AIWD Buying Group

GAWDA's ACE DRIVER TRAINING PROGRAM - FREE WEBINAR There's still time to sign up! What: ACE DRIVER TRAINING PROGRAM When: August 22nd (Thursday) @ 11:30am Eastern Where: Zoom How: Sign up using this link: https://lnkd.in/e6PTb6Uh Details: GAWDA has partnered with the National Propane Gas Association’s (NPGA) Administrative Compliance Experts — aka ACE — to guide our Members to prepare for State CDL or HME exams with Entry Level Driver Training (ELDT). Getting CDL licensed is an ongoing issue in our industry. The ACE Service Program is proven and effective at getting drivers on the road quickly, easily and safely. NPGA ACE is designed to assist in navigating ELDT’s red tape – providing quality instruction, getting your employees on the road faster at a fraction of the price, providing savings of up to $3,000 per driver. And by using NPGA ACE’s service, members will receive expert services in completing the regulatory requirements set by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA). ACE and NPGA will serve as your Registered Training Provider (RTP).

MORE BUYING POWER with AIWD. With over 350 Member locations across 48 U.S. States, Ontario and Puerto Rico, AIWD aims to be the most sought-after buying cooperative in our industry by providing the best value to our members and supplier partners. Visit AIWDgroup.net for more info on the benefits of becoming a member. Have a great week everyone! #buyingpower #buyinggroup #weldingstores #compressedgasstores #smallbusinessesbigpower

CONNECTIONS! At our annual conventions, store owners and vendors connect face-to-face on the convention floor and through various events. Giving suppliers and buyers the chance to connect and get to know each other personally makes business much smoother, adding value for everyone involved. Want to get involved? Check out our member and vendor applications at www.AIWDgroup.net #aiwdgroup #buyinggroup #facetofacebusiness #weldingnorthamerica

AIWD Member and 4G Service & Supply owner Tommy Gay, gave Events/Operations Director Diane Calhoun, a tour of his new shop in Tahlequah, Oklahoma recently. Tommy had surgery the day before to repair a detached achilles tendon (ouch!) but was a real trouper and gave her the royal tour on his handy knee scooter. You rock, Tommy! #oklahomaweldingsupply #alwaysonduty #aiwdnetworking #weldingbusiness #aiwd

MEET THE BOARD AT AIWD Tim Robb, our outgoing North Region President, shared some deep insight about the power of changing mindset about "competition" in business in our last quarterly newsletter. Here's an excerpt: To get into the gas business, I had to befriend one of those competitors, a major that didn’t care about any of the low hanging fruit I was rounding up. What they did care about was sharing advice with me that helped them grow their own once-small business into the success it is today. By taking this advice to heart, I built my business to the point where I was able to hire one of my competitors and they became teammates. Then I was educated about buying groups by one of the ex-competitors, and he suggested the AIWD. It expanded my world to the other competitors out there. I went in just to get better pricing and rebates. Initially thoughts were just about comparing businesses and knowing that I already knew everything I needed to know. As with my sports career, I couldn’t have been more wrong. The new competitors were not really competition at all. They were new teammates that had done all the things I had done, and more. Some were less mature companies than mine, and some were more mature. Some were asking me questions about how I did things, and I was asking questions to others that had gone through the same things I was going through. We were all sharing buying stories and what the next steps were to be more competitive in the market. We were now buying and selling to each another and sharing information on customers. will say in conclusion that being able to serve a term on the Board of the AIWD, has really given me the ability to grow my relationships within the group, and in turn expand my business. Learning how the group really functions and sharing to our teammates the benefits of the group is easy when it benefits both parties almost 100% of the time. If you get the opportunity to serve on this board, please do, and I am sure your experience will be as great as mine!!!" To read more, visit the "newsletter" section at AIWDgroup.net #wiseadvice #weldingbusiness #compressedgasbusiness #goodbusiness #businessgrowth

GET INSPIRED! At AIWD we believe in our ability to uplift the welding and compressed gas industry through collaborative co-creation and endless ingenuity. One of our presenters at our Vendor Presentation at the AIWD 2024 Convention in Atlantic City. If you are a potential welding supply vendor and you'd like the chance to present to our network of welding supply business owners in the US, Canada and Puerto Rico, visit us at AIWDgroup.net #weldingandgas #collaboration #creation #inspiredaction #inspiredideas #AIWD #AIWDconvention #weldingconvention #weldingsupply #compressedgassupply

IT'S ALL ABOUT RELATIONSHIPS Members from different regions of our buying group mingle and connect at the Association of Independent Welding Distributors annual convention in Atlantic City. Running a small business in today's welding and compressed gas industry is not easy. But with the networking and buying power the AIWD provides, your biz is sure to soar. Want more info for yourself or for a friend? Applications to become a Member or Vendor can be found on our website at AIWDgroup.net. #weldingpuertorico #buyinggroup #buyinggroups #weldingstore #compressedgas #constructionusa #constructioncanada

AIWD welcomes our newest member Janning Welding & Supply and Matt Janning from Elk City, OK to the fam! Check them out at janningwelding.com #newmember #aiwdmembers #buyinggroupmembers #oklahomaweldingsupply #oklahomawelding #oklahomacompressedgasses

AIWD welcomes newest members Integrity Building Components and Derryck Rottman from Wolforth, TX to the fam. Check them out at ibctexas.com! #newmembers #AIWDbuyinggroup #buyinggroup #weldingandgassupply #texaswelding #texasgas

GAWDA is taking applications for this grant until August 1st. Please like, comment or share with someone you know! From the GAWDA website: "For the Women within the GAWDA Community – The new Women of Gases & Welding (WGW) Educational Grant Program will provide financial support to two GAWDA female members to attend the University of Innovative Distribution (UID) in March 2025. The UID is a concentrated educational program focused on the unique needs of the wholesale distribution industry.  Courses are grouped in Education Tracks based on theme, such as Management, Operations, Marketing, Distribution Strategy, Sales and more. The UID experience is designed to enhance and fortify your knowledge, skills, and abilities with hands-on experience to support immediate application into your work environment. This is a direct benefit for your employee, your company, and our industry.  A TRIPLE WIN!!!  For more details about grant, visit https://buff.ly/462ICkE Woop! Woop!