Airgas announced Wednesday that it has acquired a gas and welding supply distributor in Washington state and completed a series of upgrades and new facilities to bolster its supply chain in the Pacific Northwest.
The industrial gas and welding and safety supply provider — no. 4 on ID’s latest Big 50 list — said that it acquired A-L Compressed Gases Inc. earlier in the month. Airgas officials said the Spokane company would expand its network and capabilities across eastern and central Washington, as well as in northern Idaho.
The company announced the A-L deal in a statement outlining several newly completed capital projects elsewhere in the state, including a new fill plant and a new argon rail hub in Southwest Washington and a new full-service branch on Seattle’s south side.
Airgas also refurbished a “state-of-the-art” air separation unit in suburban Seattle, and expanded a rail node for carbon dioxide in Southeast Washington.
The argon rail node, located in Kalama, Washington, is the largest hub of its kind in the region, Airgas officials said.
“In today's environment, our customers need more than just a gas supplier – they need a company who anticipates their needs and understands the importance of reliable supply,” Mike Smith, president of the Airgas’ NorPac region, said in a statement.
