nexAir
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1940
- HeadquartersMemphis, United States
- Headcount501–1,000
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What nexAir does
nexAir is a privately held industrial and medical gases distributor combined with a welding supplies and automation solutions provider, headquartered in Memphis, Tennessee, and operating since 1940. The company distributes atmospheric gases (argon, CO2, nitrogen, oxygen, helium, hydrogen), specialty gases, medical gases, and dry ice (nexAir Carbonic brand), alongside welding equipment and automation systems including the Miller OptX handheld laser welder, Vectis Cobot, Hercules Robotic MIG, and CNC plasma cutting tables. Underlying technology centers on the nexTrack platform — a proprietary integration of Roadnet real-time delivery tracking, Advanced Cylinder Management (ACM) barcode tracking, and TIMS Electronic Delivery (TED) paperless order management — paired with KnowHow technical advisory services that embed process optimization and automation consulting into the customer relationship.
The company monetizes through a mix of recurring gas supply contracts (bulk tank and microbulk delivery, cylinder rental, consumption-based pricing), welding equipment and consumables sales, automation hardware sales, dry ice production, and training/repair services. Go-to-market combines a Territory Manager field sales force targeting enterprise and mid-market accounts across approximately 80 sites in 10 Southeastern US states, with a self-serve e-commerce channel (nexAir Now / shopnexair.com) for SMB and individual buyers. Customer segments are diversified across manufacturing and metal fabrication (primary), healthcare (primary), food and beverage, chemical processing, construction, and aerospace. Growth has been driven by tuck-in acquisitions — Atlanta Medical Gases in 2020 for Georgia and WELSCO in 2024 for Arkansas and Oklahoma — combined with sequential product launches in welding automation and laser welding. Pricing is quote-based and not publicly disclosed; the company qualifies for the Deloitte/WSJ US Best Managed Companies award, which requires minimum $250M annual revenue.
nexAir firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- nexAir
- Legal name
- nexAir, LLC
- Website
- https://nexair.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1940
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 501–1,000 employees
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
nexAir industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Industrial Gas Distribution
- NAICS
- Industrial Gas Manufacturing (32512), Industrial Gas Manufacturing (325120)
- SIC
- Wholesale-Hardware & Plumbing & Heating Equipment & Supplies (5070)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Gas Handling Equipment & Storage (Cylinders/Tanks/Valves) (IMAEACAL)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Medical & Healthcare Gases (IMAEACAF), Food & Beverage Gases (Carbonation/Freezing/Packaging) (IMAEACAI)
Keywords
Where nexAir is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Memphis
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices4 records
Markets served
nexAir business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Operations, Supply Chain, Personnel, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Industrial and Medical Gases: Distribution of atmospheric gases (nitrogen, oxygen, argon, CO2, hydrogen, helium), specialty gases, medical gases, and fuel gases. Revenue generated through cylinder rentals, bulk tank systems, microbulk delivery, and consumption-based pricing.
- Welding Supplies and Equipment: Sale and rental of welding equipment including MIG welders, TIG welders, plasma cutters, laser welders, welding positioners, and cobots. Consumables include welding wire, gases, nozzles, and protective equipment.
- Automation Solutions: Sale and implementation of robotic welding systems, cobots, CNC plasma cutting machines, and welding positioners with associated training and support services.
- Dry Ice Products: Production and sale of dry ice for food shipping, pharmaceutical logistics, and industrial cleaning applications through nexAir Carbonic brand.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Monthly | Custom enterprise pricing based on volume and service requirements |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels5 records
nexAir product offering
Product offeringCore offering
nexAir is a Memphis-based industrial and medical gas distributor founded in 1940 that supplies atmospheric, specialty, and medical gases in bulk, microbulk, and cylinder formats to manufacturers, healthcare providers, food processors, and other industrial customers across the Southeastern United States. The company also sells, rents, and services welding equipment and metal-fabrication automation (laser welders, cobots, robotic MIG systems, CNC plasma cutters), manufactures dry ice through its nexAir Carbonic subsidiary, and supports customers with its in-house KnowHow expertise and proprietary nexTrack tracking platform.
Product overview
nexAir provides a comprehensive portfolio of industrial and medical gases combined with welding equipment, automation solutions, and delivery services. The core offering centers on industrial gases (argon, CO2, nitrogen, oxygen, helium, hydrogen, acetylene, specialty gases), medical gases, and dry ice products. Welding equipment includes Miller OptX laser welders, Vectis Cobot collaborative robots, Hercules robotic MIG systems, CNC plasma cutting systems, ALM welding positioners, and LightWELD compact welders. The nexTrack platform integrates Roadnet delivery tracking, Advanced Cylinder Management, and TIMS Electronic Delivery. KnowHow training services and bulk/microbulk gas delivery systems support operational efficiency. The portfolio operates across 10 states in the Southeastern U.S., serving aerospace, automotive, healthcare, manufacturing, and other industries.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- nexTrack: Combination of innovative technologies including Roadnet, Advanced Cylinder Management (ACM), and TIMS Electronic Delivery (TED) to increase efficiency and enhance customer experience.
- Advanced Cylinder Management (ACM)
- Roadnet
- TIMS Electronic Delivery (TED)
- nexAir KnowHow
- nexAir Now
- nexAir Carbonic
Products and services
- Industrial Gases Atmospheric, specialty, and process gases supplied to manufacturers and industrial buyers in bulk, microbulk, and cylinder formats, with recurring delivery and cylinder management.
- Medical Gases USP-grade medical gases and related supply services delivered to healthcare facilities with cylinder tracking and compliance support.
- Dry Ice Products (nexAir Carbonic) Dry ice manufactured and distributed by the nexAir Carbonic subsidiary for cold-chain, food processing, and industrial cooling applications.
- Welding Supplies and Equipment Welding consumables, machines, and metal-fabrication equipment from brands such as Miller distributed to industrial customers across the Southeastern U.S.
- Miller OptX Laser Welder Handheld laser welding system sold as part of nexAir's welding capital equipment line, targeted at manufacturers seeking higher productivity and easier operator adoption.
- Vectis Cobot Welding Tool Cobot welding tool sold by nexAir to bring collaborative automation to welding cells for manufacturers and metal-fabrication shops.
- Hercules Robotic MIG Welding System Heavy-payload robotic MIG welding system distributed by nexAir for industrial customers automating high-deposition welding.
- nexAir CNC Plasma Cutting System Computer-controlled plasma cutting system sold and supported by nexAir for industrial metal-cutting applications.
- ALM Welding Positioners Welding positioners distributed by nexAir to improve productivity and weld quality in manual and automated welding cells.
- LightWELD Laser Welding System Handheld laser welding system from IPG Photonics offered by nexAir as part of its laser welding and automation portfolio.
- Bulk and Microbulk Gas Delivery Services Recurring cryogenic gas delivery and on-site bulk/microbulk tank services provided to industrial and medical customers across the Southeastern U.S.
- nexTrack Tracking and Asset Management Platform Proprietary tracking and inventory management service integrating Roadnet, ACM, and TED for visibility of gas cylinders, equipment, and deliveries.
- KnowHow Training, Installation, and Repair Services Consulting, installation, training, and repair services bundling process expertise with nexAir's gas, welding, and automation product offerings.
- WELSCO Industrial Supply Distribution Industrial supply distribution arm offering welding and shop supplies as a complementary offering to nexAir's gas and equipment business.
Quantifiable outcome
- 30-40% production throughput increase with welding positioners
- +9 more outcomes
Companies that use nexAir
Customer profileNamed customers13 records
Segments6 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
nexAir technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature6 records
nexAir partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.
- WELSCOcorenexAir acquired WELSCO, an Arkansas-based supplier of industrial and welding supplies. This acquisition expands nexAir's reach into Arkansas and Oklahoma, complementing its existing Southeast US operations.
- Hercules (High-Deposition Automated Welding System)corePartnership with Hercules to offer the High-Deposition Automated Welding System for robotic MIG welding applications. The system is designed for medium to large manufacturing operations to increase welding productivity without additional capital investment.
- Vectis (Cobot Welding Tool)corePartnership to offer the Vectis Cobot Welding Tool - a collaborative robot system designed for small to mid-size fabrication shops. Features include no programming experience required, quick deployment, and 25-40% lower cost than traditional robot cells.
- Miller Electric / IPG PhotonicscorePartnership with Miller Electric and IPG Photonics to offer the Miller OptX 2kW handheld laser welder. Miller provides welding innovation expertise while IPG supplies fiber laser technology.
- ALM PositionerscorePartnership with ALM Positioners to provide welding positioners ranging from 1,000 lbs to 125,000 lbs capacity. Positioners help improve productivity, safety, and ergonomics for welding large workpieces.
- Roadnet TechnologiessupportingIntegration of Roadnet technology into nexTrack platform for real-time delivery tracking and route optimization. Allows customers to see delivery ETAs, receive updates on delays, and confirmations.
- The Wall Street JournalsupportingCo-sponsor of the US Best Managed Companies program recognition awarded to nexAir in 2020.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights7 records
nexAir competitors and assessment
Company assessmentEmerging players
- Scott Specialty Gases: Specialty gas and calibration gas provider; partial overlap with nexAir on specialty gas mixtures for aerospace, electronics, and laboratory customers.
Broad incumbents
- Linde plc: World's largest industrial gas company with extensive U.S. bulk and cylinder distribution; overlaps with nexAir on medical oxygen, atmospheric gases, and welding gases across the Southeast.
- Air Products and Chemicals: One of the largest global industrial gas manufacturers with major U.S. distribution; competes with nexAir on atmospheric and specialty gases but operates across all 50 states and globally at a vastly larger scale.
- Air Liquide USA: Global industrial gas major with significant U.S. presence; competes on bulk gas, medical oxygen, and specialty gases, with broader geographic reach than nexAir.
- Praxair Surface Technologies (now part of Linde): Industrial gas and welding supply distributor with overlapping customer base in metal fabrication and automotive manufacturing; historically a direct regional competitor in gas and welding consumables.
Direct peers
- Messer Americas: Privately held global industrial gas company with a strong U.S. footprint; directly comparable to nexAir as a regional bulk and medical gas distributor serving manufacturers and healthcare providers.
- Weldstar: Independent welding supply and industrial gas distributor in the Midwest; closely comparable to nexAir in product mix (gases, welding equipment, automation) and mid-market customer focus.
- Genstar Gas (Matheson Tri-Gas): Industrial and specialty gas distributor serving similar manufacturing and welding customers; overlaps with nexAir on atmospheric gases, specialty mixtures, and bulk delivery models.
- Indiana Oxygen: Regional industrial and medical gas distributor with bulk delivery and welding supply offerings; comparable size, customer segments, and consultative sales model to nexAir.
- Norco (Norco Industrial Gases): Independent industrial gas and welding supply distributor with multi-state U.S. presence; comparable in offering breadth (atmospheric gases, medical, welding equipment) and mid-market/industrial customer mix.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
nexAir social profiles
Digital presencenexAir financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
nexAir leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
nexAir subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries2 records
nexAir funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
nexAir M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A1 record
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about nexAir
What does nexAir do?
nexAir is a Memphis-based industrial and medical gas distributor founded in 1940 that supplies atmospheric, specialty, and medical gases in bulk, microbulk, and cylinder formats to manufacturers, healthcare providers, food processors, and other industrial customers across the Southeastern United States. The company also sells, rents, and services welding equipment and metal-fabrication automation (laser welders, cobots, robotic MIG systems, CNC plasma cutters), manufactures dry ice through its nexAir Carbonic subsidiary, and supports customers with its in-house KnowHow expertise and proprietary nexTrack tracking platform.
Is nexAir a public or private company?
nexAir is a private company. It is classified as unknown and is currently operating.
When was nexAir founded?
nexAir was founded in 1940. It employs 501 to 1,000 people.
Where is nexAir based?
nexAir is headquartered in Memphis, United States, in the North America region.
How does nexAir make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Industrial and Medical Gases are the primary driver. The others are welding Supplies and Equipment, automation Solutions and dry Ice Products.
Who are nexAir's main competitors?
Scott Specialty Gases is listed as an emerging player. Broad incumbents are Linde plc, Air Products and Chemicals, Air Liquide USA and Praxair Surface Technologies (now part of Linde). Direct peers are Messer Americas, Weldstar, Genstar Gas (Matheson Tri-Gas), Indiana Oxygen and Norco (Norco Industrial Gases).
Does nexAir have an API?
No public API is recorded for nexAir.
What industry is nexAir in?
nexAir's product category is Industrial Gas Distribution. Its primary akta.pro industry code is IMAEACAL, Gas Handling Equipment & Storage (Cylinders/Tanks/Valves), with a secondary code of IMAEACAF, Medical & Healthcare Gases. Its NAICS code is 32512 and its SIC code is 5070.