Fresno Oxygen , Welding Equipment & Supplies

Fresno Oxygen is a third generation family owned and operated Welding Supply Business. L. J. "POP" Barnes opened the doors of Fresno Oxygen in the winter of 1949 in an unheated corner of the "Owl Transfer" moving and storage building at the corner of Kern and "P" Streets in Fresno, California. "POP" had been a truck driver and salesman for the Stewart Oxygen Co. in Hanford, California. He wanted to go into business for himself so he cut a deal with Stewart Oxygen to resell their gas and welding supply products from their old "warehouse location" in Fresno, California. Pop started with one employee and with hard work and long hours built the business up to the point he had to hire three more employees. In 1959 Pop's son "RED" Barnes joined him in the family business as the 5th employee after completing 4 years active duty in the U.S. Air Force. Over the years the company has moved the main store three times, built a Cylinder filling plant and now has a total of eleven retail Stores with Salesmen and Route trucks covering Central California. As Retail Store locations are added outside of the Fresno Distribution area they are named Barnes Welding Supply. Fresno Oxygen and Barnes Welding Supply are the same company. It would not be practical to add a new name each time we opened a store in a new town. Pop Barnes retired in 1969 and "Red" Barnes became President of the company. Red's three sons Mike, Steven, and David all entered the business after graduating from High School. David Barnes is serving as Vice President in charge of branch operations. Steven Barnes works out of our central distribution warehouse. In 1995 Red's oldest son Mike became Corporate President of the company adding new enthusiasm and drive to the business. Red Barnes remains active in the business serving as Chairman of the Board. That's a brief review of the Ownership side of the business, what follows is a break down of what the 140 most important people in the company do day in and day out that has brought us to be the number one distributor in our coverage area. I am referring to our employees, the best in the business!