Three Acquisitions in 2021 Give Central McGowan a Stronghold in Iowa, the Minneapolis Metro Area, and Southern Minnesota

The New Businesses Complement the Company's Existing Capabilities While Improving Its Ability to Serve and Satisfy an Expanding and Diversified Customer Base

News provided by

Central McGowan

Nov 01, 2021, 13:52 ET

ST. CLOUD, Minn., Nov. 1, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Central McGowan (www.CentralMcGowan.com), a leading supplier of gases and state-of-the-art equipment/technology for the manufacturing, welding, medical, and food and beverage industries in the upper Midwest and a FANUC- and Lincoln-authorized integrator, announced it has completed the acquisition of Preferred Welder Sales in Mankato, Minn.—bringing its acquisition roster for 2021 to three. The company acquired Metro Welding Supply in Minneapolis, Minn. in April and Fessler Carbonic Gas in Des Moines, Iowa in March.

According to Joe Francis, President/CEO, these acquisitions complement Central McGowan's current business while strengthening its presence in key market areas. All three of these companies were independently operated, highly successful businesses with owners seeking to retire and wanting a way to continue what they each started. "We are fortunate to be able to carry on their legacies," Francis said, "and to learn from their respective teams as to what made them successful and leverage that across our company."

Next year, Central McGowan will celebrate 75 years in business. This acquisition pace may seem out of character for a more established, traditional company like Central McGowan. However, Francis believes it's right in line. "I've always likened Central McGowan to be more of a startup—agile and opportunistic, with a growth-driven and entrepreneurial mindset," Francis said. "The key is having the right people, tools, technology and talent to seek out and identify opportunities, then effectively integrate and optimize operations at the same time."

The latest acquisition, Preferred Welder Sales, is located at 20177 State Highway 66, Mankato, Minn., 56001. It has served the Mankato area and southern Minnesota since 1987, specializing in the farm and auto industries as well as servicing and repairing most brands of welding and cutting equipment. The business includes a traveling trailer and roadshow that goes cross country, selling equipment at farm shows, trade shows, and county and state fairs.

Founded in 1940, Fessler Carbonic Gas is a beverage carbonation business located at 2012 East Ovid Avenue, Des Moines, Iowa, 50313. Its customers span all of Iowa, with offerings similar to Central McGowan's beverage carbonation businesses in St. Cloud and St. Paul, Minn. It delivers high-pressure cylinders of carbonic and nitrogen gases and beverage gas equipment; does on-site refills of CO2 via bulk tankers; and installs and maintains beverage equipment for restaurants, bars, brew pubs, convenience stores, pools, stadiums, casinos, microbreweries and hospitals. The acquisition more than doubled Central McGowan's beverage carbonation business, and built upon the 2019 acquisition of its St. Paul, Minn.-based beverage carbonation location (formerly Jasons Beverage Carbonation).

Metro Welding Supply located at 3021 Central Ave NE, Minneapolis, Minn., 55418, is a bustling welding distribution store that has served the Minneapolis area with excellence and affordable supplies since 1985. Like Central McGowan, it built its reputation on delivering the highest quality of products for welders and unbeatable customer service.

Combined, these acquisitions have grown Central McGowan's footprint and customer base, and expanded its employee roster to over 130. According to Francis, the company's intent is to preserve what made each business successful, focusing especially on the people and processes while integrating operations to improve efficiency and customer supply and service.

"In all cases, we've been able to keep former owners on board for a period of time to help with the transition, which is imperative," Francis explained. "This gives us immediate insight and expertise about each business' respective customers, so we can ensure we live up to their expectations—all the while making sure we're maintaining our support and service levels for our existing customers."

You can find Central McGowan's location and contact information online on the Where to Find Us Page on the company's website at: https://centralmcgowan.com/sales/where-to-find-us/#.

About Central McGowan
Central McGowan is a third-generation, family-owned, diversified company founded in 1965 with the merger of McGowan Welding Supply of Little Falls , Minn., (founded in 1947) and Central Welding Supply of St. Cloud, Minn. Its dynamic business model includes three integrated businesses: a FANUC- & Lincoln Electric Automation-authorized integration division; a leading industrial, welding and medical gas & supply business; and a CO2 Solutions division that supplies beverage carbonation, industrial CO2 and dry ice solutions. Serving 20+ industries with customers spanning most of Minnesota and Iowa, and areas of North Dakota, South Dakota & Wisconsin; and automation implementations across the U.S. and internationally, it has fully stocked retail stores in St. Cloud, Little Falls, Mankato (Preferred Welder Sales), and Minneapolis (Metro Welding Supply), Minn. and Fargo, N.D.; more than 70 Minnesota dealers; and CO2 distribution locations in St. Cloud and St. Paul, Minn. and Des Moines, Iowa (Fessler Carbonic Gas). It believes quality and integrity are the keys to success, as is always putting customers first. Its promise of "WE WORK FOR YOU," means it strives to make life work better for its customers. Find the company online at WWW.CENTRALMCGOWAN.COM, on Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.