Airgas

Get the latest jobs and industry news

Inflation is squeezing margins to 5–10%, and labor gaps cause constant delays. Negotiating gas prices won't fix it. There's a better way. Relying solely on commodity price cuts leaves your largest profit opportunities on the table. Most welding operations suffer from hidden friction: excessive grinding, unnecessary tip changes, and arc-on times averaging under 15%. Discover how top fabricators eliminate downtime and increase throughput by 20% to 40%, without heavy CapEx investments.

Have you calculated the operator factor on your shop floor? Efficiency surveys across more than 3,000 manufacturing facilities in North America have revealed an average operator in factor in welding operations of less than 15%. Operator factor is simply arc time divided by total available time. In practical terms, that means the average welder may spend only about 9 minutes of every hour actually welding. When we partner with manufacturers facing profitability or capacity challenges through our UHCW program at Airgas, the objective is not to make welders work harder. It is to identify and eliminate the operational waste that prevents them from welding—things like excessive spatter as shown in this picture, overwelding, unnecessary handling of cylinders, rework and extended troubleshooting time. Learn how to calculate operator factor and three practical ways manufacturers can meaningfully improve it—creating additional capacity, improving productivity and ultimately lowering the cost of welding using our Unlocking the Hidden Cost of Welding™ (UHCW) program: https://bit.ly/4rwHOiI

FABTECH 2026 is right around the corner! I’ll be at Airgas Booth S29036 discussing where the fabrication market is headed and talking about our Unlocking the Hidden Cost of Welding™ program (UHCW). While most cost-cutting focuses on gas or wire prices (which only account for 1–2% of total expenses), our UHCW framework uses a data-driven approach to identify and eliminate hidden operational waste between inputs and outputs. The result? Increasing throughput by 20%–40% without adding headcount or buying new equipment. I’d love to connect in person while in Vegas. Can't make it this year? Feel free to connect and send me a message. I'll be glad to share how the UHCW program can help benchmark your facility.

2x the volume. Same headcount. Reduced production costs. That’s what happened when CSI Industries partnered with Airgas to optimize their welding processes and incorporate automated welding. Beyond doubling output, they cut gas usage on a core process from 3 bottles down to 1, boosting margins and quality at the same time. If you're looking to unlock hidden capacity in your facility, it starts with an expert operational assessment. Discover how a data-driven approach to welding efficiency helped double daily output and eliminate hidden waste with zero added CapEx. Read the full CSI Industries case study and learn more about our Unlocking the Hidden Cost of Welding™ (UHCW) program here: https://bit.ly/4rLHNb8