businesses in this evolving economic climate. Don’t miss this chance to hear directly from one of Washington’s most respected voices for distributors.

TUESDAY, MAY 06, 2025

AARON BRANDT

President and CEO, Hypertherm

Aaron Brandt has over 20 years of experience in successfully launching and growing B2B eCommerce websites for distributors and manufacturers. In 2017, he invested into a UK company, ES Tech Group, that was founded in 2006 to provide B2B eCommerce Solutions to independent resellers. The business was acquired by Texas based ECI Solutions in 2017, where Dave now leads the eCommerce Division’s EvolutionX eCommerce platform business across North America.

EVAN SMITH Retired President and CEO, Hypertherm

Currently serving on the Hypertherm Board of Directors, Evan Smith has been with Hypertherm since 1992, where he has worked in a succession of marketing and general business management roles. In 2001, he assumed the role of Vice President, General Manager, overseeing Hypertherm’s business units, global sales organization, engineering, marketing, and strategic planning functions. In 2012, he was appointed President, overseeing all business operations and functions, followed in 2015 by his appointment to the position of CEO. Prior

to joining Hypertherm, he served as a commissioned officer in the U.S. Navy and worked in financial and health services consulting. He resides with his wife in Hanover, New Hampshire, where he also serves on the board of the Upper Valley Haven, and most recently on the boards of the New Hampshire Business and Industry Association, New Hampshire Humanities and Granite United Way. Evan holds a BA from Dartmouth College and an MBA from Harvard.

PREVIEW

EDUCATIONAL SESSIONS

9:15AM- 10:15AM

SESSION 1: DALLAS BALLROOM E

Cybersecurity: Experiences and Lessons Learned

Join us for a compelling panel discussion at the forefront of cybersecurity, featuring seasoned Industry IT professionals who have faced and thwarted real-world attempts by malicious actors to infiltrate their organizations’ systems. This session will offer attendees a rare glimpse into the cybersecurity trenches and provide actionable insights to safeguard their organization’s data.

• Tom Barnes, Co-Founder and VP, Castor Security

• Ryan Esparza, Chief Technology Officer, EspriGas

• Keith Johnson, Executive Vice President, Obviam

• John Vrana, Director of IT, Red Ball Oxygen

• Moderated by David Schaer, President, Computers Unlimited

SESSION 2: DALLAS BALLROOM F

Securing the Next Generation Workforce:

Attracting, Recruiting & Retaining Talent in Trucking, Supply Chain & Logistics

The future of trucking, supply chain and logistics depends on fresh talent - but how do we attract, engage and keep the next generation? In this session, discover how the Next Generation in Trucking Association is paving the way for young professionals, creating career pathways and reshaping industry perceptions. Gain insights into what Gen Z values in an employer, how to position your company as a top career destination and actionable strategies to develop and sustain a future-ready workforce.

• Presented by Lindsey Trent, Co-Founder & President, Next Gen Trucking

SESSION 3: DALLAS BALLROOM G

Fueling Success: Looking Ahead – Gas Distribution Independents’ Ten Year Outlook

The future belongs to those who embrace technology. Maine Oxy’s success proves that leveraging data isn’t optional - it’s essential. Learn how adopting a data-driven mindset, investing in the right tools, and evolving your operations will set you apart, drive profitability, and keep you ahead in an increasingly competitive industry.

Fireside chat with

• Will Gentry, Partner, Chief Sales & Marketing Officer, Maine Oxy

• Dave Wiens, CEO, Pulsa Sensors

BREAK 10:15AM-10:30AM

10:30AM-11:30AM

SESSION 4: DALLAS BALLROOM E

E-commerce: Lighting the Way to B2B e-commerce Success:

Join us for a panel discussion with successful distributors who will share their insights on launching and scaling a B2B e-commerce platform. The panel will share their experiences on building an e-commerce team, Platform Selection, Implementation, Collecting Data, and Driving Success.

• Ryan Esparza, Chief Technology Officer, EspriGas

• Marisa Leek, Marketing and Sales Ops Specialist, Keen Compressed Gas Co.

• David Schaer, Computers Unlimited

• Moderated by Hector Villarreal, President and Co-Owner, Weldcoa

SESSION 5: DALLAS BALLROOM F

Unlocking the Hydrogen Opportunity for Regional Distributors

The hydrogen market is rapidly evolving, presenting both challenges and unprecedented opportunities for regional distributors. While industry majors have traditionally dominated this space, there's a growing landscape where smaller, agile distributors can play a significant role. This presentation aims to demystify the hydrogen economy and provide actionable insights for GAWDA members to actively participate and thrive in this emerging market.

• Presented by Sunny Punj, COO, CGI Gases

SESSION 6: DALLAS BALLROOM G

GAWDA Question? Ask A Consultant

Got compliance questions? We’ve got answers! Spend an hour with GAWDA’s expert consultants with a live Q&A as they share key updates on regulations, safety and legal issues impacting your business. Then take advantage of an open Q&A session to get answers to your most pressing questions. This is your chance to get expert advice and walk away with real solutions!

• Thomas Badstubner, FDA and Medical Gases Consultant

• Marilyn Dempsey, DHS, EPA and OSHA Consultant

• Michael Dodd, DOT Consultant

• Rick Schweitzer, Legal Counsel

• Moderated by Albert Castillo, Vice President, Field Sales, North America Sales, The Lincoln Electric Company

TRUST THE EXPERTS

Advancing Innovation STRONGER TOGETHER:

Merging Excellence,

We are thrilled to announce that Crane®, CRYOWorks, and Technifab Products have come together to form a powerful new entity: Crane Cryogenics™! This merger brings together the expertise and innovation of three companies, enabling us to offer enhanced cryogenic solutions and advanced technologies to better serve our customers and the industry. We look forward to embarking on this new journey together!

With over 30 years of experience in cryogenics and vacuum technology, Crane Cryogenics™ is the best way to ensure your requirements are met from initial start-up to completion.

CRYOGENIC EQUIPMENT

Vacuum Insulated Piping Systems

Vacuum Insulated Pipe (VIP) is the preferred method for transporting cryogenic liquids and is unmatched in safety, reliability, and cost-effectiveness.

Transfer Hoses

We stock large quantities of vacuuminsulated flex hose and standard end connections, allowing us to provide quick turnaround times

Phase Separators

Deliver high quality, low temperature, saturated, liquid nitrogen at consistent pressures. Available in 3 standard design options.

Valves & More!

Our valves are designed and fabricated to exceed the highest industry standards in LH2, LHe and much more.

THE GAWDA APP

Looking for expert CO 2 and cryogenic tank services? At U.S. Tank & Cryogenics, we specialize in sales, refurbishing, and repair of high-quality cryogenic equipment. Whether you need reliable bulk CO 2 tanks, dewar maintenance, or expert restoration, we’ve got you covered!

Industry-leading refurbishing & testing

High-quality tanks at competitive prices

Trusted by businesses nationwide

PREVIEW

CONTACT BOOTH PROGRAM

MONDAY, MAY 5TH | 1:30 P.M. – 5:30 P.M.

The Contact Booth Program is one of the best networking opportunities in the entire gases and welding industry. Distributors, make sure to walk the floor and meet with all of the more than 140 suppliers exhibiting this year. See the latest and greatest products and services that the industry has to offer and form invaluable relationships that could benefit your business in the future. s a mal S x- Lo Adjus s. Gas ro T pact. P lest T World . partn hes, T e! Sca v e r ® K hielding. S c ® To rc table. Modu or Water- C o rc h Precise. IG Torch in er for all things TI ungsten, Machine n to explore i t ave Gas. h lar ooled . 0.60"

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Will you be the “Best in Show” at our Contact Booth Program?

GAWDA’s Industry Partnering Committee (IPC) is excited to announce the SMC Contact Booth “Best in Show” is returning to GAWDA’s Spring Management Conference. You may have heard a little bit about our “Best in Show” award this year and we wanted to share more…

“Best in Show” means exactly what it says. It’s not the loudest, flashiest, craziest booth, but it is the truly the booth that does the best for your fellow members. Can they easily tell who you are and what you do? Are you engaging your audience (and not playing video games on your cellphone)? We think you get the picture.

Who are the judges? We’re not telling so make sure you’re on your best behavior!

6200 Savoy Drive, #868

P: (713) 779-8882

F: (713) 774-1763

www.btic-america.com

presented by IPC

PREVIEW

Tech Trends & Takeaways: A Look at GAWDA’s Technology Committee Ahead of SMC 2025

BY STEVE GUGLIELMO AND HECTOR VILLARREAL

GAWDA’s Technology Committee was announced just over a year ago, and the new committee has hit the ground running, tackling important topics like cybersecurity, e-commerce, and, of course, the incredibly hot-button topic of AI. During this year’s Educational Sessions at the Spring Management Conference in Dallas, the Technology Committee will host two sessions: “Cybersecurity: Experiences and Lessons Learned” and “E-Commerce: Lighting the Way to B2B E-Commerce Success.” We had the opportunity to speak with Technology Committee co-chair Hector Villarreal about the upcoming SMC and everything that the new committee has achieved during its first year for the May episode of GAWDA TV. The following is a lightly edited transcript of that conversation.

GAWDA TV: The technology committee has been in place for a little over a year now. Can you discuss the progress that the committee has made so far and the biggest topics of discussion that you've undertaken as a group?

Hector Villarreal: Yeah, it's been a really interesting experience. You know, the majority of the people who are on the committee are in the IT departments for the various distributors. So, this is a different group of people than I normally talk to. I've spent the majority of my career talking to people in ops or ownership. And so, the energy level has been incredibly high. Everybody is very astute and in tune with this field.

I consider myself to be a very techie kind of person. And they're dropping acronyms that I'm Googling on the fly because they live in this world, right? And I’m just visiting. And so it's been a great education for me.

And I think that the GAWDA membership, in general, is going to benefit from this because I think this is a group of people within GAWDA that are always kind of in the background plugging away. They are absolutely essential to what everybody does, but they haven’t gotten a lot of screen time at GAWDA. And so I think this is an excellent platform to educate everybody on what they do and the importance of it.

Hector Villarreal, Weldcoa

GAWDA TV: One of the first things that you did as a committee when you were first announced was to establish three separate subcommittees. Can you discuss those subcommittees and the roles that they play within the larger committee?

Hector: The feedback that we got from the Board of Directors was that everybody was very interested in artificial intelligence. And everybody was concerned about cybersecurity, and everybody wanted to do more e-commerce or better e-commerce. So, those three subcommittees were subjects that were important to the Board. So, we attacked it from that position.

And very early on, it was obvious that some members of the committee were very into either cybersecurity or e-commerce, depending on what their positions were within the companies. But everybody had an interest in the AI because it's the latest hotness. So that's where those three committees came from. And they are the cybersecurity, e-commerce, and artificial intelligence subcommittees.

GAWDA TV: As we discussed the last time we had the opportunity to have you on the show, there is this thirst for technology within all industries, but especially within GAWDA. And that’s really going to come to the forefront during this year’s SMC in Dallas, where the Technology Committee will have a starring role, with an entire Educational Track. Can you give viewers a preview of some of the topics that you will be discussing during those sessions and why they shouldn't miss those opportunities?

Hector: I think it's become pretty obvious that if you don’t have an e-commerce position on your website, you’re really missing the boat. When I took over this committee, I reached out to friends in the industry who I knew had been doing e-commerce for a while. And the responses that I got were actually very mixed. Some who were early into it felt that the return was lacking as time went on. Initially, there was this nice big bump, and then, over time, it just kind of came down. And

others who were getting into it wanted to make sure that they did it in the most efficient way possible. And so, as I spoke to other experts in the field, what I found was that you need to understand that there is no finish line in e-commerce. There's no finish line in cybersecurity. You always have to be evolving. And there were some companies that made initial investments in their e-commerce website. But that was kind of it. And then there was somebody in the background who was trying to maintain it. And there has to be a reinvestment. And you have to walk in with that mindset that this is going to be an ongoing thing. The good news is that, and we'll talk about this on the panel, the tools to do so have gotten easier to use, and they've become much less expensive than they were just 10 years ago. People need to understand that.

And on our e-commerce panel, we've got a really great lineup. We've got Marisa Leek with Keen Gas, Ryan Esparza with Esprigas, and David Schaer with Computers Unlimited. And it's a nice perspective. We've got people who have been doing it since the beginning of e-commerce. And then we've got a person who is sort of new and is creating or updating a

current website. And it's going to be the lessons learned. So, there are going to be a lot of great takeaways on the e-commerce side. And I highly recommend everybody do it. It's a vital part of everybody's business. And if you're not doing it, you should be doing it.

On the cybersecurity side, everybody has concerns. The headlines are full of horrible, horrible things happening almost daily now. And here, within Weldcoa, we're always concerned about that. We spend a lot of time and money securing what we do. But when I was talking to the members of the committee, I was shocked at how many daily attacks are occurring. And that are being prevented. And nobody knows about it. They're doing their job, and because nothing goes down, nobody is any wiser to what's going on.

So, we've got a really great panel on cybersecurity. We just talked to Ryan Esparza with Esprigas. And Ryan has some realworld, very updated experiences in protecting systems. John, who is my co-chair on the panel, John Vrana with Red Ball, is going to be on there. And then, we have two industry experts. We felt it was important to get people from outside the industry

on the panel. So, we've got Tom Barnes with Castor Security and Keith Johnson with Obviam. And these are companies that are constantly testing not just your security, but your staff. They're doing fake attacks to see how your team handles it and who falls for these phishing schemes, which is always interesting. It's a lesson learned kind of thing. Once you get burned, it's better to get burned by somebody that you're paying to do it than by some outside evil actor out there.

So, that's what's going to be on at the panels. I think it's very timely, and I think people are going to walk away with a lot of information that they can use right away. I definitely think it's a don't miss.

GAWDA TV: You just kind of alluded to it; you know the headlines out there are terrifying if you let yourself kind of get sucked into them, and technology continues to evolve at this incredible pace. What are some of the biggest disruptors in the tech world right now, especially as they pertain to GAWDA and our members?

What I found was that you need to understand that there is no finish line in e-commerce. There’s no finish line in cybersecurity. You always have to be evolving.

News From GAWDA

Hector: Yeah, you know, it's no secret. Artificial intelligence is the big buzzword out there. Most people don't understand how it's going to affect their lives. Everybody's used to ChatGPT and typing in a question, and they think it's a glorified Google, but it is not. It's so much more.

And I've told the story several times now, but it was 10 years ago, I was out of the country doing a presentation for a group of gas distributors in the Middle East. It was the first time that I spoke about artificial intelligence. I had been following IBM's Watson artificial intelligence. And, at that time, Watson had just won Jeopardy, which was unheard of up until then. Artificial intelligence had been employed to play games like poker or chess, right? A lot of people at that point in time had played computer chess, and they saw how smart the computer could be, but for an artificial intelligence to answer random questions was unheard of at the time. And so, I was really fascinated by it. A lot of the science journals were talking about it. And ultimately, when I brought it up at the conference, at the cocktail party that night, everybody was asking me if it was a joke, if I was serious about it. And I was just like, no, I'm very serious. This technology is happening. You just haven't heard about it yet. And it's going to come.

At the same time, we have other technologies that are advancing at a similar rate. At the time, cobots weren't a thing. But I knew, because I had visited facilities that were using cobots, that they were out there. And you fast forward 10 years, and a lot of our distributors are selling cobots. And they've been very successful selling robotic cobots for welding. It's going to be the same thing with AI. Right now, distributors can use AI in their sales process, marketing process, and administrative process. And the technology to use it in their warehouses is developing. That's the next phase.

And, as we get into quantum computing, when you merge the AI with quantum computing, it's going to be a whole new world. It's limited right now by its computational power. And when we cross that threshold into quantum computing, it is going to change a lot of things, for sure.

GAWDA TV: Looking ahead now to year two of the tech committee, what would you say your biggest goals are?

Hector: It's kind of funny you're talking about how we're a young committee. I thought I'd have a couple of years to get everybody to find a rhythm. And we were formed, and then right away, the Board asked us to set up these panels. And so

we were like, “Okay, we've got the people, we can do this.” And we set it up.

And I think what the team wants to do, what the committee wants to do, is we want to put out a lot more articles, some white papers, to help people navigate the complexities of cybersecurity, of e-commerce, and definitely educate people on what is usable on the AI side. There are a lot of products out there. X has its AI, and, of course, there's ChatGPT, and then there's Copilot and Microsoft, and Chat and Microsoft just released new versions of their AI. And there are several others out there that most people have never heard of. And we want to provide that education to people.

I think technology and business have always merged. And when that merger occurs, there are always winners and losers. And you definitely want to be on the winning side.

GAWDA TV: We've covered a ton of ground, but is there anything that you want to leave readers and viewers with before we go today?

Hector: If you've got people on your team that are interested in technology and, you know, they don't have to be an expert, if they just have an interest, we would welcome anyone to join. I am certainly not an expert. I am just somebody who is fascinated by it. So, come join the technology committee. Be a fly on the wall. You can learn a lot. The conversations that we have are incredibly interesting. And again, you don't have to be an IT expert to be part of that.

GAWDA TV: Well, Hector, you're doing the Lord's work here. You're taking a really complex topic, and you're making it really accessible. So, we really appreciate you, everything you're doing, and we really appreciate your time today. So thank you so much.

Hector Villarreal appeared in the May 1 episode of GAWDA TV. Check out the interview by scanning the QR Code above.

GAWDA

Following a record-setting Regional Meeting slate in 2024, GAWDA hits the road again for six Regional Meetings in 2025!

This year’s Regional Meeting slate is already underway, as the Southeast Regional Meeting, which debuted to massive fanfare last year, kicked the summer slate off from March 24-25, 2025, in Greenville, SC. Regional Meeting Chairs Nico Arvelo, Linda Smith, and Britt Lovin had a tall task to live up to their inaugural meeting from 2024, but they managed to surpass even those massive expectations with a new venue at the AC Hotel at Greenville in South Carolina, to go along with an incredible lineup of educational speakers. And, of course, the extracurriculars are what brings a GAWDA meeting from good to great, and the Southeast Meeting had those in spades, with golf at Pavillion at the Preserve as well as a fun day of driving at the BMW Performance Center, where attendees were encouraged to “drive them like you stole them.” Concludes Co-Chair Nico Arvelo, “The 2025 Southeast Regional in Greenville, SC, was an absolutely amazing event! We were thrilled to see such a fantastic turnout and the incredible energy everyone brought. A huge thank you to all the participants for coming and making this event so special. We couldn't have done it without our wonderful speakers, generous sponsors, our dedicated regional co-chairs, and the hardworking GAWDA staff. Your support and efforts made this event a resounding success! Looking forward to an even bigger crowd next year!" Stay tuned for the Q4 Issue of Welding & Gases Today to see a full photo gallery and recap of the event.

The second Regional Meeting of 2025 saw the Southwest Regional move from its traditional location in League City, Texas, to a brand new location in Denver, Colorado, as co-chairs Justin Guitreau, Quinn Kennedy, and Marie Williams put together an amazing debut Regional, themed “Scaling Business Efficiently.” This year’s regional, which took place from April 23-25, was open to GAWDA members representing CA, NV, CO, AZ, NM, TX and OK. It took place at the Inverness Denver Golf and Spa Resort and saw an all-star educational panel including keynote speaker Bob Ewing, distributor member speakers Ryan Craven, Lawrence Haynes, and Nicole Kissler, and a roundtable on the topic of “Driving Company Efficiency: Strategies for Leaders and Young Professionals to Make an Impact.” The Regional also featured a Reverse Contact Booth Program. Says Co-Chair Justin Guitreau, “Thank you so much to everybody who attended this year’s Southwest Regional Meeting. We can’t wait to continue to build on this year’s success and grow the Regional for years to come!”

Again, check the Q4 Issue of Welding & Gases Today to see a full photo gallery and recap of the event.

The remaining four Regional Meetings for 2025 will take place throughout the Spring and Summer. The Regional Meetings are a chance for GAWDA Members to meet and network in a more intimate setting than the national Conventions. Past President Abydee Butler Moore described them as “the ground-level view of the industry, whereas the national meetings are more of a 10,000-foot overview.”

News From GAWDA

JUNE 4-5, 2025

EAST/MIDWEST REGION

SEVEN SPRINGS, PA

The GAWDA East/Midwest Regional Meeting returns to Seven Springs, PA, June 4-5, 2025. The Seven Springs Regional is always one of the most highly anticipated Regional Meetings on the schedule, and this year is no different! More than 200 industry leaders annually make the trek to the beautiful Seven Springs Mountain Resort, which is just 60 miles east of downtown Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. With hotel lodging, convention center, restaurants, golf, shooting clays, swimming pool, zip lining, bowling, etc., all onsite, Seven Springs is an actionpacked family and business destination.

This year’s event features educational sessions from Air Water America COO Eric Rottier and Maine Oxy Chief Sales Officer Will Gentry to go along with a half-day workshop on June 4 from Anese Cavanagh entitled “Contagious Culture, Contagious You.” Anese joined GAWDA TV for the May 1 episode to give attendees a sneak peek of what they can expect during this engaging half-day workshop!

In addition to the amazing educational opportunities, the Seven Springs Regional pioneered the Reverse Contact Booth Program, which “turns the tables” on the traditional Contact Booth Program and allows the distributors to exhibit while the suppliers come to their tables. It is the ideal opportunity to foster business connections, forge supply chain relationships, and soak in business education.

All of that goes along with golf, bowling, sporting clays, live music, BBQ, and networking. You won’t want to miss it. Stay tuned to the GAWDA Connection for more information closer to the event.

GAWDA News From

JULY 13-15, 2025

NORTHWEST REGION CLE ELUM, WA

The Northwest Regional Meeting returns to Cle Elum, WA, from July 13-15, 2025. This year, Oxarc’s Jenna Fitzgerald joins Clint Bush as a co-chair for the event. Last year’s event, which took place in Sunriver, OR, boasted 183 registrants, who heard from a diverse set of speakers on topics ranging from Hydrogen, to energy transition and new technology, to personal finance. “The GAWDA Northwest Regional is my favorite event of the year to connect with vendors and welding suppliers in our region,” says co-chair Clinton Bush. “I always feel like it is time well spent, and I look forward to seeing everyone again this year!” Stay tuned to the GAWDA Connection for more information about speakers and registration closer to the event.

Jenna Fitzgerald

News From GAWDA

JULY 28-29, 2025

CENTRAL REGION SOUTH BEND, IN

Last year saw the Central Regional Meeting make a much-celebrated move to South Bend, IN, and the historic Notre Dame University. The move drew rave reviews, so much so that co-chairs Roach and Bob Ranc decided to return to the Golden Dome in 2025.

Says Mike Roach, “Due to the popu larity of the unique venue, the GAWDA Central Regional will be held again this year at the University of Notre Dame in Indiana on July 28-29. We are in the pro cess of re-inventing our vendor/distrib utor networking program and are lining up engaging and informational speakers as well. We are also excited to announce that this year’s golf outing will be held at Blackthorn Golf Club in South Bend, Indiana. When registration opens, please sign up early to reserve your spot at this year’s event!”

Stay tuned to the GAWDA Connec tion for more information about speak ers and registration closer to the event.

AUGUST 11-13, 2025

NORTHEAST REGION MASHANTUCKET, CTS

The 2025 Regional Meeting slate will conclude from August 11-13, 2025, with the Northeast Regional Meeting. The Northeast Regional has settled in as “Glory’s Last Shot” on the Regional Meeting slate as it has been the final Regional Meeting for several years in a row. If you haven’t attended a regional yet in 2025, make plans to attend the Northeast Regional. This year, the meeting will take on a new look as it will move from Atlantic City to Mashantucket, CT, home of the Foxwoods Resort Casino. The Regional will also see a new co-chair in AWISCO’s Joe Karnchanabut join MPT Industries’ Michael Trueba. The Northeast Regional always features a list of heavy-hitter educational content, engaging networking opportunities, and, of course, amazing golf, and this year will be no different. Stay tuned to the GAWDA Connection for more information about speakers and registration closer to the event.

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A Guide to Digital Transformation Investments for Distributors

Create your company’s North Star.

BY MIKE MARKS, INDIAN RIVER CONSULTING GROUP

Mike Marks is co-founder and managing partner of Indian River Consulting Group, a consulting firm to distributors and manufacturers. He specializes in helping distributors and manufacturers accurately diagnose problems and identify risk-bound alternatives. Contact him at mmarks@ircg.com or visit ircg.com.

Digital transformation isn’t as simple as just selecting software and then hitting go—though the hype around emerging tech like artificial intelligence may make it seem so.

To be successful, you need to do the research and build a technology investment roadmap. This roadmap should align with your customer base’s needs and go-to-market strategies.

It’s all about customer experience. What are the forces that customers are dealing with? How are things changing, and how will they change over the next three to five years?

With those answers, you can properly leverage data and AI-enhanced solutions to create a value proposition and customer experience that, even years from now, makes you the blindingly obvious choice.

For distributors, digital transformation is challenging but absolutely necessary. To pull it off, you need to build a roadmap to create growth and shareholder value by becoming your customers’ North Star.

CREATE A DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION MODEL THAT INCLUDES ROI

STEP 1: EXECUTIVE RESEARCH

Leadership should start with research on your digital technology options. Talk to experts, hire consultants, and discuss the ins and outs with peers who are ahead of you. Don’t consult your friends. Talk to people who will tell you about their wins and losses – not only the things you want to hear. Trade associations are a great place to make these connections.

STEP 2: IDENTIFY YOUR NORTH STAR

Remember: Digital transformation is all about the customer – their experience and their buying journey. Start with gaining new customer insights. These insights should come from talking directly to the customer, not your sales reps. Conduct interviews and launch a trusting conversation between your marketing team and the customers. Ask customers what their pain points are, what the experience is like buying from you and what that journey looks

like. Provide them with the space to answer rather than trying to guess what’s important to them. Even the flashiest AI tool needs good inputs to work, and you’ll only find them by fully engaging your customers.

STEP 3: BUILD AND LAUNCH THE MINIMUM VIABLE PRODUCT (MVP)

Build out a multi-year investment roadmap and fund the first year aggressively. Monitor the results of this launch carefully to learn how to react and respond next year.

Understand digital transformation is not one-and-done. Your feedback loop should be ongoing … never-ending. By continually evaluating your progress, you’ll stay ahead of the game.

HOW TO MEASURE DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION: CALCULATE ROI OF INNOVATIVE INVESTMENTS

You know how to calculate ROI: the benefit (or return) of an investment is divided by the cost of the investment.

However, the return on innovation investment is calculated differently. You need to compare the profits of the new product

or service to the research, development and other direct expenditures generated by creating these new products/services.

This new ROI calculation takes into consideration four investment stages that require executive time and capital:

RESEARCH

Executives must spend money to get smarter. Identify the impact of external forces that affect your specific market to the technology and tools required to create your North Star. Executives should be discovering how to create growth and shareholder value at this stage – often with the help of consultants.

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Although distributors can spend money on this research, they usually don’t understand enough about the technology and how the costs break down. There’s a reluctance to invest because of the perceived risks and their worry about investing in the wrong technology. This is where consultants can help separate the wheat from the chaff.

CAPITAL INVESTMENT AND NON-RECURRING START-UP COSTS

These expenses bring the new model online at MVP performance. This version should have just enough features to be usable by early customers.

THE ORGANIZATIONAL CHANGE MANAGEMENT PROCESS

How do you make existing employees more effective and increase productivity? Answer this question and update your organizational structure accordingly. Embrace and utilize the new tech as clearly defined in a project plan. To do this, you need buy-in from the entire organization.

RECURRING COSTS TO OPERATE THE MODEL

These costs are the technology upgrades so you can continue to use the most up-to-date software.

Many distributors today are actually viewing ROI on innovation investments as more of an ROP, or return on productivity. By making their employees more efficient, distributors can unleash this newfound productivity in other areas of their business.

INNOVATION RISK MANAGEMENT

The probability of success plus the probability of failure always equals one. Without taking that first step toward change, the cost of not doing so is a slow death.

Here are some proven risk-reduction strategies when investing in technology:

Ensure leadership knows and understands the North Star and Go-To-Market pivot project plans. Leading from the front helps get everyone else onboard.

Invest with enough scale to warrant the necessary executive attention. In other words, ensure that the C-suite has skin in the game.

Start on a smaller scale. Investing in a point solution has limited risk because it’s small and only addresses a single pain point. This is a manageable way to begin.

Seek regular direct customer insight but not from your sales

team. Sales reps are trained to listen to make the sale. They’re not trained to listen to understand. Although they’re very good at reacting to threats and opportunities, they’re not trained to truly understand life from the customers’ perspective. Have another department conduct these continuous interviews and feedback loops.

Choose best-of-breed software rather than a single software provider. Choose the best tools to solve particular problems, not a solution that provides everything from a single source. This strategy also provides breathing room and time to get familiar with the investments and changes. Incremental, short-term returns also help fund the next investment.

Cut through the AI hype to understand how best to leverage it. You can’t let the hype push you into a hasty investment, but you can’t ignore it either. AI has plenty of applications in distribution if you know where to look and what to look for. For example, according to Distribution Strategy Group, the right AI-powered cross-selling tool can generate new revenue by the time you’ve made your fourth payment. Learn as much as you can about AI so you can make the most educated choice possible. When you take the time to do serious, focused research, you increase your odds of getting the gains in productivity and efficiency that AI is capable of providing. When you don’t, you increase your odds of getting stuck with a pseudo-AI boondoggle.

Be a fast follower with a strong sensing mechanism. Know where the leaders are in your industry and gauge (and even ask) what they’re doing and using to accomplish better business. Observe how leading distributors use AI and other tech and try to anticipate the next level.

CREATE YOUR BUSINESS’S “NORTH STAR”

In two to five years, you want your customers to look around at all their options and see your organization as the one they want. You have your act together. You might be more expensive, but the cost of working together is worth it because you know how to win.

To create your company’s North Star, start by having discussions about your customers with key stakeholders and leadership. Sort your customers into categories: winners, losers and the uncertains. How are you determining these criteria? List the selection details as well.

Consider those change scenarios you created during the executive research stage. Think about your winners in these scenarios and how they’ll respond. Will they compete differ-

ently? Source differently? How do you respond to their actions and increase purchase concentration?

Next, define any new capabilities those winning customers will need to succeed. With that information, you can create a value proposition that makes you the best, most obvious – and only – choice.

Lastly, build plans to realign your resources to the emerging growth opportunities.

DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION STRATEGY ROADMAP: THE FOUNDATION OF YOUR INNOVATION INVESTMENT

At the end of the day, the CEO should be able to clearly identify a roadmap of digital priorities, rather than “a basket of digital projects.” Include these updates in formal quarterly reviews as well as monthly meetings.

TRACK YOUR PROGRESS, CAREFULLY, WITH DISCIPLINE

Proudly serving the industry seamlessly since 1897 R 412-664-6604

According to the experts at McKinsey, prioritizing digital initiatives is essential to digital transformation. It’s the first step and falls directly on the CEO’s shoulders. They should monitor the five key performance indicators below to assess the company’s digital progress:

tom.kairys@cp-industries.com www.cp-industries.com 2214 Walnut Street, McKeesport, PA 15132

• Return on digital investments

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• Percentage of annual technology budget spend on digital initiatives

Invest time and effort before you invest financially. Create a plan, build executive buy-in into the process and don’t set unrealistic goals or deadlines. Given what a digital investment requires, you want to do it right.

The details matter. Engage people who will benefit from the technology and get their input, then apply that to your plan.

Talk to other companies who have implemented the technology and been successful. What did they do? More importantly, when you hit a roadblock, ask them how they overcame it.

• Time required to build any digital apps for customers

• Percentage of leaders’ initiatives linked to digital

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• Top talent attracted, retained and promoted

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Lastly, don’t get upset when you start to see the differences between what you’ve always done and what the customer thinks. This moment of realization isn’t just an opportunity to see what you’re doing wrong. It’s an opportunity to be aware of your customers’ pain points and fix them. Become their North Star.

Sales & MARKETING

Customer Expectations in 2025

BY ART WASKEY

Art Waskey has over 50 years’ experience in the welding and gas industry. He travels across the country consulting and giving seminars on business skills and has published 3 books on sales skills stories. He holds a BS in Mechanical Engineering, and a Master of Ministry in Leadership Development. You can subscribe to Art’s weekly sales/leadership tips and monthly articles on his website. Also, check out his Posts on LinkedIn. For services, contact Art at 720-3419405 or artwaskey@ ispeakd.com.

Things are changing fast. Virtual online channels are moving the bar for efficiency in distribution ever higher. Customers are demanding fast fulfillment, real-time inventory visibility, and highly personalized service. Legacy distributor systems cannot meet these demands. If the independent distributor is not collecting real-time data with up-to-date technology, the gap between his business and alternative channels may soon become insurmountable.

THE TOOLS

Here are the tools you need to meet customer expectations in 2025.

• State-of-the-art ERP – Enterprise resource planning (ERP) is the foundation upon which you build your digital business. ERP software streamlines and automates functions such as finance, human resources, manufacturing, supply chain, and procurement. This tool is designed to help you keep up with growing customer demand for fast, reliable service. It is important to note that the number of features these systems offer is growing at a fast clip. Stay current!

• Real-time price – In the past, business economics taught us that the best way to improve profit was to grow your sales. Technology, however, has opened up other avenues to improve your margins. With today’s software, you can increase profits with realtime pricing. You can ensure opportunistic buying decisions, raise prices in a systematic manner, control sales force pricing, and capitalize on supplier price increases. The challenge in 2025 is to provide tailored, competitive pricing with better profit margins while keeping customer loyalty.

• VMI initiative – Fastenal, a large U.S. distributor of industrial and construction supplies, has led the way in supplying vendor-managed inventory (VMI) at customer locations. VMI systems utilize advanced technologies to simplify inventory replenishment and track necessary products. These systems improve supply chain efficiency, foster collaboration, and drive predictability for both supplier and customer. With omnichannel capabilities, the customer receives the best product at a competitive price. The traditional independent distributor should be working with a VMI equipment manufacturer now to remain competitive.

• Warehouse Inventory automation – While VMI is improving inventory management at customer sites, inventory control costs at the distributor warehouse are also improving with automation. In a recent article, Anthony Wrighton wrote, “Drones, robots, and virtual reality (VR) might have sounded like science fiction a few years ago, but in industrial operations, they’re becoming everyday tools. With drones reducing inspection risks, robots taking over dangerous manual tasks, and VR transforming training… one thing is clear: digital transformation isn’t just coming; it’s already here.” (How drones, robotics and VR are changing industrial gases, gasworld, Jan 29, 2025).

By deploying warehouse automation, distributors are able to reduce storage capacity by up to 35% and accelerate order fulfillment. Customer satisfaction is enhanced by accurate and timely deliveries.

• Predictive forecasting analytics – Today’s AI forecasting software is capable of mining data through predictive modeling and

machine learning. AI can analyze historical facts to make predictions about future events. Business predictive forecasting models are available for sales, cost, and profits using various tools and techniques. Generative AI predictive business software such as Microsoft Copilot, IBM Project Ripasso, and Oracle Analytics, are just a few of the products available for distributors.

DIGITIZE AS FAST AS YOU CAN

The word is out — or I should say, its initials are — AI. If you are involved in distribution, you will hear AI mentioned in most webcasts, podcasts, and at conferences. It is being incorporated into your business space, and it’s time to get on board. Digitize as fast as you can.

Progressive distributors, their suppliers, and their customers are already using functional ERP, e-commerce, and product content software solutions. A distributor’s current goal for customer digitalized order entry should be at least 30% of sales. That means about a third of your customers are placing orders without direct human interaction with your staff. Data collected via digitalized order entry enables AI applications to analyze customer order frequency, cross- and up-sell, and apply effective pricing trends.

THE BENEFITS OF AI

Improving order entry is just one of the many benefits of AI. Here are some of the other ways AI can sharpen distributor operations.

1. Improving order processing methods – With AI, order processing can be completed using text, emails, faxes, PDFs, or even verbal commands. One software developer sells a system that uses OpenAI ChatGPT, Microsoft CoPilot, or Google Gemini to assist a salesperson using a cell phone. It allows a seller to take a customer request, prepare a quote, and even place the order. Innovative digital developers will come to your company and train your sales, operations, and supply chain employees on their product. Many can have new software operational in a matter of days.

2. Training new employees – As experienced employees retire, their wisdom and knowledge base go with them. AI can provide deep learning by analyzing the skill set of experienced employees and then create training materials from that analysis for new hires. Chatbots and virtual assistants can provide on-the-job training for each new work challenge encountered.

3. Accelerating Continuous Improvement (CI) – Generative AI enables companies to accelerate their CI planning. It is an agent for constantly improving specific repetitive

tasks. AI can analyze performance metrics, identify areas of improvement, and make necessary adjustments to enhance business operations.

4. Revolutionizing Sales – The digital transformation has revolutionized the sales process. A salesperson can now present to multiple decision-makers. In preparation for those calls, Generative AI can provide insight into customer needs and each participant’s interests. This informed machine learning process changes the salesperson’s posture toward customer need from reactive to proactive. Salespeople need to become adept at using the powerful sales tools AI offers.

5. Creating strategic business plans – AI Smart Analytics uses Application Performance Management (APM) software to create a single integrated digital thread across a company’s whole asset life cycle. This enables your entire executive team — from CEO to finance, operations, sales, and marketing managers — to have insight and input into your strategic business planning.

6. Maximizing profits – The adoption of AI is accelerating rapidly. It is important that you understand how the application of these tools impacts your bottom line. A data-driven approach to sales and operations allows distributors to quickly and confidently analyze their asset development for a maximum return on investment.

CONCLUSION: MEET CUSTOMER EXPECTATIONS IN 2025… DIGITIZE AS QUICKLY AS YOU CAN

Bring your technology up to date today. I know it’s complicated. Use resources like industry associations, cooperatives, and consultants to help you select the right tools for your needs. With the latest technology, you can streamline operations, improve customer service, and stay competitive in today’s market. And remember, as Kim Phelan writes in the “MDM Guide: Tailor Your Tech Strategy to Win in Any Market,” “Customer experience is still the name of the game, whether distributors are contending with ERPs, self-serve e-commerce tools or AI implementation.” (Stay in the Ring!, Kim Phelan, MDM Research Tailor Your Tech Strategy to Win in Any Market).

The overarching goal of a successful distribution business is to provide the best possible customer value, products, and services with ease and efficiency. Becoming more productive with AI tools allows you to grow and prosper. As the cost of entry to these tools continues to decline, the opportunities for improving your return on the investment are enormous. My advice — to meet your customer expectations in 2025… digitize as fast as you can.

Sales & MARKETING

Combating Brain Drain and Building the Future

Sustaining a Resilient Culture.

BY RANDY SQUIBB, 1994-95 GAWDA PRESIDENT

Randy Squibb is available for Customer Relations presentations and can be reached by email at crsquibb@aol.com.

This year’s GAWDA Spring Management Conference theme is a topic that is near and dear to my heart: “Sustaining a Resilient Culture.” As GAWDA members know, the welding and gases industry has always been built on expertise, relationships, and a strong cultural identity. However, as experienced professionals retire, we risk losing something irreplaceable— the deep knowledge, leadership skills, and personal connections that define our industry. This year’s GAWDA President Eric Wood dubbed this phenomenon “brain drain.” And, in my opinion, this “brain drain” poses one of the greatest threats to our independent distributor members. If we want to “sustain a resilient culture,” we must act deliberately to preserve institutional knowledge, mentor the next generation, and reinforce relationship-driven business practices. Or we risk losing what has made our independent members so special in the first place.

MENTORSHIP: THE KEY TO KNOWLEDGE RETENTION

Brain drain doesn’t happen all at once; it’s a gradual process. We can either ignore it until it’s too late or proactively address it through intentional mentorship.

Throughout my career, I’ve learned from

industry veterans who shared not just technical expertise but also leadership lessons, problem-solving strategies, and relationship-building insights. That is, in my opinion, the greatest benefit to being a GAWDA member. You get so much more out of it than you give.

As I wrote in a previous article, “Building a Bridge for Future Generations, “Develop a network within GAWDA so you can learn from mistakes your peers have made, as well. I was the luckiest guy in the world. I was able to build relationships with the likes of Bill Higley, Chip Valentine, Jack Butler, Dave Mahoney, Wally Brant, and so many others. And I was fortunate enough to be able to pick up the phone when I was faced with a challenge and call Bill up in Marinette, Wisconsin, totally out of my marketplace, and pick his brain about that issue. And 9 times out of 10, they had faced the exact same issue at their company, and they were able to explain how they addressed it.”

A resilient culture isn’t built by accident—it’s cultivated through hands-on guidance and realworld experience. We need to structure mentorship programs within our businesses, ensuring younger employees don’t just learn tasks but absorb the strategic thinking that has fueled our industry’s success. When we invest in mentorship, we turn brain drain into brain gain.

NAVIGATING LEADERSHIP TRANSITIONS IN FAMILY BUSINESSES

Within our family-owned companies, brain drain can be even more pronounced. Many of these businesses have been led by the same individuals for decades. Because our cultures are so strong, employees come and they stay, for 30, 40, sometimes 50 years, accumulating a wealth of knowledge that can’t be replaced overnight. But if that leadership isn’t strategically transitioned, both the company and its culture can suffer.

To prevent this, we must:

1. Ensure the next generation is prepared with both technical and leadership skills. This means, in some cases, encouraging them to gain outside experience, build independent relationships, and develop their own problem-solving abilities.

2. Plan for a gradual transfer of responsibility rather than an abrupt leadership shift. As I noted in my article, “Tips for Transitioning Out of Your Family Business,” “Too often, owners wait until they’re ready to retire to think about succession. By then, it’s too late to ensure a seamless transition.” People might be sick of hearing me say it, but as Dr. Leon Danco said, “If you don’t have a transition plan in place, don’t worry about it. Those plans will get made three cars back from the black limousine on the day of your funeral.” Don’t let your company’s next chapter, and by extension your company’s culture, be written on the day of your funeral. Plan in advance.

If we don’t actively pass the torch in a way that preserves our industry’s best practices and values, we risk losing not just leaders but the essence of what has made these businesses successful for generations.

THE ROLE OF RELATIONSHIP SELLING IN SUSTAINING INDUSTRY CULTURE

One of the most significant casualties of brain drain isn’t just lost technical expertise—it’s the fading emphasis on relationship-driven sales. As automation and digital tools become more prevalent, some businesses have drifted away from the personal connections that have traditionally driven success in our industry.

Technology enhances efficiency, but it cannot replace the trust, reputation, and kind of loyalty that comes from human connection. Like I wrote in “Relationship Selling: The One Thing That Technology Can’t Replace,” “No matter how advanced technology becomes, people still buy from people. Relationships are the foundation of every successful deal.”

If we want to sustain our culture, we must ensure these principles don’t fade with the older generation. We need to teach

younger professionals the value of personal relationships and give them opportunities to build connections that will last throughout their careers.

BUILDING A RESILIENT FUTURE TOGETHER

So, how do we combat brain drain and sustain a resilient culture? We take action today. I challenge each of our members, regardless of their position or tenure, to take up this noble cause.

• Seasoned professionals: Commit to mentoring someone. Share your knowledge, experiences, and problem-solving approaches.

• Young professionals: Seek out learning opportunities— not just technical knowledge, but strategic and relationship-building skills.

• Business leaders: Establish structured transition plans to ensure that knowledge doesn’t leave when people retire.

A resilient culture isn’t something we inherit—it’s something we intentionally build and sustain. Our industry’s strength lies in the expertise, relationships, and leadership of its people. Let’s make sure we don’t let that slip away.

Leveraging Google Trends for Gases & Welding Distributors

BY STEVE GUGLIELMO

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 can better understand customer interest, identify seasonal demand shifts, and refine their marketing strategies.

WELDING SUPPLY STORE NEAR ME

For businesses looking to dive deeper, Google Keyword Planner (available through Google Ads) offers additional keyword search volume data and bidding insights for paid campaigns. While both tools provide valuable data, Google Trends is particularly useful for spotting long-term patterns and emerging opportunities.

In an increasingly competitive industry, staying visible where customers are searching is key. Also, note that search is increasingly local. You’ll notice that two of the graphs below are for “Near Me.” Increasingly, that is the first thing customers type into Google. Check search trends to see how customers are finding your site.

The following Google Trends data highlights important search patterns that can help you optimize your digital strategy.

CO2 REFILL NEAR ME

Average Search Volume has increased 74% YOY

Average Search Volume has increased 80% over the past 5 years

WELDING JACKET

MEDICAL OXYGEN TANK

There Certainly Is Uncertainty

The Atlanta GDPNow initially reported an estimated +3.0% 1Q25 growth in real GDP. As additional data was released and incorporated into the model, the reading changed rather drastically to suggest contraction. The current GDPNow reading of -2.4% should be viewed with skepticism, but there is potential for some weakness. There are three reasons why we are not overly reacting to the potential for 1Q25 weakness and why it would not be indicative of the beginning of a recession.

1. The Federal Reserve’s Beige Book for February 2025. Six districts reported no change in status: New York, Cleveland,

Chicago, St. Louis, Kansas City, and Minneapolis. Four districts reported modest or moderate growth: Boston, Richmond, Dallas, and Atlanta (ironically). Two districts reported slight contractions: Philadelphia and San Francisco. The Beige Book cited some unusual weather, price resistance by consumers, price sensitivity (we have mentioned discretionary income concerns in prior months), and labor conditions remain positive (as evidenced by the recent drop in the weekly unemployment claims).

2. The Weekly Economic Index (WEI) from the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas.

Using data through March 1, the WEI is indicating growth in 1Q25 relative to 1Q24 (approximately 2.24%).

3. ITR Economics’ leading indicators are showing improvement, pointing more to the second half of 2025. Associated with the leading indicator signals is the positivity evident in the January New Orders data. We expected further weakness in the early months of 2025 because the economy does not turn from negative/sluggish to overnight. The leading indicators and New Orders results suggest the economy is on track with our outlook.

U.S. Nondefense Capital Goods (excluding aircraft) have transitioned to Phase B, Accelerating Growth, of the business cycle with a 12/12 rate-of-change of 0.8% and a 1/12 rate-of-change of 2.2%. The 12MMT set a record high in January. This improvement is consistent with the ITR Leading Indicator™ trend, as seen below. The ITR Leading Indicator leads by eight months and suggests additional improvements ahead

January 2025 saw a slight year-overyear gain in Total Manufacturing New Orders, coming in 3.5% ahead of January 2024. From ITR Economics’ perspective, it is important to note that the improvement in New Orders follows a normal business cycle signal and that the gain also occurred before tariffs were put in place and was concurrent with the surge in imports. This suggests to us that normal business cycle activity was at work.

TARIFF UPDATE:

As we go to press, some of the 25% tariffs against Mexico and Canada have been rescinded for another month. That is good news for free-trade advocates and for the health of the economies of Mexico and Canada. In the long run, it is also of economic benefit to the U.S. because history shows that a “beggar-thy-neighbor” policy tends to result in unintended consequences that limit the issuing country’s growth.

One aspect of levying tariffs is they inevitably invite retribution. For instance, Ontario Premier Doug Ford declared that the U.S. tariffs upon Canada would result in a 25% tariff on power that Ontario sends to 1.5 million homes in Minnesota, Michigan, and New York. That is a very pointed form of inflation that would tend to impact the discretionary income of those 1.5 million U.S. households. In response, the U.S. called for an additional 25% tariff on steel and aluminum from Canada, before both sides eventually stood down and called off these measures. “Reciprocal tariffs” by the U.S. would invite additional retribution, which the U.S. as a whole could withstand for years, but the cost to the U.S. consumer would also continue to ratchet up. Instead

of the inflationary impact of invoking tariffs fading (which is the normal course of such things), escalation through reciprocation amplifies the inflation impact which, in turn, leads to higher domestic interest rates and more of a squeeze on domestic discretionary income.

Tariffs are thought of as macroeconomic, but the costs are oftentimes microeconomic. Ontario’s Premier also banned all U.S.-based companies from government contracts, and Ford ended his province’s contract with Starlink. Whether those countermeasures will be rescinded is unclear as we go to press.

BUSINESSES CAN CONTEND WITH A LOT, BUT UNCERTAINTY IS NOT ONE OF THEM

Uncertainty is understandable and leads to lost, or at best delayed, opportunities and profits. At ITR Economics, we are trying hard to help break through the uncertainties.

ITR Economics has studied the effects of 2018’s 25% tariffs and has been studiously pouring over the 2025 tariffs from the perspective of 1) prices and 2) potential supply chain disruptions. In the case of the second, we are reviewing these disruptions by industry (e.g. in the case of steel and

aluminum), as other countries retaliate (e.g. AG exports get hurt as China retaliates), and as critical mineral disruptions occur in the U.S. prompting both China and Canada to retaliate. We do so while understanding that:

1. some industries will “win” from the effects of the tariffs

2. some will “lose” because of the tariffs

3. ultimately the U.S. consumer will not stop consuming because of tariffs and, therefore, final demand remains in place

4. tariffs will create additional inflation, but we already had a rekindling of inflation in our forecast

5. tariffs will slow the growth rate of the U.S. economy

6. the trade deficit has nothing to do with our outlook for the 2030s (the budget deficit does, but that is poised to continue to expand)

7. the impact of the tariffs will matter more to our neighbors and trading partners than to the U.S. because of the relative importance of trade as a percent of GDP

Similar to our position during COVID, we think we have the situation dialed in and are standing by to help.

THE GAWDA INDUSTRY

LEADING INDICATORS

ITR LEADING INDICATOR™

INDICATOR RISES, SIGNALS

STRONGER SECOND HALF OF 2025

FOR U.S. INDUSTRIAL PRODUCTION

The ITR Leading Indicator™ is rising. General Indicator rise points to a stronger industrial sector in the second half of 2025, in line with our outlook.

ITR Leading Indicator™

U.S. TOTAL INDUSTRY CAPACITY UTILIZATION RATE

RATE 1/12 RISE SIGNALS U.S. INDUSTRIAL SECTOR RISE INTO AT LEAST THE SECOND HALF OF 2025

The U.S. Total Industry Capacity Utilization Rate 1/12 rose in January. The Indicator is signaling U.S. industrial sector rise into at least the second half of 2025. We expect U.S. industrial sector growth will be relatively modest.

THE U.S. OECD LEADING INDICATOR

GENERAL INDICATOR RISE SIGNALS

INDUSTRIAL PRODUCTION 12/12

RISE INTO AT LEAST LATE 2025

General rise in the U.S. OECD Leading Indicator 1/12 rate-of-change persisted January. This trend signals U.S. Industrial Production 12/12 general rise, a potentially sluggish rise in the near term that will then pick up into at least late 2025.

U.S. ISM PMI (PURCHASING MANAGERS INDEX)

PMI 1/12 RISES IN FEBRUARY; GENERAL TREND SUGGESTS

U.S. INDUSTRIAL SECTOR 12/12 MAY WAFFLE IN 2025

The U.S. ISM PMI (Purchasing Managers Index) 1/12 rate-of-change rose in February. Movement in the PMI has been ambiguous in recent quarters, suggesting that the U.S. Industrial Production 12/12 may waffle in 2025. A broader basket of leading indicators points to Industrial Production growth this year.

GAWDA EXECUTIVE SUMMARY/DASHBOARD

GAWDA INDUSTRY INDICATORS

INDICATORS

U.S. INDUSTRIAL PRODUCTION INDEX

U.S. PROCESSED GOODS FOR INTERMEDIATE DEMAND PRODUCER PRICE INDEX

U.S. CRUDE OIL SPOT PRICES

U.S. NONDEFENSE CAPITAL GOODS NEW ORDERS WITHOUT AIRCRAFT

U.S. ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT NEW ORDERS

U.S. DURABLE GOODS NEW ORDERS EXCLUDING AIRCRAFT

ITR LEADING INDICATOR™ (MONTHLY)

The U.S. industrial sector is on the cusp of Phase B, Accelerating Growth. A litany of leading indicators point to growth this year, though growth will likely be concentrated in the latter half of this year. Underpinning demand is the consumer, and while surveyed consumer expectations dropped in recent months on tariff and inflation fears, historically those surveys are a poor predictor of the future. Looking at a broader range of metrics, the consumer seems to be well situated. U.S. Real Personal Incomes are rising, debt service

Production is on the cusp of accelerating growth. Nearshoring trends will contribute to general rise and record highs ahead.

We were already anticipating higher inflation in 2025. Tariffs may contribute to inflationary pressure, with varying impact by industry.

Tariffs and OPEC+ supply changes make for noisy price data. Gradual Prices rise through 2025 remains the most likely outcome.

Evolving trade policies may cause volatility, but leading indicators still suggest rise ahead. New Orders will rise through 2026 then plateau in 2027.

Despite the recent tick down, general rise this year and next is likely given expected data center demand, industrial activity, and reshoring efforts.

New Orders rise is a combination of volume and prices rise. Nearshoring and reshoring will boost New Orders in the coming quarters.

General, albeit sluggish Indicator rise supports our expectation for US Industrial Production rise into at least late 2025. We anticipate that US industrial sector rise will be mild.

as a percentage of income has plateaued on par with pre-pandemic levels, and U.S. Personal Expenditures are rising at a healthy clip. Upcoming acceleration in Industrial Production will last into mid-2026 and be followed by a year of slowing growth. Gases and welding companies with exposure to the industrial sector should be gearing up for higher levels of activity ahead. However, those with exposure to construction should keep in mind that the nonresidential sector typically lags the broader macroeconomy and faces

another year of downside pressure. Do you have the labor and equipment you need? Are your supply chain partners ready? Remember that as activity picks up this year, prices are likely to rise, so look to drive efficiencies and prepare to adjust pricing as needed. The tariff situation is evolving, and the consequences are multifaceted. While some sectors and businesses are likely to face pain from tariffs, others stand to benefit from the associated shifts to the competitive landscape.

U.S. INDUSTRIAL PRODUCTION

* Index based to 2017 = 100.

HIGHLIGHTS:

◼ Production is on the cusp of Phase B, Accelerating Growth

◼ The 12MMA will generally rise through at least 2027

◼ Although market conditions suggest Production rise will be sluggish at first, businesses need to prepare for upcoming industrial sector growth

U.S. Industrial Production in the 12 months through January came in even with the same period one year ago. Definitive rise will take hold in 2025. Growth will be sluggish at first, ramp up into mid-2026, and then slow into mid-2027.

Rise in leading indicators paints a positive outlook for the industrial sector ahead, though sticky long-term interest rates pose a lingering headwind. Upcoming growth will be moderate in comparison to the stimulus-backed surge of the last cycle. Nevertheless, it is important for businesses that trend closely with the industrial sector to prepare for forthcoming growth. Some challenges such as a tight labor market and inflation will likely remain, so you must stay nimble and pursue efficiency improvements. When making capacity decisions, consider your specific end markets and regional growth trends, as there will be divergence.

Management Note: Ensure your salary and benefits packages are competitive. The tight labor market may require creative solutions and alternative benefits to attract employees.

U.S. NONDEFENSE CAPITAL GOODS NEW ORDERS (EXCLUDING AIRCRAFT)

2025 3.4%

$906.5 billion 2025 2.1%

2026 5.0%

2027 0.2%

HIGHLIGHTS:

$903.7 billion

$948.9 billion

$950.8 billion

◼ New Orders entered Phase B, Accelerating Growth

◼ The 12MMT will generally rise in 2025 and 2026, then plateau in 2027

◼ Developing trade policies could cause volatility

U.S. Nondefense Capital Goods New Orders (excluding aircraft) totaled $889.2 billion in the 12 months through January, coming in 0.8% above the year-ago level. New Orders are transitioning to Phase B, Accelerating Growth. We adjusted the forecast in recent months, but the overall shape of the forecast is largely unchanged. We expect the 12MMT to generally rise in 2025 and 2026. The 12MMT will then largely plateau in 2027, with the potential for a brief dip that year.

New Orders are trending toward the upper end of the forecast, and ongoing developments in trade policies could lead to some near-term volatility. Leading indicators suggest positivity ahead for New Orders. Rise will likely be relatively mild, in part due to still-elevated interest rates.

U.S. Nondefense Capital Goods New Orders (Excluding Aircraft) Data Trend

U.S. Nondefense Capital Goods New Orders (Excluding Aircraft) Rate-of-Change

U.S. Nondefense Capital Goods New Orders (excluding aircraft) Rate - of- Change

Management Note: If your production or sourcing is already more centered around the U.S., make the most of the current policy environment by messaging that out as a competitive advantage

U.S. CRUDE OIL SPOT PRICES

Mar 2025

Jun 2025

Sep 2025

Dec 2024

HIGHLIGHTS:

$75.91 per barrel

$80.55 per barrel

$83.66 per barrel

$85.46 per barrel

◼ The Prices 3MMA will move gradually higher through at least 2025

◼ Tariff escalation and OPEC+ supply announcements are generating Prices data volatility

◼ Price rise remains the most likely outcome this year, based on leading indicators

U.S. Crude Oil Spot Prices averaged $72.46 per barrel in the three months through February, 2.6% below the same period one year ago. An upcoming OPEC+ output increase and trade war fears are weighing on oil prices.

We anticipate that the Prices 3MMA will move gradually higher this year. Leading indicators signal that economic activity will ramp up later this year, suggesting that increasing demand for petroleum products from the transportation, retail, and industrial sectors will contribute to upward pressure on Prices.

We are monitoring the evolving tariff situation, as Canada, Mexico, and China are some of our top oil trade partners. The U.S. produces much of the oil it consumes, but it does rely on imports of some grades of oil – largely from Canada – and demand for U.S. oil exports could be at risk due to retaliatory tariffs.

U.S. Crude Oil Spot

U.S. Crude Oil Spot Prices Rate-of-Change

U.S. Crude Oil Spot Prices Rate - of- Change 12/12 Forecast Range 12/12 3/12

Management Note: Consider locking in input and labor costs sooner rather than later as pricing pressures will generally increase as the year progresses.

U.S. STEEL SCRAP PRODUCER PRICE INDEX

Mar 2025 579.02*

Jun 2025 580.78*

Sep 2025 594.78*

Dec 2025 592.80

* Index based to 1982 = 100.

HIGHLIGHTS:

◼ Steel Prices are likely to generally rise as industrial activity picks up this year

◼ The expansion of tariffs poses an upside risk to the outlook, though the situation is still evolving

◼ While an imperfect peer case, the 2018 tariffs warn against overestimating the impact

U.S. Steel Scrap Producer Prices in the three months through January were 11.1% below the same period one year ago. The Prices 3MMA rose in January, and we anticipate general rise will extend through at least 2025 as industrial activity picks up. The ITR Leading Indicator™ and the U.S. Total Industry Capacity Utilization Rate corroborate a positive outlook. Recently expanded tariffs pose an upside risk to our forecast for 12% rise in the Prices 3MMA this year. Most steel scrap is domestically sourced, but we do import roughly 7%. Tariff impacts will likely be uneven across grades of steel, as they have varying exposure to imports. We are monitoring the evolution of domestic capacity, potential retaliatory tariffs, and exchange rates. Our analysis of the 2018 tariffs suggests the upward lift on prices may be moderated by these surrounding

U.S. Steel Scrap Futures Commodity Prices Data

U.S. Steel Scrap Futures Commodity Prices

U.S. Steel Scrap Futures Commodity Prices Rate-of-Change

U.S. Steel Scrap Futures Commodity Prices Rate - of- Change

12/12 Forecast Range 12/12 3/12

factors. However, the 2018 tariffs had more loopholes and occurred at a different point in the business cycle.

Management Note: If steel is an important input for your business, consider combating the forthcoming rise in Prices through efficiency gains.

HIGHLIGHTS:

◼ Green shoots for recovery this year range from Farm Proprietors Income to general rise in retail and industrial demandr

◼ Interest rate pressures and weak commodity prices remain lingering downsides

U.S. Agricultural Implement Production is declining. The 12/12 rate-of-change has been oscillating around -6.5% in recent quarters on the cusp between Phase D, Recession, and Phase A, Recovery. As the retail and industrial sectors gain momentum this year, we will likely see more demand for agriculture inputs ranging from food to fuel to fiber, which could benefit farmers. While there are some green shoots – such as a recent tick up in U.S. Farm Proprietors Income – recovery is likely to be sluggish. Lingering downsides for this market include still elevated interest rates and weak agriculture commodity prices. The downside effect of interest rates will gradually temper as buyers adjust to the reality of a higher new normal for rates or if dealers provide promotional rates. Tariffs pose an unknown for the agriculture sector and the net impact is not yet clear, as the policies are still evolving.

Management Note: Consider marketing lower-cost alternatives or emphasizing the longer-run value of equipment to cater to a price-conscious market.

Maximize Your Business Potential with the 2025 GAWDA Buyer’s Guide

Your Ultimate Resource for Finding Suppliers, Staying Informed, and Growing Your Network in the Gases and Welding Industry

BY STEVE GUGLIELMO

If you're in the gases and welding industry, you know how important it is to find reliable suppliers, stay up to date on industry trends, and connect with the right people. That’s exactly why the GAWDA Buyer’s Guide—both the print edition and the online platform—is an essential resource for distributors and suppliers alike.

Whether you’re looking for new products, vendor contacts, or industry insights, the 2025 GAWDA Buyer’s Guide has you covered. Here’s why it should be your go-to tool.

1. YOUR ONE-STOP SHOP FOR SUPPLIER INFORMATION

Need a new supplier? The GAWDA Buyer’s Guide makes it easy to find. Each supplier listing includes vital company details, product offerings, and contact information, helping you find exactly what you need. Sponsors get enhanced listings with additional content like catalogs, videos, and featured articles, giving you even more insight into their capabilities.

2. FRESH INDUSTRY INSIGHTS—ALL YEAR ROUND

The online Buyer’s Guide isn’t just a directory—it’s a living resource that’s updated regularly. Suppliers can contribute articles on new product launches, mergers and acquisitions, and major industry developments. This means you’re always in the loop about what’s happening in the world of gases and welding.

3. CLASSIFIEDS: HARD-TO-FIND PRODUCTS MADE EASY

If you’ve struggled with supply chain delays, the classifieds section can be a lifesaver. With uncertainty regarding tariffs and how they may impact raw materials, GAWDA members can utilize the Buyer’s Guide’s Classified section to find and/or list surplus and used equipment, helping members track down products that might be out of stock elsewhere. It’s a great way to find deals and keep your operations running smoothly.

4. MOBILE-FRIENDLY FOR ON-THE-GO ACCESS

In the field? No problem. The Buyer’s Guide website and mobile app are mobile-optimized, so you can quickly search for suppliers, view product catalogs, and read industry updates straight from your phone or tablet. Whether you’re on a sales call or at a trade show, the information you need is always at your fingertips.

5. MASSIVE CATALOG LIBRARY—SEARCHABLE & PRINTABLE

Some supplier catalogs span over 1,000 pages—impossible to carry around and hard to manage. That’s where the GAWDA Catalog Library comes in. Just type what you’re looking for (e.g., “cryogenic hoses”), and boom—you’re taken straight to the relevant page. Need to print or share? That’s easy, too.

GAWDA News From

6. A CONSTANTLY UPDATED MEDIA HUB

The Buyer’s Guide homepage isn’t just a directory; it also features the latest GAWDA TV episodes, Welding & Gases Today issues, featured news and catalogs, and a digital edition of the Print Buyer’s Guide. It’s a one-stop hub for staying current with the gases and welding industry.

7. INDUSTRY EVENTS AT YOUR FINGERTIPS

Want to attend supplier training, webinars, or open houses? Or, are you a sponsor who wants to promote your upcoming event? The events section makes sure you never miss an opportunity. Suppliers can list their upcoming events, combined with the up-to-date industry catalog, so you can plan ahead and stay connected with industry peers.

8. STRONG SEARCH ENGINE PRESENCE—GET FOUND FASTER

The Buyer’s Guide ranks highly on Google, sometimes even above supplier websites. This means your listing is a powerful way to attract new customers, even from outside of the association, who are searching for products in the industry. Keep your information up to date, and you’ll increase your chances of being discovered.

9. TRACK WHO’S VIEWING YOUR LISTING

Suppliers who claim their listing get access to a dashboard with valuable stats. You can see how many people viewed your profile, read your articles, or interacted with your ads. This data helps you fine-tune your marketing and make sure your message is reaching the right audience. The dashboard even allows you to tweak your listing or articles in real-time.

10. FIND EXACTLY WHAT YOU NEED WITH THE CATEGORY INDEX

With 30+ parent categories and 100+ subcategories, the Buyer’s Guide makes it easy to search for suppliers offering specific products or services. Whether you need a new gas cylinder supplier, welding equipment, or safety gear, you can find it fast.

The GAWDA Buyer’s Guide is more than just a directory—it’s a business tool that helps you source products, stay informed, and connect with suppliers. Whether you prefer the print edition or the constantly updated online version, it’s a must-use resource for any GAWDA member looking to grow their business in 2025.

Don’t miss out—start exploring the Buyer’s Guide today!

UNIVERSITY

Your Resource for Safety & Knowledge

The New and Improved GAWDA University

BY NATASHA ALEXIS, GAWDA VICE PRESIDENT, OPERATIONS AND ADMINISTRATION

Natasha Alexis is GAWDA’s Vice President of Operations and Administration. Members can reach her at 954-367-7728 ext. 210 or by email at nalexis@gawda.org.

In the gases and welding industry, staying informed isn’t just important — it’s essential for ensuring safety, maintaining compliance, and meeting industry regulations. That’s why GAWDA is proud to introduce the newly enhanced GAWDA University — a learning platform designed to provide our members with the knowledge and resources they need to operate safely, efficiently, and confidently.

A FRESH START WITH ENHANCED SUPPORT

To support this initiative, GAWDA has created a new role dedicated to ensuring the platform’s continued success.

We are pleased to welcome Holly Pappaconstantine as our new Membership and Committee Coordinator. Holly

brings valuable experience from higher education and will serve as the primary point of contact for GAWDA University users. Whether you have questions about course content, system navigation, or technical support, Holly is here to help.

IMPROVED COURSE OFFERINGS — DESIGNED WITH MEMBERS IN MIND

Working closely with the GAWDA Safety Committee and Compressed Gas Association (CGA), we’ve streamlined and improved the GAWDA University course catalog. The updated platform now offers 33 courses, ensuring that each one is more relevant.

We would like to extend our heartfelt thanks to the GAWDA Safety Committee and CGA for their invaluable contributions throughout this process. Their expertise and dedication were instrumental in refining course content to better serve our members and support industry best practices.

Holly Pappaconstantine

GET STARTED WITH GAWDA UNIVERSITY TODAY!

GAWDA University is an exclusive benefit available to all GAWDA members. Whether you’re an individual looking to expand your skills or a manager seeking effective training for your team, GAWDA University is here to support you.

Have questions or need assistance? Reach out to GAWDA Headquarters, where Holly and the team are ready to support you.

Filling of HP Industrial Gas Cylinders (1/3)

Forklift Safety Training Part 1

Forklift Safety Training Part 2

Harrassment in the Workplace

Hazard Communication

Indoor Air Quality

Lockout/Tagout

Medical Device Reporting

Nitrous Oxide Facts and Guidelines

Occupational Health and Industrial Hygiene

Overview of Ergonomics

Oxygen Safe Handling and Storage

Personal Protective Equipment Part 1

Personal Protective Equipment Part 2

Personal Protective Equipment Part 3

Prevention of Vehicle Accidents

SAFE HANDLING of Acetylene Cylinders

Safety in the Workplace Part 1

Safety in the Workplace Part 2

Toxicology and Exposure

NEW for 2025

Pooled Employer 401K Program

GAWDA’s Member PEP provided by Cerity Partners is an affordable solution for enhancing your current Employee Beneﬁts Package.

This new member beneﬁt is designed to make offering a 401K plan cost-effective and easy to manage, letting you can focus on what you do best — running your business.

GAWDA Compensation Dashboard

GAWDA has partnered with Alex Chausovsky from the Bundy Group, LLC to create an industry Compensation Dashboard that spotlights the top 5 coveted positions within the industry in the top 12 major markets.

GAWDA MBA Program

The GAWDA Master Business Academy (aka GAWDA MBA) is a 16-week fully digital program for both current and aspiring leaders in our industry. Focused on the essentials of people management and business ﬁnance, it empowers managers at every stage of their careers to reskill and upskill effectively.

Driver Training Program

GAWDA has partnered with the National Propane Gas Association’s (NPGA) Administrative Compliance Experts — known as ACE — to guide our Members to prepare for State CDL or HME exams with Entry Level Driver Training (ELDT).

Five Years Later: Something Good That Came Out of The Pandemic

BY ANDREA J. LEVY, GAWDA DIRECTOR, MEMBER SERVICES AND PROGRAMS

Andrea Levy is GAWDA’s Director of Member Services and Programs. She can be reached at 954-367-7728, ext. 260 or by email at alevy@ gawda.org.

In late January 2020,, the U.S. had its first reported case of COVID-19. The situation rapidly escalated, and by March, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared COVID-19 a pandemic. It became clear that washing our hands incessantly would not be enough to keep us safe and healthy.

As our personal and professional worlds changed dramatically, GAWDA’s leadership knew we had to react swiftly to ensure our members had the information and tools they needed to move forward safely. That’s when we turned to one of GAWDA’s most valuable resources — our Consultants.

On March 25, 2020, at 1:00 p.m. EST, hundreds of GAWDA members joined us online for our first “Live COVID-19 Weekly Roundtable.” GAWDA Consultants Marilyn Dempsey (DHS, EPA, and OSHA), Michael Dodd (DOT), Tom Badstubner (FDA and Medical Gases), and Rick Schweitzer (Government Affairs and Human Resources) turned on their cameras and spent over an hour sharing critical information with our members on everything COVID-19 that might impact their business, employees, and customers. These meetings were also recorded and made available on-demand in the GAWDA Members-Only website for those members who wanted to share them with their team, as well as ensuring that those who couldn’t attend live could still access the information.

For several months, our Consultants joined us online every Wednesday and shared current vital information, followed by a live Q&A with our members. Abydee Butler Moore, President

and CEO of Butler Gas, was GAWDA’s President at the time and shared with us that she “participated in every single weekly GAWDA Consultants’ Roundtable for COVID-19 Risk Mitigation and would cascade the key takeaways company-wide.”

During this time, GAWDA’s Consultants also contributed to GAWDA’s newly created online COVID-19 Resource Center, which included Safety Alerts/Notifications and information from government agencies, including the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA), and Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA.)

As conditions improved, weekly COVID-19 updates were no longer essential, but all were in agreement that sharing timely safety information with our members was one of the most important benefits of GAWDA membership. Inspired by the success of our weekly live meetings, we then created GAWDA’s monthly “Safety Managers’ Safety Meeting.”

Today, these monthly meetings provide our Consultants with a platform to share safety and regulatory insights pertinent to our members’ safety and economic vitality. Each meeting still concludes with a live Q&A with our members, and the sessions continue to be recorded and archived for member access.

While the COVID-19 pandemic was a challenge for all of us, GAWDA is grateful that we were able to turn adversity into a valuable resource that continues to benefit our members.

upcoming industry events

MAY 2025

GAWDA Spring Management Conference

Dallas, TX

May 4-6

JUNE

2025

GAWDA East/Midwest Regional Meeting

Seven Springs, PA

June 4-5

IWDC Sales & Purchasing Convention

Indianapolis, IN

June 22-24

JULY

2025

GAWDA Northwest Regional Meeting Cle Elum, WA

July 13-15

GAWDA Central Regional Meeting

South Bend, IN July 28-29

AUGUST

2025

GAWDA Northeast Regional Meeting

Mashantucket, CT August 11-13

IWDC PurityPlus Operations Training Portland, OR August 26-28

SEPTEMBER

2025

FABTECH Chicago, IL September 8-11

OCTOBER

2025

GAWDA Annual Convention Tampa, FL October 8-11

IOMA Annual Meeting Lyon, France October 18-22

NOVEMBER

2025

IWDC Owner’s Meeting Bonita Springs, FL November 4-7

News INDUSTRY

GAWDA Welcomes Holly Pappaconstantine as Member Education and Committee Coordinator

GAWDA is pleased to announce the hiring of Holly Pappaconstantine as the organization’s new Member Education and Committee Coordinator. This newly created role will support the newly enhanced GAWDA University. Holly joins GAWDA with a strong background in education, having previously supported the College of Education at Barry University, where she also earned her Bachelor of Science in Business & Administration. Her experience in the education sector brings valuable insights to GAWDA’s educational initiatives, ensuring members receive high-quality learning opportunities that align with industry needs.

“Holly’s unique blend of educational expertise and customer service experience makes her a great fit for our team,” said John Ospina, GAWDA Executive Director. “We are excited to welcome her to GAWDA and look forward to the positive impact she will have in supporting our members’ educational growth and committee engagement.”

Cavagna

North America Welcomes Mark Komlosi as the New Business Development Director for LPG & Refrigerant Gases Business Lines

Cavagna North America is pleased to announce the addition of Mark Komlosi to its commercial team. Mark joins as the new Business Development Director for the LPG & Refrigerant Gases Business Lines in North America, with the goal of driving growth and strengthening these key sectors.

The L.S. Starrett Company Announces Key Management Appointments

The L.S. Starrett Co. has appointed four new executives to its global organization, further strengthening its corporate management at the highest levels. Starrett welcomes Mr. Roger N. Amrol, Jr. as President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Mr. Barry D. Laughlin as Chief Operating Officer (COO), Mr. Allen E. Look as Global Chief Information Officer (CIO), and Mr. Jon-Michael Raymond as Chief Revenue Officer (CRO)

Rob Silva Promoted to Norco’s Executive Vice President of Industrial

According to a press release issued by Norco, Inc. CEO Nicole Kissler, the company promoted Rob Silva to the position of Norco Executive Vice President of Industrial. “Rob’s promotion to Executive Vice President is a testament to his drive, his commitment to excellence, and his remarkable contributions to Norco. His experience, dedication, and leadership give us great confidence that in his new role, Rob will continue to inspire and lead our Industrial Team to even greater achievements.” Rob will work under the current EVP, Industrial Larry Booth while transitioning the role. Larry has announced his retirement with a tentative date of June 5, 2025, depending on the progress of the transition.

Central Welding Supply Makes Major Leadership Changes

Central Welding Supply, which is celebrating its 50th anniversary, announced major leadership changes: Mike Buell has been elevated to President. A valued leader since 1978, Mike’s dedication and vision have been instrumental in shaping the company’s success. Marnie Miller has been promoted to Vice President. With 25 years of experience, she continues to strengthen Central Welding Supply’s operations and HR management. Nate Reinhard joins the company as Chief Financial Officer. His expertise and fresh perspective are driving improvements in Central Welding Supply’s financial processes and operational efficiency.

Air Products’ Board of Directors Appoints

Eduardo F. Menezes CEO

Air Products’ Board of Directors announced the appointment of Eduardo F. Menezes as CEO of Air Products effective February 7, 2025, succeeding Seifollah (“Seifi”) Ghasemi, who is leaving the company after more than 10 years of dedicated service. Menezes will also join the Air Products Board. The Board of Directors also has named Wayne T. Smith as Chairman and Dennis H. Reilley as Vice Chairman. They, along with the full Board, will work closely with Eduardo and Air Products’ leadership to advance the company.

Holly Pappaconstantine

Mark Komlosi

Rob Silva

Eduardo Menezes

News INDUSTRY

CK Supply Announces Leadership

Transitions: Brad Dunn Named CEO, Tony Ruppel Joins as President, and Ned Lane Moves to Chairman of the Board

CK Supply Inc. 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 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 development of the Kansas City and Joplin markets.

Joining CK Supply as its new President is Tony Ruppel, an experienced industry executive with a strong track record in operations, sales leadership, and strategic business management. Ruppel comes to CK Supply from Linde Gas & Equipment, where he most recently served as Division General Manager for the Central South region, overseeing 200 employees and four manufacturing plants and leading significant revenue growth across five states.

Additionally, CK Supply announces that Ned Lane will be transitioning to Chairman of the Board while planning for retirement from full-time responsibilities on December 31, 2025. Lane has dedicated over 30 years to CK Supply, serving as President since 2000 and taking on the role of President and CEO in 2020.

Rich Craig to Retire After More Than Five Decades of Service to the Compressed Gas Industry

The Compressed Gas Association, Inc. announced that Rich Craig, Vice President of Technical & Regulatory Affairs, will retire on June 30, 2025, after more than five decades of dedicated service to the compressed gas industry. Since joining CGA in 2011, Rich has played a pivotal role in advancing safety and technical standards for the industry. His extensive knowledge and leadership have been instrumental in guiding CGA’s regulatory and safety initiatives, ensuring that the Association remains a global leader in compressed gas safety. Prior to his time at CGA, Rich worked for Linde Division Union Carbide/ Praxair for 36 years.

PurityPlus Announces 2024 Winners

PurityPlus named its 2024 Award Winners. “We are thrilled to recognize our outstanding PurityPlus Members who achieved exceptional scores in their PurityPlus Audits this year. Your dedication to quality and excellence sets a benchmark in our industry.”

Congratulations to:

Top 2024 PurityPlus Producers:

• Arc3Gases

• Butler Gas Products

• California Tool and Welding Supply

• Industrial Source

• Metro Welding Supply Corporation

• Most Improved Producer – California Tool and Welding Supply

• Top New Purity Plus Producer – S.J. Smith Company

Nikkiso Promotes Jeff Mumford to Executive VP of Operations and Manufacturing

Nikkiso Clean Energy & Industrial Gases Group, part of Nikkiso Co. Ltd.’s Industrial Business segment, has appointed Jeff Mumford as its new Executive Vice President of Operations and Manufacturing. In this role, his responsibilities will include the oversight of global operations and manufacturing as well as management of corporate departments, including IT, Facilities, Safety, Health Environmental and Quality (SHEQ), and Project Management.

Meredith Arp Joins Victory Welding Alloys as Sales Representative

Victory Welding Alloys is excited to welcome Meredith Arp as the newest addition to its team as a Sales Representative. With over a decade of experience in the industry, Meredith is committed to offering customers the best solutions and products to meet their needs. Known for her personable approach and strong reputation in the field, she consistently exceeds targets by building lasting relationships and earning customer trust. Meredith joins Victory with a strong drive to manage large national accounts and contribute to revenue growth..

Brad Dunn

Rich Craig

Jeff Mumford

Meredith Arp

MERGERS, PARTNERSHIPS & ACQUISITIONS A M

USA Cylinder Corp Acquires California Cylinder

USA Cylinder Corp announced the successful acquisition of California Cylinder, a move that marks a significant milestone in the company’s commitment to quality, growth, and exceptional service. Owned by Chief Executive Officer Brittany Carrico and Chief Financial Officer Jennifer Hylin, USA Cylinder Corp will continue to build upon the legacy of excellence established by the Brown Family, who have been part of the welding and gas industry for more than 70 years. With this acquisition, USA Cylinder Corp, based in Columbia, TN, is growing its reach and adding more capacity to better serve customers nationwide. This expansion bolsters the company’s operations in the Nashville metropolitan area while continuing to serve customers from its existing location in Upland, California.

The company will maintain operations at the Upland site while also providing seamless service from its new headquarters in Columbia, Tennessee.

Linde Gas & Equipment Acquires Middlesex Gases & Technologies

Middlesex Gases & Technologies was acquired by Linde Gas & Equipment, effective December 19, 2024. Middlesex Gases has a 75-year history in the Greater Boston area, with a focus on the life sciences and biotechnology markets. With this business combination, Linde Gas & Equipment expands its position in the New England region and enhances its capabilities to serve these critical customers.

Holston Gases Acquires Tri-Cities Dry Ice

Holston Gases completed the acquisition of Tri-Cities Dry Ice, which has operations in southwest Virginia and northeast Tennessee. Holston Gases will service these new customers from their operation located at 1150 Spratlin Park Dr., Gray, TN 37915.

Central McGowan and Minneapolis Oxygen Announce Historic Merger

Central McGowan is thrilled to announce its merger with Minneapolis Oxygen. This merger represents a unique partnership that brings together two strong, locally rooted companies to better serve customers, team members, and communities.

In the beginning, both companies will operate as usual under their respective names, ensuring continuity for customers. No changes to day-to-day operations are anticipated, and customers can continue to rely on the exceptional service they have come to expect. This ensures a seamless transition that prioritizes stability and reliability without disruption to service. As the companies grow together, they will leverage their unique capabilities together as one team with one mission to best serve customers and team members.

Meritus Gas Partners Announces Partnership with Oxygen Service Company

Meritus Gas Partners announced that it has entered into a partnership with Oxygen Service Company, a leading inde-

News INDUSTRY

pendent distributor of packaged gases and welding supplies headquartered in Saint Paul, Minnesota. The financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

Founded in 1959, OSC is a 100% employee-owned company serving the Midwest through multiple locations in Minnesota (six) and Wisconsin (three). Its comprehensive product and service offerings include industrial, specialty, and medical gases; automation equipment and integration services; and a vast array of welding and safety supplies. OSC will expand Meritus’ geographic footprint into Minnesota and Wisconsin and provide the foundation for further expansion in the U.S. Midwest region.

Arc3 Gases Acquires Economy Welding and Industrial Supply

Arc3 Gases is pleased to announce the acquisition of Economy Welding & Industrial Supply LLC in Baden, Pennsylvania. This strategic acquisition brings Arc3 Gases to the robust Pittsburgh area market, and the Baden location will be its 59th retail store.

Airgas Specialty Products Acquires Anco Chemicals, Inc.

Airgas Specialty Products has acquired Anco Chemicals, Inc., a specialty chemical company based in Eastern Canada, with two locations near Montreal and Toronto. Anco Chemicals, Inc. has a strong reputation and customer base, primarily supplying bulk and packaged aqua and anhydrous ammonia, along with other specialty chemicals. This acquisition not only strengthens the Airgas Specialty Products presence in the specialty chemicals market but also expands this presence into a new and important geography in Canada.

Industrial Source Acquires APIS Labs

Industrial Source announces the successful completion of the asset purchase of APIS Labs, a strategic move that strengthens its market position and enhances its product and service offerings. The acquisition is set to drive innovation, expand customer reach, and create new growth opportunities for Industrial Source in the hydrocarbon market.

With this acquisition, Industrial Source aims to leverage APIS Labs’ expertise and market presence to accelerate its growth strategy. The integration of both companies will bring enhanced value to customers by combining complementary strengths, expertise, and resources.

MK Products, Inc. Announces Acquisition of Tec Welding Products, Inc.

MK Products, Inc. is excited to announce the acquisition of Tec Welding Products, Inc., one of the original manufacturers of TIG torches and accessories. This strategic acquisition reinforces MK Products’ commitment to delivering high-quality, innovative welding solutions while expanding its product offerings. Tec Welding Products started life as Tec Torch Company in Elizabeth, NJ, in 1955 and has earned a global reputation for producing high-quality, innovative TIG welding torches. Known for introducing groundbreaking products and holding numerous patents in TIG welding technology, Tec Welding Products' offerings include renowned brands such as WeldTec®, Speedway®, i-Head®, Rocker®, Twister™, Heliweld™, and the original TEC® brand of TIG welding torches.

Bloom Energy and Chart Industries Announce Groundbreaking Carbon Capture Partnership

Bloom Energy and Chart Industries, Inc. announced a carbon capture partnership that will use natural gas and fuel cells to generate near-zero-carbon, always-on power. In announcing this partnership, the companies aim to offer a solution to customers, like data centers and manufacturers, who are seeking power solutions that can be deployed rapidly without compromising reliability or emission goals. As part of the partnership, Chart will use its carbon capture know-how to process Bloom’s high-purity carbon dioxide (CO2) exhaust stream into outputs that are ready for utilization or sequestration.

CO2Meter Expands Industrial Gas Safety Solutions Through Partnership with Equigas

EQUIGAS proudly announces its partnership with Gaslab, a CO2Meter company, which is a globally trusted provider of gas safety monitoring and analytical devices. This collaboration marks an exciting milestone as EQUIGAS expands its product portfolio to include the Gaslab industrial fixed gas detection safety line. This addition specifically strengthens EQUIGAS’ commitment to protecting its customers and partners working near hazardous gases across industrial, medical, manufacturing, and specialty gas markets.

NEW MEMBERS

DISTRIBUTOR MEMBERS:

ALEXANDER CHEMICAL CORPORATION

7593 S. First Road La Porte, IN 46350 www.alexanderchemical.com

Chris Fairchild, Vice President –Sales & Marketing chris.fairchild@alexchem.com 219-402-0591

S&K DIRECT STEEL

103 E Brookfield Ave. Ponca City, OK 74601

Scott Bivins, Owner scott.skdirect@att.net 580-762-6300

SUPPLIER MEMBERS:

CRYO-LEASE LLC

2003 N. 193rd East Ave. Catoosa, OK 74015

www.cryolease.rentals/ Lisa Dole, Managing Director lisad@cryolease.rentals 603-234-9323

CYLI CART, LLC

6702 Edmund Way Bakersfield, CA 93309-2401 www.cylicart.com

Jan Meyer janmeyer@cylicart.com 661-426-6104

DENALIWELD INC.

2531 Technology Drive, Unit 310 Elgin, IL 601241 www.denaliweld.com

Joe Stob, General Manager joestob@denaliweld.com 224-802-8809

RB-WARE INC.

8 The Green, STE R Dover, DE 19901

www.rb-ware.com

Can Berk Sansoy, Chief Operating Officer can.sansoy@rb-ware.com 224-331-1223

New Products & OFFERINGS

1. Built-In Ramps Now Available for Anthony Welded Products Cylinder Cagest

Anthony Welded Products has introduced built-in ramps as a standard option on all cylinder cage models, making gas cylinder handling safer and more efficient. The integrated ramp allows users to roll cylinders directly into storage, eliminating the need for heavy lifting or additional equipment.

These ramps enhance workplace safety by reducing the risk of injuries and boosting productivity, making them an essential upgrade for industrial operations. The durable, non-slip design ensures smooth and secure loading, even in challenging environments.

Anthony Welded Products offers a wide range of stationary and mobile cylinder cages, including models with firewalls for added protection. Mobile units are equipped with forklift pockets for versatile use in dynamic settings.

Explore the innovative features of Anthony Welded Products’ cylinder cages and find the perfect solution for your storage needs at AnthonyCarts.com. Upgrade to safer, smarter storage today!

2. Lincoln Electric Launches Ranger® Air 330MPX™ Multi-Function Engine Drive

For welders in the field, every day brings new and unique challenges. Lincoln Electric’s Ranger® Air 330MPX™ is designed to meet those challenges head-on, offering multi-function capabilities that deliver reliable performance, easy operation, and cost-effective efficiency.

The Ranger Air 330MPX Engine Drive delivers five functions into one unit: air compressor, generator, battery jump assist, battery charge, and multi-process welder. It delivers clean, continuous power to operate a wide range of tools and equipment while welding, increasing productivity and efficiency.

Key features include:

• Ready. Set. Weld.® technology: A five-step process that simplifies selecting the optimal welding parameters.

• Crosslinc® remote technology: Communicates voltage controls to the welding power source through a single common weld cable, reducing clutter and unnecessary movement on the jobsite.

• Chopper® technology: Provides easy starts, a smooth and consistent arc with low spatter, achieving optimal bead appearance.

For more information about the Lincoln Electric Ranger Air 330MPX multi-function engine drive, visit www. lincolnelectric.com

3. Weldcote Offers Premium Value Z-Cotton Line of Zirconia Flap Discs

Weldcote introduces its line of Z-Cotton zirconia flap discs with a flexible, cotton backing ideal for fine finishing work on detailed contours. Designed for applications on carbon-based steels and stainless steel that require high conformability and a softer feel,

Weldcote’s Z-Cotton flap discs are constructed of zirconia aluminum oxide grains, offering high value-to-price performance.

Available in both Type 27 and Type 29 four-inch sizes, the Z-Cotton flap discs feature a flexible cotton backing offered in three material densities: regular, extra-large, and extra-extra-large. The extra-large density provides 35 to 50 percent more material than the regular density backing, and the extra-extra-large has 55 to 70 percent more material, providing the longest life option.

Weldcote Z-Cotton flap discs are designed to provide flexibility and the ability to withstand the high pressure generated by a right-angle grinder.

4. CO2Meter Expands CO2 Safety Solutions with New Accessories

CO2Meter proudly announces the launch of two new accessories for its industry-leading Remote Storage Safety 3 Alarms— the RAD-PMU Power Monitor Unit and the RAD-CDU Central Display Unit. These innovative additions are designed to enhance gas safety compliance while ensuring customers across a variety of industries can meet the ever-evolving safety code requirements around gas storage, usage, and monitoring.

The risks associated with CO2 exposure ranging from health hazards to catastrophic safety incidents have made gas detection systems an essential component of workplace safety protocols. With the introduction of the RAD-CDU Central Display Unit and RADPMU Power Monitor Unit, CO2Meter continues its mission of providing innovative and regulatory-compliant gas safety solutions. These new accessories further reinforce CO2Meter’s reputation as a trusted partner in gas detection, delivering flexible and tailored solutions for industries ranging from food and beverage to industrial and scientific applications.

5. Safety with Style: AR/FR Work Shirts from Black Stallion

Being safe shouldn’t mean overheating in bulky PPE. Black Stallion is bringing new, lightweight options for welding hazard protection with its AR/FR Work Shirts.

These shirts look like your average collared button-down but offer much more protection. Designed to be arc-flash resistant, flame-resistant, and flash-fire resistant, these work shirts (WF2110) are a lightweight, everyday option for welding safety while adhering to National Fire Protection Association safety standards. Even the threads are flame-resistant!

Shirts feature pearl-button snaps, pointed open collar, and barrel cuffs for a polished, professional look. Available in plaid patterns of red, khaki, or blue, along with solid classic navy, gray, or stone khaki, there’s a style to suit every preference.

Black Stallion carries inclusive sizing with Small through 5XL.

6. Airgas Launches New RADNOR™ Women’s PPE Line, Championing Safety, Comfort, and Inclusion

Airgas has announced the launch of its RADNOR™ line of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) designed specifically for women. This innovative collection reflects Airgas’s commitment to safety, comfort, and inclusiveness in the workplace.

The new line includes a range of products, including gloves and welding jackets, all designed with a focus on fit, function, and style. Airgas has collaborated with leading manufacturers to source materials and designs that prioritize both safety and comfort, addressing the unique needs of women in the welding industry.

Airgas is dedicated to providing its customers with the highest quality safety products and services. The launch of this new RADNOR women’s PPE line is a significant step towards ensuring that all workers have access to the protective gear they need to perform their jobs safely and effectively.

Member Benefit Chart

PROFESSIONAL CONSULTANT SUPPORT

DHS, EPA, and OSHA (Marilyn Dempsey)

DOT (Michael Dodd)

FDA and Medical Gases (Thomas Badstubner)

Government Affairs & Human Resources (Richard P. Schweitzer, Esq.)

Consultant-Driven Live Monthly Safety Webinars

EVENTS AND MEETINGS

GAWDA Annual Convention (AC) with Networking 360

GAWDA Spring Management Conference (SMC) w/Educational Sessions

Contact Booths at AC/SMC

Hospitality Opportunities at AC/SMC

GAWDA Regional Meetings

Sponsorship Opportunities at AC/SMC/Regional Meetings

Educational Offerings - Live, Virtual, & Archived

RESOURCES

Quarterly Economic Analysis & Forecast

Copy of Buyers Guide

Listing in Buyers Guide

Copy of Member Directory

SOP, Safety, Reference Materials (Members Only Archive)

Job Posting Opportunities

CGA Safety Documents

GAWDA Scholarships & Grant Opportunities

Discount Business Services

KNOWLEDGEABLE COMMUNICATIONS

Quarterly Welding & Gases Today Subscription

Twice-Monthly GAWDA Connection

Monthly Safety Bulletin

Advertising in GAWDA Media, GAWDA TV, & Podcasts

To learn more about the beneﬁts of joining the Gases and Welding Distributors Association, please contact Andrea Levy, Director, Member Services and Programs, 954-367-7728, ext. 260, alevy@gawda.org.

Advertisers Index

GAWDA members shared the below posts and pictures using LinkedIn, Instagram, and Facebook. We encourage GAWDA members to keep the conversation going all year long by using #GAWDA next time you post.

Lincoln Electric ad from a 1920 edition of the Saturday Evening Post #ThrowbackThursday #TBT #WeldRed #WeldRedNation

@John Tapley

GAWDA consultants are rock stars! All things safety, regulatory and compliance, it all starts here at the GAWDA Professional Compliance Seminar. A class with a future so bright, they gotta wear shades.

@Randy Squibb

Four GAWDA Past Presidents enjoying life. Fred Fitch, Dave Mahoney, Chip Valentine, Randy Squibb. #gassystems #greatfallsmt #montana

@OE Meyer Co.

After 306 days of service to our country, Master Sargent Mary Rose Peugeot is finally home from Central Command! Joel Peugeot, OE Meyer Co.’s HR & Compliance Manager, and their daughters have been eagerly awaiting this special reunion. Welcome home, Mary Rose, and thank you for your service!

@Melissa Heard

A huge thank you to Jerrod Ousley and Kelly Gentry for hosting today’s GAWDA Young Professionals Peer-to-Peer Mentoring virtual session on public speaking! It was an easy and fun opportunity to connect with peers and gain valuable insight into becoming more confident and effective speakers. I have to tell ya - I was especially impressed by how many of my fellow peers are actively working on public speaking, speech, and body language as part of their self-education efforts. Truly helpful and inspiring!

I appreciate GAWDA Young Professionals for fostering these mentoring experiences that help us grow both personally and professionally.

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