September 2, 2011, Shreveport, LA – Red Ball Oxygen, a major supplier of welding supplies, equipment, and gases is pleased to announce further expansion into the Texas market with the acquisition of Advanced Gas & Equipment in Houston, Texas.

"We are very excited to enter the largest welding market in North America! Our approach and strategy has proven to be effective in all the markets we serve. We look forward to the opportunities Houston affords!" said Jarrod Lipsey, Vice President Sales, Red Ball Oxygen.

"We are thrilled about our merger with Red Ball Oxygen," states Gary Holbrook of Advanced Gas & Equipment. "Their culture of continuous improvement and unprecedented customer service gives us the resources to expand and improve our service offerings. In the end, it’s our customers who will benefit most from this strategic business partnership."

Founded in 1969 by the Kennedy family of Shreveport, LA, Red Ball Oxygen Co., Inc. is a major supplier of welding equipment and supplies, industrial gases, medical gases and safety equipment. The company has expanded its operations to include Red Ball Technical Gas Services - a state of the art ISO 17025:2005 accredited specialty gas laboratory, Arc Automation - offering robot automation solutions for many market segments, a modern cylinder filling operation, a full-service welding equipment service center, a palletized cylinder distribution system, and 23 customer service branches servicing Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Oklahoma, and Texas. For further information, contact Monica Rogers at 800-551-8150.

Shreveport, LA (April 27, 2011) – Red Ball Oxygen today tapped Wayne "Joe T" Tomlinson as Branch Manager of its Shreveport retail store.

"I am very happy to announce this morning that Joe T. has accepted the position of Shreveport Branch Manager. His commitment to customer service and his work ethic are second to none and I know he will do a great job. Joe T has been one of the most dependable employees I have had over the last 3 years and this is well deserved," said Alex Kennedy, Vice President Operations, Red Ball Oxygen.

Mr. Tomlinson joined the Red Ball team in 2008, working at the Minden retail store as a counter salesman. In 2009 he transferred to the Shreveport location to fill a vacant Inside Sales position. Mr. Tomlinson spent the past two years serving the customer with diligence and furthering his education in the industry; he graduated from Lincoln Honors Training and Miller Counter Sales training. Additionally, he has acquired his fire and inspection certification.

Founded in 1969 by the Kennedy family of Shreveport, LA, Red Ball Oxygen Co., Inc. is a major supplier of welding equipment and supplies, industrial gases, medical gases and safety equipment. The company has expanded its operations to include Red Ball Technical Gas Services - a state-of-the-art ISO 17025:2005 accredited specialty gas laboratory, advanced robot automation department, a modern cylinder filling operation, a full-service welding equipment service center, a palletized cylinder distribution system, and 22 customer service branches servicing Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Oklahoma, and Texas. For further information, contact Monica Rogers at 800-551-8150.

Shreveport, LA (April 22, 2011) – It is with great pride that Red Ball Oxygen Co., Inc. today announced the promotion of Alex Kennedy to Vice President of Operations. He will provide overall direction and guidance to the operational activities of the organization with a primary focus on maximizing growth and profitability.

"As anyone that has worked with him can attest, Alex leads with tremendous energy and passion. Since joining us full time, he has accepted a number of challenging assignments, most recently as Shreveport Store Manager, where he led his team to several sales and profit records. He has many impressive qualities, but two surpass all others: a burning drive to serve customers, and a genuine concern for those he is charged with leading," said Bob Ewing, President of Red Ball Oxygen.

Alex Kennedy, grandson of Red Ball Founder, Craig Kennedy, began his career at Red Ball at the age of 12 scraping labels and painting old cylinders. As soon as Alex could drive he began driving delivery trucks and working in the fill plant. Alex left Red Ball to further his education at the University of Louisiana LSU Baton Rouge. Upon graduation Alex returned to Red Ball, working outside sales until 2009 when he accepted the position of Shreveport Branch Manager.

Founded in 1969 by the Kennedy family of Shreveport, LA, Red Ball Oxygen Co., Inc. is a major supplier of welding equipment and supplies, industrial gases, medical gases and safety equipment. The company has expanded its operations to include Red Ball Technical Gas Services - a state-of-the-art ISO 17025:2005 accredited specialty gas laboratory, advanced robot automation department, a modern cylinder filling operation, a full-service welding equipment service center, a palletized cylinder distribution system, and 22 customer service branches servicing Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Oklahoma, and Texas. For further information, contact Monica Rogers at 800-551-8150.

October 28, 2010, Shreveport, LA – In a moving tribute to Red Ball Oxygen founder Craig Kennedy, the Shreveport City Council recently passed by unanimous vote an ordinance renaming the city street that separates Red Ball Oxygen's Shreveport headquarters from the Red Ball Oxygen Fill Plant, Red Ball Technical Gas Services, and Craig Kennedy Technology Center to "Craig Kennedy Way".

"I am thrilled and couldn't be more pleased than to see my father recognized with such a distinguished honor," says Gary Kennedy, Chairman & CEO, Red Ball Oxygen Co., Inc. "It was CK's uncompromised work ethic, integrity, and absolute devotion to the concept of quality customer service that laid the foundation we proudly build on today. Yet he was more than just a great business man. Love for his God, his family, his country, and this city of Shreveport were what made him tick. Today, we embrace his ideology and, in his memory, we continue his work in the community."

"As a third generation Kennedy and young manager at Red Ball, it is important for the continued success of the company that I learn as much as I can about our company and the industry," said Alex Kennedy, Branch Manager. "Our success, however, is almost assured as long as we never lose sight of the principles my grandfather instilled in me. His philosophies continue to remain an integral part of our daily operations." When asked her thoughts, Sarah Kennedy Nelson, Human Resource Manager at Red Ball Oxygen and granddaughter summed her feeling up nicely, "CK epitomized leadership and service to our customers and the community. He is greatly missed, but this honor is another example of how we remember him daily."

Founded in 1969 by the Kennedy family of Shreveport, LA, Red Ball Oxygen Co., Inc. is a major supplier of welding equipment and supplies, industrial gases, medical gases and safety equipment. The company has expanded its operations to include Red Ball Technical Gas Services - a state of the art ISO 17025:2005 accredited specialty gas laboratory, Arc Automation – a robotic welding integrator, and 22 customer service branches servicing Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Oklahoma, and Texas. For further information, contact Monica Rogers at 800-551-8150.

October 18, 2010, Shreveport, LA - Red Ball Technical Gas Services, a division of Red Ball Oxygen Co., Inc., continues to place a laser focus on manufacturing quality and customer service excellence.

"Recently, our laboratory and production facility was re-Accredited to ISO/IEC 17025:2005," said Mark Patten, Director of Red Ball Technical Gas Services, "ensuring our customers that we operate under a proven system that promotes quality in every aspect of our operations. Additionally, while we have never failed an audit of our facility, I was pleased to discover that we passed two recent blind audits; one by the Solicitor General’s office (the results of which remain unpublished), and the other by the EPA, the results of which will be published this fall at www.epa.gov. Red Ball Technical Gas Services passed audit criterion and was found to be well within conformance requirements."

"I couldn’t be more proud of our team," says Bob Ewing, President, Red Ball Oxygen Co., Inc. "Quality is the primary deliverable in this field that sets competitors apart from one another. Because our group of talented and conscientious professionals has embraced that fact, we are able to deliberately and consistently deliver confidence to our customers."

Founded in 1969 by the Kennedy family of Shreveport, LA, Red Ball Oxygen Co., Inc. is a major supplier of welding equipment and supplies, industrial gases, medical gases and safety equipment. The company has expanded its operations to include Red Ball Technical Gas Services - a state of the art ISO 17025:2005 accredited specialty gas laboratory, Arc Automation – a robotic welding integrator, and 22 customer service branches servicin

May 20, 2010, Shreveport, LA - Red Ball Oxygen announces its new natural gas compression facility scheduled for a May 2010 opening in Shreveport, Louisiana.

Red Ball Oxygen is one of only a handful of companies in the United States that fills compressed natural gas cylinders. "CNG has a diverse and ever-growing list of applications. In keeping up with our customers' demands, we are excited to bring this product to market. Our compressed natural gas cylinders can be filled to our customers' specifications and batch analyzed for verification." said Mark Patten, Director, Red Ball Technical Gas Services, a division of Red Ball Oxygen.

Founded in 1969 by the Kennedy family of Shreveport, LA, Red Ball Oxygen Co., Inc. is a major supplier of welding equipment and supplies, industrial gases, medical gases and safety equipment. The company has expanded its operations to include Red Ball Technical Gas Services - a state of the art ISO 17025:2005 accredited specialty gas laboratory, Arc Automation – a robotic welding integrator, and 22 customer service branches servicing Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Oklahoma, and Texas. For further information, contact Monica Rogers at 800-551-8150.

January 13, 2009, Shreveport, LA – Red Ball Oxygen celebrated the opening of its new Liquid Hydrogen pumping facility with a ribbon cutting ceremony on January 8, 2010. On hand for the opening ceremony were many existing and future customers, as well as a number of local dignitaries.

The system will enable Red Ball Oxygen to improve service to its existing customers and expand its coverage into new markets. "Our number one focus is to reducing costs and adding value for our customer partners. This system allows us to do just that." said Gary Kennedy, Chairman and CEO, Red Ball Oxygen. This was a 12 month process from inception to operation and involved many people within Red Ball and its partner Praxair. It was a great team effort and many Red Ball employees played in integral part in every phase of development and execution. Fill Plant Manager Robert Whatley and his team worked tirelessly toward the successful completion of this project.

This system is a first for any independent industrial gas distributor and enhances Red Ball Oxygen's capabilities exponentially. "Becoming a truly independent gas distributor is our goal; this installation is a giant step in that direction. Furthermore, this expansion affords us the ability to keep in our employ 167 of the most talented and dedicated employees in the industry." Bob Ewing, President, Red Ball Oxygen.

Founded in 1969 by the Kennedy family of Shreveport, LA, Red Ball Oxygen Co., Inc. is a major supplier of welding equipment and supplies, industrial gases, medical gases and safety equipment. The company has expanded its operations to include Red Ball Technical Gas Services – a state of the art ISO 17025:2005 accredited specialty gas laboratory, a modern cylinder filling operation, a full–service welding equipment service center, a palletized cylinder distribution system, and 22 customer service branches servicing Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Oklahoma, and Texas. For further information, contact Monica Rogers at 800–551–8150.

August 6, 2009, Shreveport, LA - Red Ball Oxygen Company, Inc. has selected a fully-integrated logistics software system from Paragon Software Systems, Inc. The industrial and specialty gas company's decision to implement a comprehensive routing and scheduling optimization solution demonstrates Red Ball Oxygen's commitment to improving efficiencies and enhancing customer service, while reducing distribution costs by 15 per cent.

Paragon's routing, scheduling and transportation optimization solutions will provide Red Ball Oxygen with a fully computerized fleet management solution for strategic and tactical planning of routes and deliveries throughout Arkansas, Louisiana and Texas.

"We are committed to making substantial investments in new technology that will help us to better serve our customers and contain costs," says Bob Ewing, President, Red Ball Oxygen Company. "To achieve our aims we knew that we needed a powerful logistics software solution and Paragon was the obvious choice. We now have a transportation management system that will assist us in achieving our goals, both strategically and tactically."

The new system will replace manual planning and will optimize the use of Red Ball Oxygen DCs, trucks and drivers, which jointly complete more than 140,000 deliveries per year. The system will also cater for Red Ball Oxygen's anticipated growth in its truck fleet.

"After reviewing the market, it was clear that Paragon provides the most comprehensive set of software tools to give us the flexibility that will address our requirements going forward. The system will enable us to seize all opportunities to evolve our efficiencies and service offerings," concludes Bob Ewing.

Founded in 1969 by the Kennedy family of Shreveport, LA, Red Ball Oxygen Co., Inc. is a major supplier of welding equipment and supplies, industrial gases, medical gases and safety equipment. The company has expanded its operations to include Red Ball Technical Gas Services - a state of the art ISO 17025:2005 accredited specialty gas laboratory, a modern cylinder filling operation, a full-service welding equipment service center, a palletized cylinder distribution system, and 22 customer service branches servicing Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Oklahoma, and Texas. For further information, contact Monica Rogers at 800-551-8150.

May 26, 2009 Shreveport, LA – Red Ball Oxygen Company, a leader in the welding supply and industrial and specialty gas industry, today announced its acquisition of Arc Automation. Owned by Randy Luster and based in Batesville, Arkansas, Arc Automation specializes in the sales and service of industrial robotics.

Randy Luster will remain on board at Arc Automation, now a division of Red Ball Oxygen Company and says, "I feel like we are a great fit – the desire to bring these advanced technologies to market is what makes Red Ball a market leader. I was the missing piece to that puzzle. This merger will allow us to grow the business to a level I never could have reached on my own."

"Robots are extremely reliable and efficient, drastically cutting cycle times and increasing throughput. With proper planning, programming, and training, robot integration produces immediate benefits. Because of our strong solutions focus, we know the time was right to bring these technologies and additional services to our customers," said Jarrod Lipsey, Vice President of Sales, Red Ball Oxygen Co. Inc.

Founded in 1969 by the Kennedy family of Shreveport, LA, Red Ball Oxygen Co., Inc. is a major supplier of welding equipment and supplies, industrial gases, medical gases and safety equipment. The company has expanded its operations to include Red Ball Technical Gas Services - a state of the art ISO 17025:2005 accredited specialty gas laboratory, a modern cylinder filling operation, a full-service welding equipment service center, a palletized cylinder distribution system, and 22 customer service branches servicing Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Oklahoma, and Texas. For further information, contact Monica Rogers at 800-551-8150.

March 23, 2009 Shreveport, LA – Red Ball Oxygen is pleased to announce its further expansion into the medical gas market with the recent acquisition of PBI Medical headquartered in Benton, Arkansas, with branch operations in Monroe, LA and Fayetteville, AR.

"Tom and Jeff Brown have built an exceptional team with a relentless focus on customer satisfaction. They have taken a fresh approach to the medical gas market, listened carefully to their customers, and custom-tailored every aspect of their operation to deliver maximum value. We are very excited to have them lead our charge into this rapidly growing market segment," said Bob Ewing, President, Red Ball Oxygen.

"Teaming up with a company like Red Ball Oxygen was the logical next step for PBI," said Tom Brown. "Red Ball Oxygen will be able to provide the tools and support we need to move forward as an industry trend setter, by allowing us to enhance our focus on customer service, diversify the products and services we can offer, and tap an even greater share of a rapidly growing market place. We are thrilled to become a part of the Red Ball family."

Founded in 1969 by the Kennedy family of Shreveport, LA, Red Ball Oxygen Co., Inc. is a major supplier of welding equipment and supplies, industrial gases, medical gases and safety equipment. The company has expanded its operations to include a state of the art ISO 17025:2005 accredited specialty gas laboratory, a modern cylinder filling operation, a full-service welding equipment service center, a palletized cylinder distribution system, and 21 customer service branches in Arkansas, Louisiana, and Texas. For further information, contact Monica Rogers at 800-551-8150.