Meritus Gas Partners has expanded its Colorado footprint with the acquisition of HICO Distributing of Colorado — a helium and balloon supplies distributor based in Englewood, CO.

The deal was completed through Meritus’ wholly owned subsidiary Buckeye Welding Supply and was effective July 1. Terms were not disclosed.

Founded in 1993 by Wyatt and Vanessa Wilkinson, HICO provides helium solutions across Colorado. The acquisition gives Buckeye a fourth Colorado location and expands its helium capabilities in the Denver metro area.

“HICO is the perfect first acquisition for Buckeye and Meritus in Colorado,” Meritus Vice President of Mergers & Acquisitions Steve Byers said in the company’s July 1 announcement. “We are intent on building out our Buckeye platform in Colorado and reaching all of the state’s rich markets.”

Meritus said HICO’s location and market focus complement Buckeye’s presence across the state. Buckeye, headquartered in Greeley, CO, joined the Meritus platform in August 2025 alongside Stanton, CA-based Cameron Welding Supply. Buckeye operates three Colorado locations and serves the Denver metro area, Colorado Front Range and Mountains, Eastern Colorado, Western Kansas and Western Nebraska.

Meritus — a platform of independent distributors of industrial, medical and specialty gases, as well as welding and safety supplies — was founded in 2020 and is a portfolio company of AEA Investors Small Business Private Equity.

The HICO deal is the second acquisition Meritus has announced in 2026. In March, the company acquired the assets of Greens Welding Supply — a Dallas-Fort Worth distributor of industrial gases and welding supplies, through its Meritus Texas subsidiary. That deal expanded Meritus’ North Texas footprint and added locations in Fort Worth and Dallas.