Holston Gases
Holston Gases is a family-owned, third-generation industrial, medical, specialty, and propane gas distributor plus welding supply wholesaler serving industrial, healthcare, beverage, and propane customers across the Southeast through 46+ branches and warehouses.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1958
- HeadquartersKnoxville, United States
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Holston Gases does
Holston Gases, Inc. is a family-owned, third-generation industrial gas and welding supply distributor headquartered in Knoxville, Tennessee, founded in 1958 by Pat Baxter and Bob Walsh. The company produces, fills, and distributes industrial gases (Oxygen, Argon, Nitrogen, CO2, Helium, Hydrogen), medical gases meeting USP standards in FDA-audited facilities, specialty gases (Ultra High Purity, Zero-Grade, Laser, PPM, and calibration standards), beverage-grade CO2, dry ice, propane, and certified bandsaw blades through a Lenox-certified weld center. Its physical footprint includes 46+ branches and warehouses across six Southeast states (Tennessee, Kentucky, Alabama, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina) plus customers served in 12 states, supported by $8M+ of stocked welding supplies, a computerized cross-warehouse inventory system, 60+ bulk transports and bobtails, and 2M+ gallons of propane storage with a rail terminal.
The business operates a regional direct-distribution go-to-market: local branch managers run markets as quasi-independent operators with corporate overhead of roughly ten senior executives, selling through direct field sales, branch storefronts, bulk delivery fleets, and 1,000+ OEM supplier relationships (Miller, Lincoln Electric, ESAB, Lenox, DeWalt, Cold Jet). Pricing is quote-based by branch contact; revenue is generated from industrial/medical/specialty gas cylinder and bulk sales, propane delivery and forklift tank exchanges, beverage CO2 bulk tank installation and maintenance, dry ice production, and bandsaw blade welding and sales. Customer segments span industrial manufacturing, hospitals and healthcare, beverage (C-stores, restaurants, breweries, distilleries, arenas), residential and commercial propane, specialty gas laboratories, food processing, and welding/metalworking shops.
Growth has been driven by an active acquisition roll-up: between February 2025 and March 2026 Holston completed at least seven acquisitions (Tri-Cities Dry Ice, Combustion Services Propane, Chilton Propane, Advanced Welding Supply, National Gas Distributors, Nitro-Derm East, and Athens Gas and Welding Supply), opened a new Charleston, SC branch, installed a WELDCOA SUR-FILL IQ-S Auto Blend Cell for parts-per-billion calibration standards, and added a Jumbo Hydrogen Tube Trailer to its hydrogen fleet. Leadership transitioned fully to third-generation ownership when Joe Baxter was named President in September 2024 and added CEO in September 2025, with Robert Anders remaining as Chairman and Bill Baxter's legacy continued on the board. The company employs over 600 people and remains privately held under Baxter family control.
Holston Gases firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Holston Gases
- Legal name
- Holston Gases Inc.
- Website
- https://holstongases.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1958
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- Holston Gases is a family-owned, third-generation industrial, medical, specialty, and propane gas distributor plus welding supply wholesaler serving industrial, healthcare, beverage, and propane customers across the Southeast through 46+ branches and warehouses.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Holston Gases industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Industrial Gas Distribution
- NAICS
- Industrial Gas Manufacturing (32512)
- SIC
- Chemicals & Allied Products (2800), Natural Gas Transmisison & Distribution (4923)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Medical & Healthcare Gases (IMAEACAF)
Keywords
Where Holston Gases is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Knoxville
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices48 records
Markets served
Holston Gases business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Industrial & Medical Gas Sales: Sale of industrial gases (Oxygen, Argon, Nitrogen, CO2, Helium, Hydrogen), medical gases (Oxygen, Nitrous Oxide, Blood Gas Mixtures), and specialty gases (Ultra High Purity, Zero-Grade, Laser, PPM mixes). Revenue generated through cylinder rentals, bulk deliveries, and liquid tank installations. Over 200,000 cylinders filled annually.
- Welding & Industrial Supplies: Distribution of industrial welding supplies through a network of over 1,000 OEM suppliers. Warehouses over $8,000,000 of industrial welding supplies. Products sold to manufacturing, construction, and industrial customers.
- Propane Distribution: Propane sales and distribution with over 2,000,000 gallons of storage capacity and a state-of-the-art rail terminal. Fleet of 60+ bulk transports and bobtails. Revenue from bulk deliveries, forklift tank exchanges, and turnkey installations.
- Beverage CO2: Beverage grade CO2 supply and delivery. Serves over 2,000 customers including C-stores, restaurants, bars, breweries, distilleries, arenas, and stadiums. Delivers from 20 lb cylinders to 20 ton tanker loads. Includes bulk tank design, installation, and maintenance.
- Dry Ice: Dry ice production and distribution for industrial blasting and cleaning, temperature-controlled distribution, and food processing. Various pellet sizes and blasting rental equipment available.
- Bandsaw Blades: Lenox-certified weld center producing over 36,000 bandsaw blades annually. Revenue from blade sales, welding, sizing, and UPS shipping services.
- Specialty Gas Products: Specialty gas products including pure gases (Grades 4, 5, and 6), calibration standards, EPA protocol mixtures, laser mixtures, electronics gases, and gas handling equipment (regulators, manifolds, gas cabinets, flow meters, telemetry monitoring). Nation-wide delivery.
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels6 records
Marketing channels8 records
Holston Gases product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Holston Gases is a regional distributor and producer of industrial, medical, specialty, and propane gases; beverage-grade CO2; dry ice; certified bandsaw blades; and industrial welding supplies. The company fills over 200,000 gas cylinders annually across FDA-audited facilities, distributes propane through 2M+ gallons of storage and a 60+ vehicle fleet, and sells $8M+ of welding supplies sourced from 1,000+ OEM suppliers through 45+ branches across the Southeast.
Product overview
Holston Gases is a regional distributor offering a comprehensive portfolio of gas and welding products through multiple service lines. The core offerings include Cylinder & Bulk Gases (industrial, medical, and specialty gases), Medical Gas (USP-grade with FDA audited production), Specialty Gases (ultra high purity, calibration standards, rare gases), Beverage CO2, Dry Ice, Industrial & Welding supplies (representing 1,000+ OEM suppliers), Propane (with extensive storage and delivery infrastructure), and Bandsaw Blades (certified weld center). The company operates 46 locations across six states, serving customers through a network of distribution centers with fill plants in Knoxville TN, Louisville KY, Decatur AL, and Spartanburg SC. All medical gas facilities are Board of Pharmacy licensed and FDA approved.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Cylinder & Bulk Gases Comprehensive industrial, medical, and specialty gas line offered in cylinder and bulk liquid formats, with container options spanning 20CF cylinders to Jumbo Tube Trailers to 13,000-gallon liquid tanks. Delivered to industrial, medical, and specialty gas customers across the Southeast.
- Medical Gas USP-grade medical gases including Oxygen, Nitrogen, Nitrous Oxide, Carbon Dioxide, Medical Air, and specialized lung diffusion and blood gas mixtures. Over 200,000 cylinders filled annually across FDA-audited, Board of Pharmacy licensed production facilities.
- Specialty Gases Specialty gas product line including Ultra High Purity, Zero-Grade, Laser gases, PPM mixes, calibration standards, EPA protocol mixtures, and rare gases. Available with nation-wide delivery and supported by gas handling equipment (regulators, manifolds, gas cabinets, flow meters, telemetry monitoring).
- Beverage CO2 Beverage-grade CO2 offered from 20 lb cylinders to 50-ton bulk tanker loads, with bulk tank design, installation, maintenance, and personalized delivery plans. Serves 2,000+ beverage customers including C-stores, restaurants, bars, breweries, distilleries, arenas, and stadiums.
- Dry Ice Dry ice products for industrial blasting and cleaning, temperature-controlled distribution, and food processing applications. Various pellet sizes and blasting rental equipment available. Operations expanded through the Tri-Cities Dry Ice acquisition in February 2025.
- Industrial & Welding Supplies Full line of industrial welding equipment, consumables, and supplies representing over 1,000 OEM suppliers including Miller, Lincoln Electric, ESAB, DeWalt, Lenox, Harris Products Group, and Cold Jet. Stocking over $8,000,000 of essential supplies across more than 40 warehouses with a computerized inventory system.
- Propane Propane products and services with over 2,000,000 gallons of storage capacity, a state-of-the-art rail terminal, and a fleet of 60+ bulk transports and bobtails. Includes turnkey installations, forklift tank exchanges, 24-hour service, and computerized forecasting for on-time deliveries.
- Bandsaw Blades Lenox-certified bandsaw weld center producing over 36,000 blades annually in widths from 1/4 inch to 2 inches for wood, metal, and other materials. Includes custom sizing, dedicated support, and UPS shipping options. Over 30 years of welding experience.
Quantifiable outcome
- Over 200,000 cylinders filled annually with USP-grade gases
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use Holston Gases
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments7 records
Ideal customer profiles6 records
Holston Gases technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature5 records
Holston Gases partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
17 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Miller (Miller Electric)coreHolston Gases is a distribution partner representing Miller Electric products in the industrial welding supplies category. Miller is a leading manufacturer of welding equipment and the relationship is a featured vendor partnership supporting Holston's full-line welding supply offering.
- Lincoln ElectriccoreHolston Gases represents Lincoln Electric as a distribution partner for welding equipment and consumables. Featured vendor displayed prominently on the company's website and in vendor listings.
- ESAB (All ESAB Brands including Arcair)coreHolston Gases is a distributor for ESAB and its family of brands including Arcair. ESAB is a major welding and cutting equipment manufacturer.
- Lenox (Lenox Tools)coreHolston Gases is a Lenox-certified weld center for bandsaw blades. Lenox is the brand behind Holston's bandsaw blade production of over 36,000 blades annually.
- Cold JetminorHolston Gases partners with Cold Jet for dry ice blasting equipment and solutions.
- DeWaltminorHolston Gases distributes DeWalt industrial and professional tools as part of its welding supply product range.
- CONCOAminorCONCOA is a featured vendor for gas handling equipment and precision gas controls. Referenced in specialty gases department alongside Purity Plus Gases.
- Harris Products GroupminorHolston Gases distributes Harris Products Group welding and cutting equipment and consumables.
- WELDCOAcoreWELDCOA's SUR-FILL IQ-S Auto Blend Cell was installed in February 2025 as part of Holston Gases' specialty gas growth investment. The equipment enables production of calibration standards from 'percent' to parts per billion levels.
- Purity Plus GasescoreHolston Gases is a Purity Plus specialty gas distributor, offering pure gases, calibration standards, and specialty gas products. Referenced in specialty gases department.
- Southern Conference (SoCon)coreHolston Gases is the presenting sponsor of the Southern Conference Baseball Championship through 2027, and title sponsor of the SoCon Baseball Players of the Week. The partnership began in 2017 and was extended through 2027. Also incorporated into volleyball and basketball tournament promotions.
- Greenville Drive (Minor League Baseball)minorPartnered with the Greenville Drive to host the SoCon Baseball Championship at Fluor Field. Holston Gases sponsorship visible at the iconic stadium in Greenville, SC.
- City of Crossville Fire DepartmentminorHolston Gases partnered with the City of Crossville Fire Dept. and State of Tennessee Fire Academy for hands-on propane firefighting training on March 23, 2026.
- State of Tennessee Fire AcademyminorHolston Gases partnered with the State of Tennessee Fire Academy for propane firefighting training alongside the Crossville Fire Department.
- GAWDA (Gases and Welding Distributors Association)coreHolston Gases is a member of GAWDA, the industry association for gases and welding distributors. Featured on the Related Links section of the website.
- NPGA (National Propane Gas Association)coreHolston Gases is a member of NPGA, the national trade association for the propane industry. Featured on the Related Links section.
- NFPA (National Fire Protection Association)minorHolston Gases maintains NFPA membership, which is relevant to propane safety standards. Featured on the Related Links section.
Scale indicators11 records
Recent moves9 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Holston Gases competitors and assessment
Company assessmentMarket position
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Holston Gases social profiles
Digital presenceHolston Gases compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance2 records
Holston Gases financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Holston Gases leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles12 records
Holston Gases subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries7 records
Holston Gases funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Holston Gases M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Holston Gases
What does Holston Gases do?
Holston Gases is a regional distributor and producer of industrial, medical, specialty, and propane gases; beverage-grade CO2; dry ice; certified bandsaw blades; and industrial welding supplies. The company fills over 200,000 gas cylinders annually across FDA-audited facilities, distributes propane through 2M+ gallons of storage and a 60+ vehicle fleet, and sells $8M+ of welding supplies sourced from 1,000+ OEM suppliers through 45+ branches across the Southeast.
Is Holston Gases a public or private company?
Holston Gases is a private company. It is classified as family owned and is currently operating.
When was Holston Gases founded?
Holston Gases was founded in 1958. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is Holston Gases based?
Holston Gases is headquartered in Knoxville, United States, in the North America region.
How does Holston Gases make money?
Seven revenue lines are on record. Industrial & Medical Gas Sales are the primary driver. The others are welding & Industrial Supplies, propane Distribution, beverage CO2, dry Ice, bandsaw Blades and specialty Gas Products.
Does Holston Gases have an API?
No public API is recorded for Holston Gases.
What industry is Holston Gases in?
Holston Gases's product category is Industrial Gas Distribution. Its primary akta.pro industry code is IMAEACAF, Medical & Healthcare Gases. Its NAICS code is 32512 and its SIC code is 2800.