Pacific Welding Supplies was opened in Tacoma Washington in 1976 by Paul VanDyke, a former employee of Air Liquide America Corporation. Air Liquide was then, as it is now, one of the largest manufacturers and distributors of bulk and packaged gases world wide.

Though PWS started out as a sole proprietorship, in 1977 it became a partnership as Mike Fox joined the company as an equal partner. The combined talents of Fox and VanDyke in sales and administration, respectively, and their combined 24 years of experience in welding supplies and industrial gas sales, became an effective and successful partnership, and a great foundation for future growth. In 1976 the Company had only two employees and a total of only $8000 in annual sales, but by 1981 had grown to 17 employees working out of the single Tacoma operation, and by 1988 had expanded to three locations (Tacoma, Bremerton, and Kent WA), 22 employees, and over $3,000,000.00 in annual sales.

A History of Continued Expansion...

Due to the strong growth, in 1982 the company moved from its original location at 902 Center Street to a newly purchased location at 2902 South “M” Street – Which today continues operation as a retail store and administrative offices for Pacific Welding Supplies LLC.

In 1983 PWS purchased Cascade Welders Repair, a welding repair service station, in Auburn, WA, as well as integrated the business of Safety Tool & Supply in Puyallup, WA, and in 1987 acquired a welding supply house in Bremerton, WA that also incorporated steel sales along with the standard welding supplies and gases offering.

1993 saw the opening of Pacific Gases and Supply in Olympia, WA, by family members of PWS, which was later added to the Pacific Welding Supplies operation. Smaller acquisitions such as Mobile Welding Supply and others in the late 1990’s were then followed up by the acquisition of State Welding Supply in Chehalis, WA in 2000, and the purchase of Tec Welding Sales, of Auburn, WA in 2003.

In 2005 Mike Fox, Sr. purchased Paul VanDyke’s remaining shares of the Company, transferring 100% ownership of Pacific Welding Supplies LLC to the Fox family, and in 2007 PWS purchased the assets of Port Welding Supply to open a second Tacoma location.

2009 Expansion Through Regional Partnership...

In 2009 Pacific Welding Supplies LLC was welcomed into the Central Welding Supply Company Inc. family of companies, as a regional companion to their existing Western Washington welding and industrial supply locations, as well as their Xpress Cryogenics, Compressed Gas Western, and Welders-Direct operational divisions. Central Welding Supply Company and all of it’s divisions are wholly owned and operated by the Wilton Family.

Though Pacific Welding Supplies’ revenue now approaches $20M annually, with 5 locations and nearly 70 dedicated employees, it hasn’t lost sight of the core values of unmatched customer service that began almost 35 years ago. At Pacific Welding Supplies WE DO WHAT IT TAKES means that we are committed to being your premier supplier of high pressure and bulk gases, welding, safety, and industrial supplies, welder service and repair, welding automation, and welding equipment rental.