Central McGowan Doubles Its CO2 Solutions Business with Acquisition of Jasons Beverage Company in St. Paul

ST. CLOUD, Minn. (November 6, 2019) – Central McGowan (www.centralmcgowan.com), a leading supplier of gases and state-of-the-art equipment/technology for the manufacturing, welding, medical, and food and beverage industries in the upper Midwest and an automation/robotic solution integrator, has acquired St. Paul, MN-based Jasons Beverage Carbonation Company. This more than doubles the company’s CO2 Solutions business—started in 2006—expanding it to nearly 3,000 customers in Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, Wisconsin and Iowa.

The combined business will deliver CO2, nitrogen, beer gas, and dry ice to bars, breweries, and some of the Midwest’s most successful restaurant chains in the fine dining, fast casual and fast food categories. Jasons will continue to operate under the Jasons name. All of its current employees, building, fleet and assets will be a part of the Central McGowan family.

According CEO/President, Joe Francis, the acquisition complements a core business of Central McGowan and expands not only its footprint and buying power but also its experience in the CO2 Solutions business. “Like us, Jasons is an expert in beverage carbonation, which is both the art and science behind delivering the precise gas mix to achieve a perfect pour and the right amount of bubbles in carbonated beverages,” he says. “Our on-staff beverage carbonation specialists and bulk beverage systems offer a highly efficient, cost-effective and safe method to carbonating soda and beer while making gas outages and changing out high-pressure cylinders a thing of the past.”

The addition of Jasons will also grow distribution of ColdZERO™—Central McGowan’s own brand of dry ice that is manufactured daily at its St. Cloud location using Cold Jet’s newest technology for the highest density dry ice rice available.

Dry ice is the common name for the solid form of CO2 and used in more than 20 different industries. Applications include industrial cleaning and dry ice blasting, medical manufacturing, food processing, equipment cleaning, wood finishing, mold remediation and historic restoration. Plus, it works for preserving food, fish and game, and providing emergency refrigeration during power outages. “What’s best is that it does its job and then changes directly from a solid to a gas—leaving behind no secondary waste, residue or watery mess,” says Francis.

Bob Crew, formerly the company’s Vice President of Distribution Operations which included beverage carbonation, has been named Vice President & General Manager of Jasons and Central McGowan’s existing CO2 Solutions business. He is charged with leading the successful integration of sales and operations and will lean on his extensive experience and expertise along with that of his existing managers, specialists, and teams in St. Cloud, Fargo and St. Paul. Dean “JR” Kiffmeyer, current Executive Vice President and General Manager at Central McGowan, will take over other distribution operations to allow Crew to focus solely on the growing CO2 business.

Existing and potential customers looking for more information can visit www.CentralMcGowan.com or www.JasonsBeverage.com, or call Central McGowan at 1-800-569-1322 or 320-252-5292 (7:30 AM to 5 PM, M-F, 8 AM-NOON on SAT) or Jasons Beverage Carbonation Company at (651) 645-6433 (7 AM to 3 PM, M-F).

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About Central McGowan

Central McGowan is a third-generation, family-owned, diversified company founded in 1965 with the merger of McGowan Welding Supply of Little Falls (founded in 1947) and Central Welding Supply of St. Cloud. It has grown to include three distinct businesses: a FANUC-authorized automation and robotics integration division; a leading industrial, welding and medical gas & supply business; and a CO2 Solutions (beverage carbonation, water treatment, dry ice) division. It serves 20+ industries with customers spanning most of Minnesota and areas of N.D., S.D., Iowa & Wis.; and automation implementations across the U.S. and internationally. The company has 4 fully stocked retail stores in St. Cloud, Little Falls, Burnsville, Minn. and Fargo, N.D.; more than 70 Minnesota dealers; and CO2 distribution hubs/stores in St. Cloud and St. Paul, Minn. After decades of doing business, the company believes quality and integrity are the keys to success, as is always putting customers first. Central McGowan strives to be the everyday heroes who make life work better. Visit us online at WWW.CENTRALMCGOWAN.COM, on Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter and YouTube.

 

ColdZERO™ Dry Ice

ColdZERO dry ice is available by order for large customers and for pickup by the public at Central McGowan’s four retail locations (St. Cloud, Little Falls, Burnsville & Fargo) and its CO2 distribution hubs/sites in St. Cloud & St. Paul, Minn. Available in blocks (multiple sizes), nuggets (approx. 3/4-inch pieces), and rice (approx. 1/8-inch pellets), Central McGowan offers same-day, convenient delivery and pickup for larger orders which are sold in returnable, rolling insulated totes. Dry ice is the common name for the solid form of CO2. It’s used in more than 20 different industries. Applications include industrial cleaning and dry ice blasting, medical manufacturing, equipment cleaning, wood finishing, mold remediation, historic restoration; preserving food, fish and game; providing emergency refrigeration; and creating cool Halloween effects. Dry ice is safe to use when handled properly, is extremely cold -109.3°F (-78.5°C), and should not be touched with unprotected skin. It should be kept and stored in well-ventilated areas and containers that are not air-tight. It should never be ingested or used in drinks or beverages, and kept out of the reach of children and animals.

 

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