Airgas, Inc. has opened a new 250,000-square foot, state-of-the-art facility in Germantown, WI. The new facility, which includes a distribution center and administrative office space, will expand and further streamline the company’s hardgoods supply chain to Airgas customers and branch locations when it is fully operational in early December 2014.

The facility will also be the new home for the regional Airgas Total Access™ telesales team that serves Airgas customers across much of the Midwest and Mountain States.

Scott Walker, Governor of Wisconsin, and Dean Wolter, Germantown Village President, joined Airgas President and Chief Executive Officer Michael L. Molinini, President of Airgas USA, LLC Andrew R. Cichocki, Airgas associates, and residents of the Germantown community to open the new facility.

“Airgas has been a part of the Germantown community for more than 17 years,” said Molinini. “We are very pleased to have found a new location that allows our distribution center, Airgas Total Access team, and support offices to remain in Germantown, while expanding our capacity to serve our customers and provide additional jobs to the region. We look forward to continuing our successful partnerships with the residents, businesses and civic associations of Greater Milwaukee for many years to come.”

Located on a 24-acre site, the facility will be twice the size of the company’s current Germantown distribution center, located four miles away, while combining two existing office locations in the Milwaukee metropolitan area.

Airgas will sell its preexisting distribution center.                           

As a result of the expansion, the company has hired 20 new associates to fill roles throughout the new facility and expects to hire an additional 60 associates by 2016.

The new distribution center is one of six that Airgas operates across the country. It will be used to stock and ship hardgoods, including welding equipment and safety products, to Airgas customers and branch locations throughout much of the Midwest. The facility will also include 58,000 square feet of office space for Airgas Total Access™ and for administrative support functions.

More than 16,000 Airgas associates work in approximately 1,100 locations, including branches, retail stores, gas fill plants, specialty gas labs, production facilities and distribution centers.