Airgas – ARG – Acquires Metroplex Service Welding Supply and Excel Welding & Industrial Supplies

NYSE: ARG), one of the nation’s leading suppliers of industrial, medical, and specialty gases, and related products, announced that it has acquired the assets and operations of two core industrial gas and welding supply distributors that complement the Airgas portfolio of products and services. Combined annual revenues for the two acquired businesses are more than $30 million. Financial terms of the transactions were not disclosed.

Effective December 31, 2012, Airgas USA, LLC acquired the assets and operations of Metroplex Service Welding Supply, Inc. Metroplex locations in Fort Worth, Decatur, Gainesville, Burleson, and Mineral Wells, TX, and 47 associates are now part of Airgas’ Southwest region.

Effective December 31, 2012, Airgas USA, LLC acquired the assets and operations of Excel Welding & Industrial Supplies, Inc. Excel’s Philadelphia, PA, location and 10 associates are now part of Airgas’ East region.

“Acquiring Metroplex and Excel will help to further increase our density and strengthen our competitive position in each of these geographies. We’re very pleased to have these new employees and loyal customers join the Airgas family,” said Les Graff, Airgas Senior Vice President ? Corporate Development. “Growth through acquisition remains an important complement to our organic growth story, and we look forward to continuing to enhance our integrated product and service offering to customers through the acquisition of both core and adjacent product and service businesses in the future.”

Since the beginning of its fiscal year, Airgas has acquired 15 businesses with aggregate annual revenues of more than $94 million.

About Airgas, Inc. – ARG

Airgas, Inc. (ARG), through its subsidiaries, is one of the nation’s leading suppliers of industrial, medical and specialty gases, and hardgoods, such as welding equipment and related products. ARG is a leading U.S. producer of atmospheric gases with 16 air separation plants, a leading producer of carbon dioxide, dry ice, and nitrous oxide, one of the largest U.S. suppliers of safety products, and a leading U.S. supplier of refrigerants, ammonia products, and process chemicals. More than 15,000 employees work in approximately 1,100 locations, including branches, retail stores, gas fill plants, specialty gas labs, production facilities and distribution centers. ARG also markets its products and services through eBusiness, catalog and telesales channels. Its national scale and strong local presence offer a competitive edge to its diversified customer base.

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Post Written By: Ed Liston Ed Liston is a senior contributing editor at TheStockMarketWatch.com. An active market watcher and investor, Ed guides an independent team of experienced analysts and writes for multiple stock trader publications. He is widely quoted in various financial publications on the Internet. When Ed is not writing about stocks, investing in stocks, talking about stocks, or otherwise doing something stock related, he likes to go sailing and fishing in his yacht.