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Airgas Gaspro Celebrates 100 Years in the Hawaiian Community |
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Airgas Gaspro Celebrates 100 Years in the Hawaiian Community
RADNOR, PA – April 9, 2009 – Airgas Gaspro, a business unit of Airgas, Inc. (NYSE: ARG), today celebrates its centennial anniversary and a rich history deeply rooted in the Hawaiian community.
Airgas Gaspro opened its doors in 1909 as Hawaiian Gas Products, a small, family-owned business that made bricks, pipe and, eventually, industrial and medical gases like oxygen and nitrogen. Today, it has grown to nine locations — three on Oahu, three on Hawaii and two on Maui and one on Kauai — and generates annual revenues of $40 million.
Perhaps the most valuable legacy of Gaspro is its family of employees, which has grown from 30 associates in 1909 to 120 today. “Our employees are the true heart and soul of our organization,” said Mark Mahler, area vice president of Airgas Gaspro. “We have more employees with 20 years of tenure than we do employees with less than five years, and many of our staff are members of ‘legacy’ families, where several generations have served as Gaspro employees.”
Airgas Gaspro also has strong ties within the Hawaiian community, contributing more than 400 hours of philanthropic service annually through its work with the REHAB Foundation and the University of Hawaii. Gaspro also offers 6th grade science field trips to its facility designed to teach students about chemistry, allowing them to make their own root beer and flash freeze bananas, among other activities. The field trip is in such high demand that there is currently a waiting list.
Community involvement is a long-standing tradition within the business, often lending a helping hand when it’s needed most. “Gaspro has been there through major historical events including the bombing of Pearl Harbor and Hurricane Iniki,” said Mahler. “When Iniki hit, Gaspro was among the major contributors to the recovery effort, providing dry ice for food storage and propane for cooking for residents affected by the power outage that followed. We intend to stand by this tradition as we look forward to many more years of servicing the Hawaiian Islands.”
Airgas acquired Gaspro from The BOC Group, Inc. in 2004. Gaspro manufactures industrial and medical gases including, hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, and carbon dioxide, and produces dry ice. Gaspro is also a leading retailer of camping, cooking, and other outdoor products and is the largest distributor of propane and propane-fueled products in Hawaii. For more information on Airgas and its subsidiaries, visit www.airgas.com.
About Airgas, Inc.
Airgas, Inc. (NYSE: ARG), through its subsidiaries, is the largest U.S. distributor of industrial, medical, and specialty gases, and hardgoods, such as welding equipment and supplies. Airgas is also one of the largest U.S. distributors of safety products, the largest U.S. producer of nitrous oxide and dry ice, the largest liquid carbon dioxide producer in the Southeast, and a leading distributor of process chemicals, refrigerants, and ammonia products. More than 14,000 employees work in over 1,100 locations, including branches, retail stores, gas fill plants, specialty gas labs, production facilities and distribution centers. Airgas also distributes 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. For more information, please visit www.airgas.com.
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