A&B Welding Supply Company

What A&B Welding Supply Company does

A&B Welding Supply Company, Inc. is a privately held, locally-owned full-line welding distributor founded in 1959 and headquartered at 914 East Chicago Street, Rapid City, South Dakota. The company serves industrial/manufacturing, medical/healthcare, food & beverage, agricultural, research/education, and individual hobbyist customers across the Black Hills and Western South Dakota with a combined portfolio of industrial, medical, and specialty gases (oxygen, acetylene, argon, helium, nitrogen, carbon dioxide, propane, nitrous oxide, laser gases, protocol gases), welding machines (stick, MIG, TIG, plasma cutters, engine-driven generators), hardgoods (filler metal, PPE, bandsaw blades, abrasives, oxy-fuel equipment, hand/power tools), liquid nitrogen, and welder repair and calibration services for Miller, Lincoln Electric, Hypertherm, and Hobart equipment.

The company's operations are built around three distinct technical and logistical capabilities. First, it operates on-site dry ice manufacturing producing rice, pellet, and 5-lb block SKUs in 100-lb, 500-lb, and 1500-lb tubs for immediate regional distribution. Second, it bundles in-house welder repair (routine maintenance, calibration, liner/tip replacement, in-depth repair) directly with the machines it sells, an arrangement that requires certified technician coverage but is uncommon among small regional welding distributors. Third, it maintains a fleet of over 10 CDL drivers operating specially equipped delivery trucks that support gas cylinder logistics, hardgoods transport, and dry ice cold-chain delivery throughout Western South Dakota. There is no e-commerce platform, no mobile application, and no public API; ordering is conducted in-store (M-F 7-5), via phone, or through driver-delivered direct sales.

Revenue is generated through three primary streams: one-time equipment and hardgoods sales (stick/MIG/TIG machines, plasma cutters, Scotchman iron workers, Jet bandsaws, air purifiers, hand/power tools), usage-based industrial/medical/specialty gas fills with cylinder rental/lease (cylinders remain A&B property; daily or monthly rental, plus 1.50% monthly interest on past-due accounts with a $3.00 minimum finance charge and a restocking/handling charge on returns), and professional repair service fees. Go-to-market is sales-led and relationship-driven, with no formal digital marketing beyond an organic Facebook presence; the stated differentiation rests on staff technical expertise, the bundled sell-and-service offering, and rapid regional delivery rather than on technology or pricing innovation. The ownership structure is closely held with no disclosed parent company, private equity backing, or institutional investor; corporate jurisdiction is South Dakota and governing law is applied in Pennington County.

Name

A&B Welding Supply Company

Legal name

A&B Welding Supply Company, Inc.

Website

https://abweld.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1959

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

A&B Welding Supply Company is a privately held, full-line welding distributor founded in 1959 in Rapid City, SD, serving industrial, medical, agricultural, food/beverage, research, and hobbyist customers across Western South Dakota with gases, welding equipment, on-site manufactured dry ice, hardgoods, and welder repair services.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Industrial Gas and Welding Supply Distribution

NAICS

Welding and Soldering Equipment Manufacturing (333992)

SIC

Wholesale-Machinery, Equipment & Supplies (5080), Wholesale-Industrial Machinery & Equipment (5084)

akta.pro primary industry

Welding, Joining & Soldering Equipment (Arc, Resistance, Friction, Brazing) (IMAHADAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Welding & Plasma Power Supplies (Industrial welders, cutting power sources) (IMAGADAI), Welding & Cutting Gases (IMAEACAH), Welding, Fabrication & Field Machining Services (On-site) (IMAIACAD)

Keywords

• Welding supplies distribution
• Industrial gas supply
• Medical gas supply
• Welding equipment sales
• Dry ice manufacturing

Headquarters

HQ city

Rapid City

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Industrial, Medical & Specialty Gases: Sale and fill of industrial, medical, and specialty gases including oxygen, acetylene, argon, helium, nitrogen, carbon dioxide, propane, nitrous oxide, laser gases, and protocol gases. Cylinders are owned by A&B and leased/rented to customers with rental charges.
2. Welding Equipment & Machines: Sale of welding machines including stick, MIG, TIG, plasma cutters, and engine-driven generators. The company also stocks Scotchman iron workers, Jet bandsaws, air purifiers, and hand/power tools.
3. Dry Ice & Liquid Nitrogen: On-site manufactured dry ice sold in rice, pellet, and block forms. Liquid nitrogen sold in customer containers or in 20-liter and 34-liter dewars for purchase.
4. Hardgoods & Consumables: Sale of welding consumables, industrial tools, hardgoods, filler metal, safety equipment (PPE), precision measuring tools, bandsaw blades, abrasives, and oxy-fuel equipment. Delivery available via specialized delivery trucks.
5. Welder Repair & Maintenance: Service and repair of welding machines including routine maintenance, calibration, and in-depth repairs. Service covers Miller, Lincoln Electric, Hypertherm, and Hobart brands.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels2 records

Core offering

A&B Welding Supply Company is a full-line welding distributor based in Rapid City, South Dakota, selling industrial, medical, and specialty gases; welding and fabrication equipment; on-site manufactured dry ice and liquid nitrogen; industrial hardgoods and consumables; and in-house welder repair services. The company has served the Black Hills and Western South Dakota market continuously since 1959.

Product overview

A&B Welding Supply Company is a full-line welding distributor offering a unified portfolio of gases, equipment, hardgoods, and repair services. The core product line consists of Cylinder Gas (industrial, medical, and specialty gases), Dry Ice and Liquid Nitrogen (manufactured on-site), Welding Equipment (machines and fabrication tools), Hardgoods (industrial tools, consumables, and safety equipment), and Welder Repair Services (maintenance and calibration). These products and services are designed to work together to keep customers productive in welding applications, with the company servicing and repairing the machines it sells.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Cylinder Gas (Industrial, Medical and Specialty Gases)

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Lincoln ElectriccoreTechnology or IntegrationLincoln Electric products are sold at A&B Welding Supply, including welding machines. The brand is featured on the equipment page as a key brand partner and also listed on the hardgoods page as a product partner. A&B provides sales and service for Lincoln Electric welding equipment.
• Miller ElectriccoreTechnology or IntegrationMiller Electric (Miller Welds) products are sold and serviced by A&B Welding Supply. Miller logo appears on the hardgoods page partner section and the welder repair page lists Miller as a brand they service.
• HyperthermcoreTechnology or IntegrationHypertherm plasma cutting systems are sold and serviced at A&B Welding Supply. Featured on both the hardgoods page (brand partner logo) and the welder repair page (brands serviced).
• HobartcoreTechnology or IntegrationHobart welding products are sold and serviced at A&B Welding Supply. Hobart appears on the hardgoods page partner section and the welder repair page lists Hobart as a brand they service.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Airgas (Air Liquide): Airgas, now part of Air Liquide, is the largest U.S. distributor of industrial, medical, and specialty gases plus welding supplies and equipment. As a national incumbent with full-line welding distributor operations, it competes directly with A&B for industrial and medical gas accounts across the same product categories.
• Linde (formerly Praxair): Linde supplies industrial, medical, and specialty gases nationally, with welding supply and equipment distribution serving similar manufacturing, fabrication, and healthcare customers. Comparable because it operates in the same cylinder gas, welding equipment, and hardgoods categories as A&B at much larger scale.
• Matheson Tri-Gas: Matheson is a national industrial and specialty gas supplier with welding supply operations. Overlaps with A&B on cylinder gas, welding equipment, and consumables distribution to industrial and research customers.

Direct peers

• Norco: Norco is a privately-held regional industrial gas and welding supply distributor with multiple branch locations serving the Western U.S. Closely comparable to A&B as a full-line welding distributor selling gases, welding equipment, hardgoods, and offering repair services to industrial and medical customers.
• Holston Gases: Holston Gases is a regional industrial gas and welding supply distributor operating across multiple states. Like A&B, it combines cylinder gas supply, welding equipment distribution, and consumables for industrial customers.
• Indiana Oxygen: Indiana Oxygen is a regional industrial gas and welding supply distributor serving the Midwest. Comparable to A&B as a multi-generation, privately held welding distributor combining cylinder gas, equipment, hardgoods, and repair services.
• Roberts Oxygen: Roberts Oxygen is a regional distributor of industrial, medical, and specialty gases with welding supply offerings in the Mid-Atlantic and Eastern U.S. Highly comparable to A&B as a mid-sized, regionally focused gas-and-welding distributor.
• Welder's Supply (various regional operators): Independent regional welding supply distributors under the Welder's Supply banner serve local markets with industrial gases, welding machines, and consumables—a direct small-business analog to A&B's regional full-line distributor model.

Others

• Grainger: Grainger is a broad-line industrial MRO distributor that stocks welding consumables, PPE, and selected welding equipment. It competes with A&B's hardgoods and consumables business among industrial customers in Western South Dakota via catalog and e-commerce.

Emerging players

• Red-D-Arc (Air Liquide subsidiary): Red-D-Arc rents welding and positioning equipment nationally as an Air Liquide subsidiary. Comparable to A&B's equipment and service offering where customers need welding machine access, though Red-D-Arc focuses on rental rather than sales.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/profile.php
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/a-b-welding-supply-company-inc

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 A&B Welding Supply Company