Under the new rule, all medical examiners who conduct physical examinations for interstate commercial motor vehicle drivers meet the following criteria:

• Complete certain training concerning FMCSA’s physical qualification standards;
• Pass a test to verify an understanding of those standards; and
• Maintain and demonstrate competence through periodic training and testing.

After May 21, 2014, a motor carrier may not use a CMV driver unless the driver has a medical certificate issued by an ME on the National Registry of Certified Medical Examiners.

Until now, there was no required training program for the medical professionals who conduct driver physical examinations, although the regulations required medical examiners to be “knowledgeable” about the regulations. Any medical professional licensed by his or her state to conduct physical examinations could conduct driver medical certification exams; no specific knowledge of the FMCSA’s physical qualification standards was required or verified by testing.

Employers will continue to have the option to require their drivers to be examined by an ME selected and/or compensated by the employer. The new rule adds a requirement that the employer must verify that the driver was issued a medical certificate by an ME on the National Registry and place a note to that effect in the driver qualification file. But there is no ongoing obligation for the employer to ensure that an ME who has issued a medical certificate for a driver has not later been involuntarily removed from the National Registry.

The FMCSA has also published a list of FAQs regarding the NRCME requirements. 

President’s Reception

Click on the thumbnails below to view larger images

The silent auction of items donated by GAWDA member companies raised more than $18,850 for GAWDA Gives Back. View the complete list of donated items below:

ABICOR Binzel – “Date Night Package,” including movies, snacks and a 7-night hotel stay.
Air Products – Apple iPad, white 32 GB with custom Air Products case
ArcOne – iDF™ Red Rock Welding Helmet
Eleet Cryogenics – Fully rehabbed cryogenic tank
Gas Innovations – 3 Wendell August Forge serving pieces
ITW – Apple iPad, Amazon Kindle
Lenox Tools – Tool bag with tools
MetalMan Work Gear Company – MetalMan DWC1 Welding Cabinet
Titan CO₂ – 6-ton fully rehabbed CO₂ tank

A-L Compressed Gases Expands
Spokane, WA — A-L Compressed Gases opened a new branch location in Union Gap, WA. The new location allows the company to better serve customers in the Yakima, WA, area and extends A-L Compressed Gases’ service area north to Ellensburg. The 3,000 sq. ft. location houses a showroom with a complete offering of welding, industrial and safety supplies and industrial gases. “We had been servicing customers around Yakima and Union Gap from our Tri-Cities location 70 miles away in Pasco. The new location allows us to serve those customers better and take advantage of walk-in trade in the area,” says Operations Manager Brady Bush.
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Scott-Gross Acquires Sparkling Carbonic
Winchester, KY — Scott-Gross Company acquired the gas and cylinder distribution assets of Sparkling Carbonic of Cincinnati, OH. The acquired business services industrial gas and beverage grade carbon dioxide accounts throughout the greater Cincinnati, OH, and Northern Kentucky regions. “We value the contributions owners Dave and Paul Kleier have made growing the Sparkling Carbonic business since 1976, and know they embody the same level of commitment to customer service and excellence that has made Scott-Gross successful,” says Scott-Gross President George Golliday.
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Airgas Announces Leadership Transition
Radnor, PA — Airgas, Inc. announced that, effective immediately following the Company’s 2012 Annual Meeting of Stockholders scheduled to be held in mid-August, Airgas Founder Peter McCausland will assume the role of Executive Chairman of the Board of Directors, and current Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Michael L. Molinini will succeed him as President and Chief Executive Officer. View the full story here.
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Cyl-Tec Adds Project Manager
Aurora, IL — Cyl-Tec, Inc. appointed James Herron to the newly created management position of project manager. Herron joins Cyl-Tec with six years of experience in plant management and operations, bulk cryogenic distribution, gas cylinder re-qualification and technical sales. Prior to joining Cyl-Tec, Herron served as the plant and bulk cryogenic operations manager at a distributorship. “James brings enthusiasm and a diverse skill set and will be a great addition to our growing team here,” says Tom Bennett, vice-president and general manager of Cyl-Tec.
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Gas and Supply Boosts Efficiencies in Birmingham
Baton Rouge, LA — A new showroom, warehouse and fully automated fill plant are boosting efficiencies at Gas and Supply’s Birmingham, AL, location. The 52,000 sq. ft. location offers improved access and exposure for customers, and greater ability to stock inventory with 30,000 sq. ft. of warehouse space. Gravimetric filling provides accuracy on automated filling of industrial and specialty mixes of oxygen, nitrogen, argon, carbon dioxide, helium. “The automated fill plant allows us to fill the maximum number of cylinders with a reduction in labor.  Two people are now filling between 400 and 500 cylinders a day,” says Larry Stokes, general manager for Gas and Supply’s Birmingham and Tuscaloosa locations.
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Gas and Supply’s Birmingham showroom and automated fill plant

Retro Systems Appoints Regional Sales Manager
Valley Center, KS — Retro Systems appointed Kenny Tucker as regional sales manager. Tucker previously sold equipment to land-based oil and gas rig operators and OEM manufacturers across the U.S. and Canada. He will manage sales and distribution of Retro Systems products in Kansas, Oklahoma, Missouri, Arkansas and Colorado.
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Open house: West Penn Laco President Howard MacKay (second left) is joined by (left to right) Bug-O’s Norm Sted, Peter Verkaik of MT International and Dave Bloom, Bug-O.

Bug-O, Lincoln Hold Open House
Canonsburg, PA — Bug-O Systems and Lincoln Electric hosted an open house at Weld Tooling Corporation’s “Bug-O University” training facility on April 19. The open house featured live welding demonstrations including pipe welding and cutting systems, portable weld prep machine tools and equipment for hardfacing pipes and plates.
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Norris Cylinder Partners with Melo’s
Longview, TX — Norris Cylinder Company opened a West Coast Quick Ship Inventory of U.S.-manufactured DOT/TC small and intermediate high pressure and acetylene cylinders. It is located at Melo’s Gas and Gear in Bakersfield, CA. The cylinders are ready for immediate shipment, painted, CGA valve and installed plain neck ring; when applicable. High pressure compressed gas cylinders and acetylene cylinders are manufactured in strict compliance to DOT/TC or ISO/UN specification in Longview, TX or Huntsville, AL.
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Gas and Air Systems Boosts CNG Infrastructure
Hellertown, PA — Evergreen CNG Systems, a division of Gas and Air Systems, successfully completed the installation of two containerized, fully automatic CNG compressor packages for Go Natural Gas. The new CNG refueling station in Moreno Valley, CA, will facilitate the delivery and sale of compressed natural gas for fleet vehicles in the Southern California market. The compressor system was designed and packaged by Gas and Air Systems. “We are pleased to have been selected to provide this critical portion of the new state-of-the-art refueling station,” says Bob O’Brien, vice president of Gas and Air Systems.
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Air Liquide Employee Joins White House Forum
Victoria Rockwell was selected to take part in a recent White House Forum on Women and the Economy. In the April 23rd issue of the GAWDA Connection, Rockwell’s company was mistakenly identified. She is the director of investment and development at Air Liquide.

“I’ve never been at a GAWDA meeting where I didn’t walk away with valuable information. Economist Andy Bauer reminded me that unemployment in my area is much slimmer than some other areas. I learned that I should start looking for people outside of my region.” Guy Marlin, President, Lampton Welding Supply (Wichita, KS)

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“We have employees who have worked in a lot of different settings and have a lot of different experiences. I like Karl Meinhardt’s suggestion of setting up an internal social network to tap into those experiences. I go to different stores to do training, and having a way to share information would make it much more efficient.” Erich Haun, Branch Manager, Haun Welding Supply (Syracuse, NY)

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“This was my first SMC.  I’m new to the industry, and I learned a lot from the many conversations I had with attendees. One little tip can save thousands of dollars. I found people optimistic about the future, and there’s joy in the room because of that.” Mark Naglee, Northeast Regional Sales Representative, Kaplan Industries

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“As a family business, we pride ourselves in personal relationships. We need to embrace Social Media in order to maintain that image in a way that is relevant. We also need to look at how we can use mobile technology in the field to eliminate extra steps that tie up inside representatives and create opportunities for errors.” Jay Brant, Southern Territories Manager, Indiana Oxygen (Indianapolis, IN)

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“Watching my daughter grow in experience over the course of a few days, meeting industry leaders and other young people, was great. The SMC is always about people and networking and learning. Plus, it’s great to have GAWDA friends in my hometown.” Jim Earlbeck, SMC Planning Committee member and President, Earlbeck Gases & Technologies (Baltimore, MD) Allii Earlbeck, Webmaster, Earlbeck Gases & Technologies

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“Our company uses multiple internal systems. To have everyone on the same system would go a long way toward improving internal communications, whether it’s through Social Media or the technologies discussed by the panel.” Josh Haun, Credit Manager, Haun Welding Supply (Syracuse, NY)

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“As a supplier, the Contact Booth Program provides a complete cross-section of distribution. It allows me to see a lot of the distributors that I don’t have the opportunity to see throughout the year.” Jim Appledorn, U.S. Distributor Sales Manager, Lincoln Electric

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“I connected with Juan Williams’ point about leadership. We have young people in our company who are trying to work their way up. I need to provide that leadership and direction to help them grow within the organization.” Doug Nyhuis, Vice President, Purity Cylinder Gases (Grand Rapids, MI)

Political Analyst Juan Williams addresses GAWDA members during the opening business session.

A total of 566 distributors and suppliers met in Baltimore, MD, for GAWDA’s 2012 Spring Management Conference. The opening First Timers’ and President’s receptions were abuzz with optimism—and at full capacity with the largest turnout in several years, a sign that business is picking up for members across the country.

Monday’s Opening Business Session was headlined by Political Analyst Juan Williams. “I want to speak with you as American leaders,” Williams said, challenging GAWDA members to be proactive as leaders, helping to create change rather than reacting to change. Williams gave a run-down of the upcoming elections, anticipating a close race in the presidential elections.

Economist Andy Bauer of the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond spoke on the current state of economic recovery, looking at trends in unemployment, manufacturing and construction. While manufacturing is approaching pre-recession levels, the construction sector remains depressed, having lost some two million jobs in the recession.

Members reconvened during the afternoon for the Contact Booth Program, getting an up-close look at the latest industry technologies. Distributors were eager to see new products and services from the 117 exhibitors at the show. Members carried the energy of the Contact Booth Program through the evening as the Wines of the World reception offered a more casual atmosphere for networking.

The technology panel addressed members' questions about Social Media and other technologies.

Tuesday’s business session opened with a look at Social Media in business from Karl Meinhardt. Said Meinhardt, “The web, email and mobile are converging, and your customer is sitting in the middle.” He described Social Media as a paradigm shift in the way people communicated, one that requires full attention.

Members of GAWDA’s Management Information Committee followed Meinhardt as part of a panel discussion on industry technology. Committee Chair Chris Dominiak led the panel in a discussion of The Cloud, mobile devices and IT implementation. Panel members stressed the importance of buy-in for new technologies at the executive level to promote successful change management.

Throughout the conference, attendees took full advantage of the SMC’s networking opportunities by taking to the Web with Social Media. Members reacted to speakers and events and tuned into live updates on Twitter. Look back the conversation on Twitter here.

View photos from Baltimore

PEAK Parent Center provides assistance to families of children with disabilities, educators and others who work with them. PEAK’s mission is to provide training, information and technical assistance to equip families with strategies to advocate for their children. Each year, PEAK directly reaches over 35,000 families, educators and individuals with disabilities across Colorado and beyond.

Partners in Housing provides homeless families with children the hope and opportunity to achieve self sufficiency through supportive services and transitional housing. The organization’s Self-Sufficiency Program provides homeless families with up to two years of housing, during which time they receive case management, life skills training and budget counseling to help make the transition from crisis to stability to prosperity.

To date, GAWDA members have donated more than $1.2 million to deserving charities in Annual Convention host cities through GAWDA Gives Back. See how those organizations put GAWDA’s donations to use to change lives in “How GAWDA Gave Back.”

In connection with this leadership transition, the Airgas Board of Directors has unanimously elected Molinini to serve as a director of the Company, effective immediately, expanding the Board to eleven directors. Molinini will stand for re-election to the Board at the Company’s 2012 Annual Meeting. In his expanded role, Molinini will continue to lead the Company’s operations and information technology initiatives, while also assuming responsibility for finance and human resources. McCausland will continue to lead the development of Airgas’ growth strategies. In addition, McCausland will continue to serve as Chairman of the Company’s Management Committee and will retain responsibility for corporate development, risk management and governance.

“Mike and I have worked together for 15 years; he is a proven leader with an outstanding record of accomplishment both here at Airgas and in his previous roles,” said McCausland. “I am confident that Mike is the right person to serve as Airgas’ next CEO and that he will continue to build on our 30-year track record of operational excellence and shareholder value creation. Mike and I, together with our CFO Bob McLaughlin, will continue to be actively engaged with our shareholders and the rest of the investment community. As Airgas’ founder and largest shareholder, I am committed to making sure that this plan is successful, and I am looking forward to working with Mike and the entire management team in the years ahead. As I always say, the best time at Airgas is now.”

“This leadership transition is a natural result of the Board’s long-time focus on developing a deep management team and represents the next step in the evolution of Airgas,” said Lee Thomas, Chairman of the Airgas Board’s Governance and Compensation Committee. “The company’s current momentum provides an opportune time for Mike to take on increased responsibility, allowing Peter to focus his expertise, industry experience, and considerable energy on the areas of the business about which he is most passionate – strategic planning, mergers and acquisitions, and corporate governance.”

“I am honored and energized by the confidence that Peter and the rest of the Board have in me, and I look forward to enhancing Airgas’ position as one of the premier industrial gas companies in the world,” said Molinini. “Peter and I have worked successfully together for many years and I am pleased that he will stay actively involved in Airgas, continuing to contribute the vision and leadership that have helped make the company what it is today. I plan to continue his tradition of strong, active leadership and nurturing Airgas’ entrepreneurial culture in pursuit of the tremendous opportunities ahead for Airgas. Our more than 15,000 associates are the best in the business, and together we will continue to focus on serving our one million loyal customers, operating safely, and growing the business for years to come.”

Peter McCausland is Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Airgas. McCausland founded Airgas in 1982, has been President and Chief Executive Officer since 1987, previously served as Chairman of the Board from 1987 to September 2010, and was elected Chairman again in August 2011. Before founding Airgas, McCausland served as General Counsel for MG Industries, Inc., an industrial gas producer. He also was a founding partner in the law firm of McCausland Keen & Buckman, where he focused on mergers, acquisitions, and financings. McCausland serves as a director of the Fox Chase Cancer Center, the Independence Seaport Museum, and the Philadelphia Orchestra Association. He also serves on the Board of Visitors of the College of Arts and Sciences, University of South Carolina, and on the Board of Visitors at the Boston University School of Law.

Michael L. Molinini is Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of Airgas and is a member of the Management Committee. Prior to assuming this position in January 2005, he was Senior Vice President – Hardgoods, with company-wide responsibility for directing sales and marketing, procurement, and distribution center logistics. Molinini joined Airgas in April 1997 as Group Vice President of Airgas Direct Industrial and led the build out of Airgas’ hardgoods supply chain, including development of the Radnor private label program. Prior to joining Airgas, Molinini served as Vice President – Marketing at National Welders Supply Company, an Airgas joint venture, where he managed all gases and hardgoods sales and marketing programs. Molinini joined National Welders after spending 19 years with the Linde Division of Union Carbide Corporation in a variety of operations, sales and management positions.

The Company will discuss this executive leadership transition during its fiscal 2012 fourth quarter earnings conference call scheduled for today, May 3, 2012 at 10:00 am ET. A webcast of the teleconference will be available live and on demand through June 1 at http://investor.shareholder.com/arg/events.cfm. The teleconference will be available by calling 888-587-0615. A replay of the teleconference will be available through May 11. To listen, call 888-203-1112 and enter passcode 9254540.

On April 24, the Bureau of Land Management announced a nearly 11 percent jump in the price of crude helium. The BLM set the open market price for 2013 at $84.00 per thousand cubic feet (Mcf), up from $75.75 per Mcf. By comparison, the price for 2012 saw only a 75 cent per Mcf increase after jumping $10.25/Mcf the previous year.

“Getting a fair price for Federal crude helium is our obligation, and this year’s new pricing represents our commitment to that goal,” says Amarillo Field Manager Leslie Theiss.

The Helium Privatization Act of 1996 established a timetable for selling off the Federal Helium Reserve by 2015. As Richardson argues, the mandate to sell off helium means the price is dictated not by supply and demand but by the need for the government to recoup the money spent in establishing the helium reserve. “As a result of that Act, helium is far too cheap and is not treated as a precious resource,” Richardson told The Independent.

According to the BLM, the more recent pricing methodology is in response to recommendations from the 2010 National Academy of Sciences (NAS) report, Selling the Nation’s Helium Reserve. Until 2010, the BLM had been charging the minimum price established by the Helium Privatization Act, representing the cost of the helium rather than its true market value. The report suggests that selling crude helium at higher prices could facilitate “more rapid retirement of BLM facilities debt to the US Treasury—a central goal of the 1996 Act.”

In Selling Off The Nation’s Helium Reserve, NAS projected a 2.6 percent increase in the price of crude helium every year through 2015. This would place the 2013 price right around $69.93/Mcf, and the price in 2015 at $73.62/Mcf. Instead, the increase since 2010 has averaged 6.4 percent per year. At this rate, the 2015 open market price of crude helium would be in excess of $95/Mcf.

Despite the fact that Richardson has been quoted as saying a party balloon should cost $100, he has testified before congress saying that “price shocks” can be damaging for users of helium. “For many scientists, losing access to helium, even temporarily, can have long-term negative repercussions for their research,” he says.

While some users may be able to find alternatives to helium—such as argon, in welding—other applications simply have no substitute. In Fiscal Year 2011, privately owned companies purchased more than 2 billion cubic feet of helium from the BLM, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. In domestic consumption, it is estimated that 32 percent of helium was used for cryogenic applications. The USGS notes that there is no substitute for helium in cryogenic applications where temperatures below -429 °F are required.

As prices continue to climb, helium users will look to distributors for answers. How are you responding to helium price increases and continued supply challenges?