Radnor, Pennsylvania-based Airgas announced July 11 that it has installed two news strategically-located argon storage nodes in a measure to strengthen the company’s argon supply chain for its customers.

The distributor of industrial, medical and specialty gases, safety and welding products said those facility additions — located in Moraine, Ohio and Guilderland, New York — will support its customers that use argon in automotive and aeronautical, electronic, manufacturing and metal fabrication applications.

Airgas — which is owned by France-based Air Liquide — said the argon nodes were completed in late 2022/early 2023 and store enough argon to fill around 40 tanker trucks each. The company will add a third argon node that will be operational by the end of 2023, though Airgas didn’t note its location.

Airgas detailed that these new storage nodes provide greater flexibility in argon distribution by moving more Airgas product inventory closer to its customers and were added in response to recent rail transportation delays and logistics challenges.

“Our investment in these argon storage nodes will provide additional resilience in our supply chain as we strive to provide world-class experience and reliability to our customers,” Airgas CEO Marcelo Fioranelli commented in a news release.

Airgas ranked No. 5 on MDM’s 2023 Top Industrial Distributors List, and was on our unranked Gases & Welding Distributors List.

“Airgas continues to take action as a company to minimize supply chain disruption effects, safely enhance essential operations and meet customer needs throughout the country,” the company added.