INDUSTRY NEWS
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MERGERS, PARTNERSHIPS & ACQUISITIONS
Linde Gas & Equipment Acquires nexAir Linde announced that it had acquired the remaining interests of nexAir, LLC. Linde’s wholly owned subsidiary Linde Gas & Equipment Inc. (LG&E) has held a minority interest in nexAir since 2012. LG&E has now purchased the remaining 77.2%. The acquisition complements Linde’s existing packaged gas business and expands its footprint in a core and fast-growing geography across the southeastern United States. nexAir continues to operate as a Linde Gas & Equipment region.
American Welding & Gas, Inc. Acquires Industrial Gas Assets of F&M Mafco, Inc. AWG announced that it is pleased to welcome the team from the industrial gas portion of F&M Mafco, Inc. to American Welding & Gas, Inc. “Today we are pleased to welcome the teammates and customers of F&M MAFCO’s industrial gas business in Harrison, OH to our AWG team," said AWG President and CEO Jason Kreiger. "Since 1945, F&M has provided an extensive array of products and services to a wide customer base across many states and countries. My thanks to Mr. Tim Fries for his faith in AWG and for the relationships our teams have developed. With this transaction, AWG will work closely with F&M MAFCO to provide gas products and services to this customer base while F&M Mafco continues to provide a wide range of rental and hardgoods offerings through their site services business model. AWG also looks forward to our partnership with F&M MAFCO as their preferred gas supplier in those areas where we do business together through their 'StrikeForce' management program. I look forward to a prosperous future together.”
VS Carbonics, Inc. Announces Acquisition of InCryo Systems The Cryo Group, LLC was recently formed after the principles of VS Carbonics, Inc., Florida’s largest distributor of liquid nitrogen, acquired the assets of InCryo Systems, Inc creating InCryo LLC, and Cryo Asset Management, LLC. This monumental acquisition makes The Cryo Group, LLC, 120 • First Quarter 2023
the first vertically integrated cryogenic solutions provider in the Southeastern United States. Under The Cryo Group umbrella, InCryo, LLC, (cryogenic system design, fabrication, installation, maintenance, and repair), Cryo Asset Management, LLC, (cryogenic tank and equipment rental and sales), along with VS Carbonics, Inc., (gas distribution) can now provide a one-stop shop for cryogenic solutions.
ECI Software Solutions Acquires ES Tech Group, Expands its B2B eCommerce Solutions Portfolio ECI Software Solutions announced that it has completed the acquisition of ES Tech Group. ES Tech Group will continue to serve customers in the gas and welding space while aiming to strengthen its existing partnerships with industry influencers like GAWDA and Computers Unlimited. The eCommerce software provider plans to continue its rapid expansion by bringing gas and welding manufacturers and distributors a world-class B2B eCommerce experience along with connectivity to popular ERPs such as CU TIMS, Epicor, and more.
EspriGas Announces Strategic Alliance with Coca-Cola Consolidated EspriGas announced its strategic alliance with Coca-Cola Consolidated, Inc., the largest Coca-Cola bottler in the United States. As part of this alliance, EspriGas partnered with CocaCola Consolidated to provide carbon dioxide (CO2) at their customer locations. EspriGas was selected due to their 30+ years of experience managing customer accounts through their nationwide network of gas suppliers. EspriGas is known for their reliable service, simple ordering, and dedicated account support. In late 2021, Coke Consolidated exited the CO2 business. After an extensive pilot program, Coca-Cola Consolidated partnered with EspriGas to ensure its customers continued to have their beverage gas needs met. As part of the transition process, Coca-Cola Consolidated introduced EspriGas to more than 40,000 customer locations across 14 states. The customer base spans various subsegments of the beverage sector – restaurants,
