Indianapolis, IN – April 2, 2026 – IWDC Members' spend through the cooperative set a new all-time record in 2025, breaking through $400 million.
"We are proud to have set a new milestone, and we are looking forward to raising the bar again in 2026," stated Frank Kasnick, President & CEO. "This is a testament to the strength and resilience of the independents in our welding & gas industry and reflects the strong support from our Vendor partners."
In addition to celebrating a new record, we are recognizing highlights across several areas:
- Growth in Member locations was fueled by new Member additions, existing Members' acquisitions, and scratch starts, totaling 40 net locations for our co-op.
- Additional Direct spend, not invoiced through the co-op, of ~$150 million, bringing the combined group spend over $550 million.
- Significant traction with our EDI platform, bringing purchase order and invoice flow efficiency across over two dozen Vendor Partners and Members, with more future participants in queue.
- Record year in Net Income distributed to Membership.
- Adding three more Affiliate Members, bringing our total to seven who participate in our marketing and purchasing programs.
- Increasing Member participation in our PurityPlus® specialty gases program to 35 PurityPlus producers across North America.
- May 2026 launch of our comprehensive Full-Line Distribution Center Catalog, highlighting our extensive Weldmark® product line and over 20 leading OEM partners.
"IWDC is experiencing double-digit sales growth through March year-to-date, and we look forward to teaming up with our Vendor Partners at our Louisville, KY May 31–June 2, 2026 Sales & Purchasing Convention to keep the momentum going," reported Chris Stout, IWDC Vice President & General Manager. This year's theme is “FORGING THE FUTURE OF WELDING & GAS."
"A key highlight will be the introduction of this year’s charity partner, Forged By Valor. Forged By Valor is a Veteran-founded organization that trains fellow service members in the welding trades, to help in their transition from service to our country into the private sector," commented Chris.
At Forged by Valor, we equip Veterans and individuals seeking career transitions with the technical skills and industry knowledge needed to thrive in the rewarding field of welding and fabrication. Our comprehensive program provides a strong foundation in various welding processes, blueprint reading, fabrication techniques, and essential industry knowledge. You can learn more about Forged By Valor at www.forgedbyvalor.com.
The IWDC is a cooperative formed in 1994 that leverages the strengths of its independent welding distributor Members across North America. IWDC Member companies collectively represent over $4.2B in sales, serving a wide range of industries. The common denominator is that these industries look to them for industrial, specialty, and medical gases as well as related equipment, welding hardgoods, and consumables. End-use customers served by IWDC Members benefit from having the unparalleled expertise of a local Member distributor who has access to national-scale purchasing and marketing programs. You can learn more about IWDC at www.iwdc.coop.
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