Linde

What Linde does

Linde Gas & Equipment Inc. is the U.S. welding supply distribution and industrial gas retail arm of Linde plc, operating 300+ retail locations across the contiguous United States and a full e-commerce platform (LindeDirect.com) listing more than 70,000 products. The company's portfolio centers on industrial gases (oxygen, nitrogen, argon, carbon dioxide, helium, hydrogen, acetylene, and proprietary shielding gas blends such as StarGold, Stargon, and HeliStar) and welding/fabrication supplies, including its proprietary PROSTAR brand of wire, electrodes, and consumables, alongside third-party brands from Lincoln Electric, Miller, ESAB, Hypertherm, 3M, United Abrasives, and others.

The business runs a hybrid go-to-market model combining walk-in retail, buy-online-pickup-in-store, dedicated bulk ordering (Bulk Express), B2B e-commerce with credit terms and autopay, and direct enterprise account management supported by EDI/cXML, GHX, Liason, and Punchout integrations for procurement-system interoperability. Proprietary operational technology includes the Microbulk fill-on-demand supply system, StarWatch remote cylinder telemetry, Predictive Delivery scheduling, and the StarSolver productivity program. Service is segmented into six primary verticals — Construction, Metal Fabrication, Welding Automation, Electronics, Healthcare, and Specialty Gases — serving manufacturers, universities, farmers, hobbyists, construction companies, and regulated healthcare and electronics buyers.

Revenue is generated through a mix of usage-based industrial gas sales (cylinder rentals, bulk liquid delivery, on-site supply), transactional equipment and consumable sales, recurring subscription-style account services, and pricing that is quote-based rather than publicly listed. The entity operates as a wholly-owned subsidiary of Linde plc, drawing on parent-level procurement scale, brand equity, and global industrial gas infrastructure to compete against independent welding supply distributors and merchant gas rivals.

Name

Linde

Legal name

Linde Gas & Equipment Inc.

Website

https://lindedirect.com

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

5,001–10,000 employees

Short description

Linde Gas & Equipment Inc. is the U.S. retail and e-commerce distribution arm of Linde plc, operating 300+ welding supply stores and selling 70,000+ industrial gas, welding equipment, consumable, and safety products to construction, fabrication, healthcare, electronics, and specialty gas customers across the United States.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Industrial Gas and Welding Supply Distribution

NAICS

Industrial Gas Manufacturing (32512), Industrial Gas Manufacturing (325120), Electrical Equipment Manufacturing (33531), All Other Miscellaneous Electrical Equipment and Component Manufacturing (335999)

SIC

Wholesale-Industrial Machinery & Equipment (5084), Wholesale-Electrical Apparatus & Equipment, Wiring Supplies (5063), Miscellaneous Chemical Products (2890)

akta.pro primary industry

Welding & Cutting Gases (IMAEACAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Electronics & Semiconductor High-Purity Gases (IMAEACAG), Gas Handling Equipment & Storage (Cylinders/Tanks/Valves) (IMAEACAL), Electronic Specialty Gases (UHP gases for fabs) (IMAEAKAI)

Keywords

• Industrial gas supply
• Welding equipment distribution
• Specialty gas solutions
• Welding consumables
• Safety PPE products

Headquarters

HQ city

Danbury

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Industrial Gas Sales: Sale of industrial gases including oxygen, nitrogen, argon, carbon dioxide, helium, hydrogen, acetylene, and specialty gas mixtures. Revenue generated through cylinder rentals, bulk liquid deliveries, and on-site gas supply systems.
2. Welding Equipment and Consumables: Sale of welding equipment (MIG, TIG, Stick welders, plasma cutters), welding wire, electrodes, consumables, and accessories. Includes proprietary PROSTAR brand products.
3. Safety and PPE Products: Sale of personal protective equipment, welding helmets, safety gear, and protective clothing for industrial and welding applications.
4. Abrasives and Tools: Sale of grinding, cutting, sanding, and finishing abrasive products along with welding tools and accessories.
5. B2B Account Services: Account-based business model providing credit terms, online billing, invoicing, and management services to enterprise and commercial customers.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Linde Gas & Equipment distributes industrial gases (oxygen, nitrogen, argon, carbon dioxide, helium, hydrogen, acetylene, and specialty gas blends) and welding/fabrication supplies—including welding equipment, welding wire and electrodes, abrasives, safety/PPE, gas delivery equipment, and regulators—through 300+ U.S. retail locations and the LindeDirect e-commerce platform. The company sells its own proprietary PROSTAR, StarGold, Stargon, and HeliStar brands alongside 100+ third-party brands such as Lincoln Electric, Miller, ESAB, Hypertherm, 3M Speedglas, and United Abrasives.

Product overview

Linde Gas & Equipment is a welding supply distributor and industrial gas supplier operating 300+ retail locations across the US, offering an e-commerce platform (LindeDirect) for purchasing over 70,000 products. The portfolio centers on industrial gases (oxygen, nitrogen, argon, helium, hydrogen, specialty blends) and welding/fabrication supplies including PROSTAR-branded welding wire and consumables. Core product categories span welding equipment (MIG, TIG, stick, plasma, laser, automation/robotics), abrasives, safety/PPE, gas delivery equipment, and regulators. Shielding gas brands include StarGold and Stargon product lines. The company provides industry-specific solutions for healthcare, construction, metal fabrication, electronics, and specialty gases, with B2B e-commerce capabilities including EDI/cXML integration.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Industrial Gases Industrial gases including oxygen, nitrogen, argon, carbon dioxide, helium, hydrogen, acetylene, and specialty gas blends, supplied in cylinders, bulk liquid, and on-site systems for welding, manufacturing, healthcare, electronics, and research customers.
• Welding Wire and Electrodes Solid, flux-cored, metal-cored, and submerged-arc welding wire plus stick electrodes, TIG rods, and brazing/soldering filler metals for MIG, TIG, stick, and specialized welding processes.
• Welding and Cutting Equipment MIG, TIG, stick, multi-process, oxy-acetylene, engine-drive, submerged-arc, spot, laser welding systems and plasma, laser, shears, ironworkers, and saw cutting equipment from brands including Lincoln Electric, Miller, ESAB, Hypertherm, and Thermal Dynamics.
• Safety and PPE Welding helmets, hand and arm protection, head/face/eye protection, protective clothing, respiratory protection, welding blankets and curtains, hearing protection, and area protection products from brands such as 3M Speedglas and Tillman.
• Abrasives Grinding wheels, cut-off discs, sanding products, wire wheels and brushes, buffing and polishing supplies, points/cones/plugs, and deburring/surface preparation products from United Abrasives, Norton, and other brands.
• Welding and Cutting Consumables Replacement consumables including MIG nozzles and contact tips, TIG cups and collets, plasma cutting electrodes and nozzles, oxy-acetylene consumables, welding chemicals, and robotic and submerged-arc welding consumables.
• Regulators Industrial, specialty, medical, and balloon gas regulators plus regulator accessories for controlling cylinder gas flow across welding, medical, specialty, and event applications.
• Gas Equipment Gas delivery systems, flowmeters, valves, gauges, cylinder accessories, cryogenic and dry ice storage, gas detection and alarm systems, purifiers, filters, gas generators, and gas mixers for industrial and specialty applications.
• PROSTAR Linde's proprietary brand of welding wire, electrodes, and accessories including MIG, TIG, and plasma consumables, sold exclusively through Linde channels.
• StarGold Shielding Gases Proprietary shielding gas blends including StarGold C-5, C-10, C-15, C-20, and StarGold O-1, O-2, O-5 formulations optimized for MIG and TIG welding of carbon steel, stainless steel, and aluminum.
• Stargon Shielding Gases Proprietary shielding gas blends including Stargon VS, Stargon SS, Stargon CS, and Stargon AL for various welding applications and base materials.
• HeliStar Blends Argon-helium shielding gas mixtures for welding applications requiring enhanced heat input and improved weld pool fluidity.
• Microbulk Gas Supply On-site microbulk gas delivery system providing continuous industrial gas supply with fill-on-demand service, reducing cylinder handling for high-volume users.
• Healthcare Solutions Medical gases, Heliox mixtures, respiratory therapy gases, medical devices, and equipment rentals for healthcare facilities.
• Welding Automation and Robotics Orbital welding systems, robotic welding cells, manipulators, fixtures, and tooling for automated manufacturing operations.
• Gas Supply Solutions Cylinder and cluster management, bulk gas storage, and gas delivery systems for industrial customers.
• Metal Fabrication Solutions Metal forming, finishing, material handling, and environmental control equipment and supplies for fabrication shops.
• Cutting Solutions Laser gas support, 3D pipe cutting, shears, ironworkers, saws, and CNC cutting table systems.
• Specialty Gases Solutions Atmospheric, process, and specialty gases with associated equipment for laboratory, electronics, and specialized industrial applications.
• Construction Site Solutions On-site gas supply, engine-driven welders, and hardgoods management solutions for construction environments.

Quantifiable outcome

• 300+ retail locations enabling local pickup and service
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration5 records

Feature7 records

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Lincoln ElectriccoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMajor manufacturing partner for welding equipment and wire. Linde carries Lincoln Electric welders, welding wire, welding helmets, and safety equipment. Multiple promotional rebates offered on Lincoln Electric products.
• Miller ElectriccoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorKey partner for MIG welders and welding equipment. Linde offers Miller Electric products including welders, welding guns, and consumables with ongoing promotional rebates.
• ESABcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorStrategic partner for welding equipment and consumables. ESAB products featured with regular Burn and Earn promotional campaigns.
• HyperthermcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPartner for plasma cutting equipment including Powermax series. Offers plasma consumables and machines with promotional pricing.
• 3M SpeedglasminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPartner for welding helmets and respiratory protection. Regular helmet rebate promotions offered.
• United AbrasivescoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMajor supplier of abrasive products including grinding wheels, cut-off discs, and sanding products.
• NortonminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAbrasives manufacturer partner supplying grinding and cutting products.
• Thermal DynamicscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPartner for plasma cutting equipment including manual plasma cutters.
• Victor (ESAB)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSupplier of torches and regulators for welding and cutting applications.
• Bernard TregaskissminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMIG welding guns and consumables supplier.
• HobartminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorFiller metals and welding rods partner.
• Tillman (Hotbon)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSafety and PPE products partner for gloves and protective equipment.
• PROSTARcoreOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerProprietary brand of Linde offering welding wire, electrodes, and cutting equipment manufactured under exclusive brand arrangement.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Airgas: Wholly-owned subsidiary of Air Liquide and the largest US distributor of industrial, medical, and specialty gases along with welding equipment and supplies. Operates an extensive retail branch network and bulk gas delivery infrastructure, directly competing with Linde Gas & Equipment across all product categories and customer segments.
• Matheson Tri-Gas: US subsidiary of Nippon Sanso (Taiyo Nippon Sanso) supplying industrial, medical, and specialty gases plus welding supplies. Competes with Linde Gas & Equipment in bulk gas delivery, cylinder gases, and electronics specialty gases across the US.
• Welder Supply: Independent US welding supply distributor offering MIG/TIG/stick equipment, consumables, and industrial gases through e-commerce and physical stores. Directly comparable as a multi-channel welding supply retailer competing for SMB and hobbyist customers.
• Weldcoa: US-based manufacturer and supplier of gas distribution equipment, microbulk systems, and gas handling solutions. Overlaps with Linde Gas & Equipment's gas equipment offerings (microbulk, gas delivery systems) and serves industrial gas customers with comparable cylinder management technology.

Broad incumbents

• Air Products and Chemicals: Global industrial gases and related equipment supplier with significant US operations. Overlaps with Linde Gas & Equipment in bulk gas supply, on-site gas generation, and merchant gas distribution, but operates at a much larger global scale with broader end-market exposure.
• Air Liquide: Global industrial gas major and parent of Airgas. Competes with Linde plc and Linde Gas & Equipment across bulk gas, specialty gas, and welding supply retail in the US, with broader geographic and end-market reach beyond welding distribution.

Regional players

• Eastern Industrial Supplies: Southeastern US distributor of welding supplies, industrial gases, and safety products. Operates a regional branch network comparable to Linde Gas & Equipment's retail model but with a more limited geographic footprint.
• Indiana Oxygen: Midwest US industrial gas and welding supply distributor offering bulk and cylinder gases, welding equipment, and safety products. Comparable to Linde Gas & Equipment as a regional industrial gas distributor with retail branches and bulk delivery operations.

Emerging players

• WeldingMart: Online-first welding supply retailer offering equipment, consumables, and gases. Represents the pure-play e-commerce model that competes with LindeDirect for digitally native buyers, particularly in the SMB and hobbyist segments.
• Arc-Zone: Specialty welding and cutting equipment supplier focused on premium and niche applications including automation, orbital welding, and exotic material welding. Overlaps with Linde Gas & Equipment's welding automation and robotics solutions but with a more specialized catalog.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/linde
• Facebookfacebook.com/LindeGasEquipmentInc
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/linde-gas-and-equipment-inc
• Instagraminstagram.com/lindegasequipment
• Xx.com/lindegasequip

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Linde