The Gases and Welding Distributors Association (GAWDA) commenced its 2016 Annual Convention at the Grand Wailea Resort in Maui, Hawaii on 25 September, with around 420 delegates from across the US in attendance and around 80 independent gas distributors represented.
Under the theme of Disruption, Threats and Opportunities, speakers addressed both external and internal pressures on our industry over the course of the event’s three days, as well as evaluating its general economic position.
President Bill Visintainer welcomed attendees to a large ‘Aloha’ President’s Welcome Reception, providing a networking opportunity for distributors to begin to decode where the industry is heading amidst a challenging economic climate in the US. Some distributors revealed that business growth had been relatively flat, with the growth in gas being offset by the decline in welding goods. According to the recent Baird distributor survey, revenue trajectory for gases in 1Q16 was 2.1%, a downward shift of nearly 4% year-over-year, and hardgoods revenue sat at -0.2%.
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