2023 BUSINESS FORECAST SUPPLIER MEMBERS

` Michael Tipper, President US TANK & CRYOGENIC EQUIPMENT

Michael Tipper , President of US Tank & Cryogenic Equipment Inc. forecasts a growth of 15% in 2023, even as the headwinds of the labor shortage and supply chain issues continue. That growth will be driven, in part, due to a new offering of telemetry monitoring systems that US Tank has launched in conjunction with Otodata Telemetry. This new offering allows US Tank & Cryogenics’ customers to monitor PSI and liquid level with real time data and determine peak usage, including hours in use and volume. Tipper expects that to be a growth driver for the company in 2023. And though he expects the industry to increase this year, Tipper does fear a soft overall economy in 2023. Still, even with a difficult consumer economy in 2023, this year projects to be another strong one for US Tank & Cryogenic Equipment.

` Kurt Johannes, Director of Industrial Distribution NORTON – SAINT GOBAIN ABRASIVES

Kurt Johannes, Director of Industrial Distribution for Norton – Saint Gobain Abrasives anticipates growth in 2023, even as he expects the overall industry to be level. He notes, “Production levels are trending down, toward a recession. But pricing is helping for sales reporting.” Johannes does caution that additional pressure to the oil and gas industry could negatively impact the industry in 2023. And though the overall consumer economy may be heading for a recession this year, planned new product launches for Norton – Saint Gobain in 2023 will help buoy the company.

` Sal Calandra, President B&R COMPLIANCE ASSOCIATES

B&R Compliance Associates has spent the last year adding many industry experts to its company “who expand our skill sets and complement each other very well,” says President Sal Calandra. Those new additions to the company will lead B&R to a significant increase in business for 2023. Says Calandra, “Many distributors are developing and growing bulk gases in addition to focusing on growing and de-risking their traditional base business. Like us, they are very customer-focused, which makes them attractive business partners.” One new offering that will help B&R realize that projected growth is a learning management system that will make training and development readily available to distributors and other industries. “We are also willing to find experts with additional expertise to support distributors,” Calandra says. B&R Compliance Associates currently has experts with skillsets covering FDA Food and Medical Compliance, Risk

Management, Process Safety and Efficiency, DOT, Quality Systems and Certifications, Code Compliance, Validation, Food and Beverage Gases, Healthcare Installation training, OSHAPSM & RMP, Food Safety, Food Science, and more.

` Justin Guitreau, Executive Vice President

Tekno Valves North America

Growth in emerging markets like specialty gases and hydrogen will help Tekno Valves North America realize a projected 25-30% increase in 2023. Executive Vice President Justin Guitreau projects the industry to be up but with a caveat. “I believe it is all about the direction that a gas distributor takes,” he says. “If you continue to stay in the same markets that have dominated the last 15-20 years, I believe it will be an overall flat to slightly negative year. If you adjust your business to the emerging markets, I believe it would provide an immediate positive return.” In 2023, Tekno Valves North America plans to add additional regional salespeople to make in-person calls to its customer base. “We feel that in-person meetings are still the best way to do business, and the best way to truly understand a customer’s needs,” Guitreau says. Though he remains optimistic for a positive year, he points to disruptors like rising costs, raw material shortages, shipping increases and workforce compensation as things that could hinder growth. “GAWDA distributors must take note of this and see that they are justified in price increases to their customers,” he concludes.

` Dave Eckert, Vice President of Industrial Markets

INDUSTRIAL PRO, A DIVISION OF FORNEY INDUSTRIES

Dave Eckert, Vice President of Industrial Markets for Industrial Pro, a division of Forney Industries, anticipates more than 30% growth in sales in 2023. “Organic growth for hardgoods will be much harder to produce based on our view of the market,” Eckert says. “Many have relied on price increases to drive growth, especially to enhance the bottom-line. Our emphasis will be market share growth ensuring that our distributor partners maximize their sales by having the right offering to address their customer's store-by-store. Ensuring that the end user does not go elsewhere for a solution our distributor partners should have available at an attractive margin.” He continues, “Our future is very focused and we continue to execute a three-tier strategy in our core products along with a supporting portfolio of key accessories and consumables for the welding distributor channel. At FABTECH, we introduced six new products to fill gaps and provide upgrades to our existing program, plus delivering true innovation consistent with our value proposition. Forney Pro, Forney and Easy Weld provide our distributor partners with solutions to match to their store needs.” He concludes, “We continue to execute our value proposition by delivering growth opportunities with products not adequately served by the big brands and generating margins uncharacteristic of the machine product category.”

` Art Anderson, Managing Principal AH ANDERSON CONSULTING, LLC

Art Anderson , Managing Principal at AH Anderson Consulting LLC, predicts a level year for both the company and the industry in 2023. He points to factors such as lingering inflation of supply chain and production costs, the possibility of a recession, reduced industrial manufacturing production, and flat-to-low single-digit growth in consumer spending as factors that will hold back robust growth in the new year. He also expects to see continued challenges with product availability across our industry’s product portfolio, including, but not limited to, helium, CO2, select spec gases, Argon, and others as challenges that will continue in 2023.

` Western Sales and Testing, Inc.

2023 projects to be a level year for Western Sales and Testing, Inc., as supply chain challenges continue to impact the industry. Those challenges will impact the entire industry, as the company anticipates a level year for the gases and welding segment. However, even in the face of continued supply challenges, the company plans to expand in 2023.

` Hardface Technologies by Postle

Hardface Technologies by Postle Industries expects to see a 10% growth in 2023. The company notes that while agriculture markets were flat in 2022, they are expected to see an increase in 2023. The company warns though, that continued high energy prices and a very tight labor market could negatively impact these projections and the industry this year. Still, there is optimism that the expansion that the company made in 2022 will be “full throttle” in 2023 and will lead to robust growth for the company. It notes, “if infrastructure expenditures by the state and federal governments continue to expand, we would expect growth in the cement and construction markets as well.”