Oxygen Service

What Oxygen Service does

Oxygen Service Company (OSC) is a privately held regional industrial gas, dry ice, and welding supply distributor founded in 1959 and headquartered at 1111 Pierce Butler Route in Saint Paul, Minnesota. The company serves the Upper Midwest (Minnesota, Wisconsin, Northern Iowa, and the Eastern Dakotas) through nine retail and production locations, three dry-ice manufacturing sites (Saint Paul, Sauk Rapids, Appleton), a fleet of delivery trucks, and specialized high-pressure nitrogen pumping units operating within a 500-mile radius of headquarters. Its core products span industrial and specialty gases (argon, acetylene, CO2, helium, hydrogen, nitrogen, oxygen, propane, propylene, plus precision mixtures), bulk gas delivery systems with remote tank monitoring, dry ice (blocks, 3mm rice, 16mm pellets) and dry-ice blasting services, and a welding supplies division carrying 50,000+ SKUs from 100+ vendors, supported by authorized factory service for Miller, ESAB, Hypertherm, Fronius, and Lincoln Electric.

OSC has expanded into robotic automation integration as a higher-value adjacent offering, serving as a Premier Partner for ABB and FANUC robotics, distributing ALM positioners and AKS Cutting Systems, and integrating Vectis robotic welding solutions into turnkey cells for metal fabrication customers. The company combines industrial gas distribution with cryogenic piping systems, pipeline nitrogen purging and testing, welding equipment sales/rentals/repair, and automation integration under one roof, an unusual breadth for a sub-100-employee regional operator. Quality is differentiated by an on-staff chemist and analyst who test gases pre-shipment, and by a 25-person direct sales force averaging 23 years of industry experience supported by Certified Welding Inspectors and engineers.

Revenue is generated through a mix of bulk-gas delivery programs (with quarterly fuel surcharges tied to DOE Midwest diesel prices), recurring cylinder and bulk-tank rental/lease arrangements, equipment sales and rentals (daily/weekly/monthly), professional services for pipeline purging and automation integration, and transactional retail/e-commerce sales. Customer concentration is distributed across seven named verticals — agriculture, cannabis, construction, energy & chemical, food & beverage, medical, and metal fabrication & manufacturing — with no disclosed enterprise anchor logos. Go-to-market is sales-led and relationship-driven, combining direct field sales for enterprise/industrial accounts, retail counter sales across nine locations, and an online shop for SMB and consumer purchases.

Name

Oxygen Service

Legal name

Oxygen Service Company

Website

https://oxygenservicecompany.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1959

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Oxygen Service Company is a privately held Upper Midwest industrial gas, dry ice, welding supplies, and robotic automation distributor founded in 1959, serving agriculture, construction, manufacturing, medical, food & beverage, and energy customers across Minnesota, Wisconsin, Northern Iowa, and the Eastern Dakotas via nine retail locations and direct fleet delivery.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Industrial Gas Distribution

NAICS

Industrial Gas Manufacturing (325120), Refrigeration Equipment and Supplies Merchant Wholesalers (423740)

SIC

Wholesale-Machinery, Equipment & Supplies (5080), Wholesale-Industrial Machinery & Equipment (5084), Wholesale-Hardware & Plumbing & Heating Equipment & Supplies (5070)

akta.pro primary industry

Gas Handling Equipment & Storage (Cylinders/Tanks/Valves) (IMAEACAL)

akta.pro secondary industries

Industrial Gases Logistics (Compressed/Cryogenic; Class 2) (TLAIAJAH), Food & Beverage Gases (Carbonation/Freezing/Packaging) (IMAEACAI), Oxygen Therapy Systems (Concentrators, Cylinders, Liquid O2, HFNC) (HLAHAGAD)

Keywords

• Industrial gas supply
• Welding equipment distribution
• Dry ice products
• Specialty gas distribution
• Robotic welding automation

Headquarters

HQ city

Saint Paul

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices10 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Industrial and Specialty Gas Sales: OSC generates revenue through the sale of industrial gases (argon, acetylene, CO2, helium, hydrogen, nitrogen, oxygen, propane, propylene), specialty gases, and bulk gas delivery programs. Revenue is generated through cylinder rentals, bulk tank installations, and per-delivery fees with fuel surcharges based on diesel prices.
2. Dry Ice Products and Services: Sale of commercial and bulk dry ice for food and beverage, medical shipping, and industrial cleaning applications. Dry ice is manufactured to-order in block form, 3mm rice, and 16mm pellets. Also includes dry ice blasting equipment rental.
3. Welding Equipment and Supplies: Sale of welding supplies including plasma cutters, engine drives, cutting tables, fume extractors, welding wire, cables, PPE, and personal protective equipment. Also includes equipment repair services and rental programs (daily, weekly, monthly).
4. Robotic Automation Systems: Sale and integration of robotic welding machines, automated cutting systems, and positioning equipment from manufacturers like ABB, FANUC, ALM, and AKS Cutting Systems. Includes turnkey solutions, installation, and preventative maintenance programs.
5. Pipeline Nitrogen Services: Nitrogen purging and pumping services for pipeline testing and maintenance. Services include displacement purging, dilution purging, and high-pressure nitrogen delivery for industrial facilities within 500-mile radius of Saint Paul, MN.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Oxygen Service Company distributes industrial and specialty gases (argon, acetylene, CO2, helium, hydrogen, nitrogen, oxygen, propane, propylene), bulk gas delivery programs, dry ice products and blasting services, welding equipment and consumables from 100+ vendors, and robotic welding/cutting automation systems to industrial, commercial, and agricultural customers across the Upper Midwest. The company provides complementary services including welding equipment rental and repair, nitrogen pipeline purging and testing, and cryogenic piping installation through nine retail locations and a direct truck delivery fleet.

Product overview

Oxygen Service Company (OSC) is a regional industrial gas and welding equipment supplier serving the Upper Midwest since 1959. The company operates as a single unified offering with multiple interconnected product lines: Industrial and specialty gases (Argon, Acetylene, CO2, Helium, Hydrogen, Nitrogen, Oxygen, Propane, Propylene) form the core product category, supplemented by bulk gas delivery systems. Adjacent product lines include dry ice products and dry ice blasting services, robotic automation solutions (robotic welding, automated cutting systems, positioning equipment), and a comprehensive welding supplies division offering equipment sales, rentals, and repair services. The company also provides nitrogen pipeline services for purging and testing. OSC differentiates through vertical integration—offering the full chain from gas supply through automation equipment—with nine retail locations across Minnesota and Wisconsin.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Industrial Gases Complete line of industrial gases (Argon, Acetylene, Carbon Dioxide, Helium, Hydrogen, Nitrogen, Oxygen, Propane, Propylene) sold in cylinders for industrial, commercial, and agricultural applications.
• Bulk Gases High-volume bulk gas delivery and storage solutions in sizes from 450 liters to 13,000 gallons, including bulk Argon, CO2, Hydrogen, Nitrogen, Oxygen, and Propane with remote tank monitoring for proactive refills.
• Specialty Gases High-purity specialty gases and precision mixtures including Methane, Nitrous Oxide, Neon, Chloride, Carbon Dioxide, and Carbon Monoxide for industrial, commercial, and medical applications.
• Fuel Gases Bulk and microbulk fuel gases for oxy-fuel welding including Acetylene, Propylene, Propane, and Chemolene, available in sizes from 450 liters to 13,000 gallons.
• Dry Ice Solid carbon dioxide (CO2) in commercial, bulk block form, 3mm rice, and 16mm pellets manufactured to-order daily at St. Paul, Sauk Rapids, and Appleton production locations for cooling, shipping, and process applications.
• Robotic Automation Systems Robotic welding machines, automated cutting systems, and automatic robotic positioning systems integrated from manufacturers including ABB, FANUC, ALM, and AKS Cutting Systems with turnkey installation and preventative maintenance.
• Welding Supplies Complete inventory of welding equipment and consumables including plasma cutters, engine drives, cutting tables, fume extractors, welding wire, cables, PPE, and accessories from over 100 vendors.
• Welding Equipment Rental Flexible rental of MIG, TIG, Stick, Multi-Process welding machines, plasma cutters, engine drives, and dry ice blasting equipment by day, week, or month for individuals and businesses.
• Welding Equipment Repair Factory-trained technician repair services for welding and cutting equipment at an authorized service center for Miller, ESAB, Hypertherm, Fronius, and Lincoln Electric, including warranty service.
• Pipeline Nitrogen Services On-site pipeline nitrogen purging and high-pressure nitrogen delivery services including displacement purging and dilution purging, performed via specialized pumping trucks within a 500-mile radius of Saint Paul, MN.
• Dry Ice Blasting Non-abrasive industrial cleaning service using compressed air, high-velocity nozzles, and dry ice pellets to clean equipment without chemicals or disassembly; equipment available for rental.
• Cryogenic Piping Systems Design and installation of cryogenic piping systems for industrial gas distribution to customer facilities across the Midwest.

Quantifiable outcome

• ALM positioners boost production throughput by 30-40%, with most customers seeing ROI in less than 12 months
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Lincoln ElectriccoreOthersEquipment vendor partner providing welding machines, welding wire, and welding equipment. OSC is an authorized dealer offering Lincoln Electric products through their inventory.
• Miller ElectriccoreOthersEquipment vendor and authorized factory service/warranty repair center. OSC offers Miller welding equipment and provides warranty repair services.
• ESAB Welding and CuttingcoreOthersEquipment vendor partner for welding and cutting equipment. OSC is an authorized factory service center for ESAB products.
• HyperthermcoreOthersEquipment vendor for plasma cutting systems. OSC provides Hypertherm products and authorized repair services.
• FroniuscoreOthersEquipment vendor partner for welding technology. OSC offers Fronius products and authorized factory service.
• ABBcoreTechnology or IntegrationPremier partner for robotic automation systems. OSC integrates ABB robotics for automated welding and manufacturing applications.
• FANUCcoreTechnology or IntegrationPremier partner for robotic automation systems. OSC integrates FANUC robotics for automated welding and manufacturing applications.
• ALM PositionerscoreTechnology or IntegrationLeading automatic positioner manufacturer. OSC provides ALM positioners with over 40 styles and weight capacities from 1,000 to 125,000 pounds.
• AKS Cutting SystemscoreTechnology or IntegrationPremier plasma cutting system manufacturer. OSC offers AKS CNC plasma cutting machines including Tru-Kut, Accu-Kut, Dura-Kut, and Star Lab Cutting Tables.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves1 record

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Praxair (Linde): Linde (post-Praxair merger) operates one of the largest industrial gas businesses in the world with extensive ASU assets and bulk distribution. Competes with OSC on large industrial accounts in the Midwest.
• Airgas (Air Liquide): Airgas, an Air Liquide subsidiary, is the largest US industrial gas and welding supply distributor with national footprint, broad product portfolio, and bulk delivery capabilities. Directly comparable to OSC in industrial gas, welding supplies, and gas handling equipment distribution.
• Nippon Gases (formerly Praxair Europe): Nippon Gases is a global industrial gas producer with US operations competing in industrial gas distribution and specialty gases. Comparable in bulk gas delivery and specialty gas segments where OSC participates.

Direct peers

• Matheson Tri-Gas: Matheson Tri-Gas is a Nippon Sanso subsidiary distributing industrial, specialty, and medical gases across the US. Closely comparable to OSC in product mix, customer segments, and bulk/cylinder delivery model.
• Holston Gases: Holston Gases is a regional industrial and medical gas distributor serving the Southeast and Midwest with cylinder gases, bulk delivery, and welding supplies. Closely comparable in scale, product mix, and regional distributor model.
• Roberts Oxygen: Roberts Oxygen is a regional industrial and medical gas distributor in the Mid-Atlantic and Midwest, offering cylinder gases, bulk delivery, and specialty gas products. Similar regional-distributor profile to OSC.
• Harris Welding Supply: Harris Welding Supply is a Midwest industrial gas and welding supply distributor with locations in Wisconsin and Minnesota. Directly comparable in product offerings, customer base, and regional geography.
• General Welding Supply: General Welding Supply is a regional welding equipment and industrial gas distributor serving the Upper Midwest. Directly comparable in welding supplies, gas distribution, and equipment service offerings.

Regional players

• Indiana Oxygen: Indiana Oxygen is a regional industrial and medical gas distributor serving Indiana and surrounding states with cylinder, bulk, and specialty gases plus welding supplies. Comparable mid-size regional distributor model.

Emerging players

• Arc3 Gases: Arc3 Gases is a privately-held distributor of industrial, medical, and specialty gases formed from roll-up acquisitions of regional players. Comparable in customer base and product mix, and a potential PE-backed consolidator competing for the same M&A opportunities.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/oxygenserviceco
• Facebookfacebook.com/oxygenservicecompany
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/oxygen-service-company

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 Oxygen Service