We’re taking the propane conversation LIVE on Facebook, and hope you’ll join us!

If you like hot showers, warm meals, cozy winter nights, and no cold walks in the snow to an empty tank, click on our NEW ILMO Propane page, LIKE us, and keep in touch with the home heating experts and customers at ILMO Propane!

We’re the same local team your neighbors trust as a supplier of welding and industrial gases now delivering propane right to your home, farm, job site, and industrial facility. Depend on ILMO for affordable, clean and reliable propane.

Visit www.facebook.com/ILMOpropane to join the fun!

Interested in switching to ILMO Propane? Give us a call at 1-855-ILMO-GAS for a no-pressure conversation.

For the past several months, ILMO and gas distributors across the globe have been preparing for a helium shortage that could last two to three years. At this time, we are forced to allocate helium supplies to our customers, and are doing so in the most responsible and fair manner possible. Below we have provided details explaining this event on a global and ILMO-specific scale, and we will continue to keep you informed of this situation as it evolves.

Global State of Helium

• Worldwide demand for helium continues to increase
• Demand continues to grow the fastest in Asia and Korea
• Expectations are for a tight worldwide supply over the next 2-3 years
• Refineries around the world are not producing to their Name Plate Capacity
• The U.S. Bureau of Land Management (BLM), a major source of helium in North America estimated to supply 33-35% of the world’s helium, has a planned outage of a facility in June, 2012, and forecasts a sell-out in the 2015 time period
  • With costs increasing over 40% since 2011, it is expected that prices will continue to increase significantly in 2012, resulting in price increases throughout the entire BLM supply chain, from suppliers to distributors to end users
  • A major source of natural gas, the Hugoton Field in Kansas, continues to decline in pressure
  • Exxon-Mobile refineries are also a major source of helium, and their helium production is below capacity and limited. Along with BLM, an interruption in supply is anticipated due to pipeline maintenance
  • The state of helium supply is unknown beyond 2015
    • Major companies from around the world are looking for new helium resources
    • U.S. refiners will closely manage their helium portfolios going forward, with allocation already in place for most, and costs predicted to escalate

Continue reading →

Originally featured in The Journal-Courier in Jacksonville, Il., this story is a follow-up to a previously featured story on ILMO’s site. Congratulations to Westermeyer Industries, John Wood Community College, and all of the new welding students in this program!

By Jake Russell | February 21, 2012 6:00 AM

Welding class a product of synergy

Jacksonville, IL – The Journal-Courier: For four key players, it was a matter of wanting to see the same thing happen.

A rural school district, a manufacturing industry, a community college and a products company joined together to start a dual credit welding class at Westermeyer Industries, 1441 Ill. 100 in Bluffs.

Five juniors and seniors from Bluffs High School are enrolled in the program and will finish with a welding certificate — juniors, on par with graduation, seniors, a little later, Superintendent Andy Stremlau said.

John Wood Community College contacted rural public schools as part of an outreach program to see how it could bring more education opportunities to junior high and high schools, said Bill Martin, workforce liaison for John Wood Community College Workforce Development Center.

It was implemented for Bluffs School District in the fall. ILMO Products Co. at 7 Eastgate Drive donated new welders.

As a Bluffs school board member, Gary Westermeyer has been concerned for a couple years about the lack of vocational and technical opportunities for students, he said.

“We spend most our time trying to train students to pass a test so they…   Continue reading →

You wouldn’t burn money in your furnace…but you can get back some of what you put in to a new one!

A number of ILMO team members were recognized this fall for work in their fields and on behalf of the company, and we’re excited to brag about them! When you have a minute, check out these three unique awards in the areas of human resources, sales, and marketing.

HR Professional of the Year

On August 4, 2011, Pattie Curry, SPHR, was honored with the Award of Professional Excellence – HR Professional of the Year for 2010 at the annual CIC-SHRM recognition event at Illini Country Club in Springfield, IL. Each year chapter members are asked to nominate a chapter member that demonstrates involvement and commitment to the HR profession, and is someone who has exhibited exemplary performance in her/her Human Resources position. Congratulations, Pattie!

St. Louis Business Marketing Association recognizes 3 ILMO Campaigns

ILMO received two Best in Class Awards and one Gold Award at the St. Louis Business Marketing Association TAM Awards Ceremony on September 12, 2011. The ceremony was held at the Chase Park Plaza in St. Louis, and Linda Standley and Blair Dial were in attendance. Awards pictured are for:

• ILMO Hard Hat Sticker Series (Best in Class – Self Promotion Materials category)
• ILMO Delivers Solutions corporate video for ADM (Gold Award – Electronic Presentations; shared with UPBrand Collaborative who produced the video)
• ILMO Specialty Gases’ Got Gas? t-shirts (Best in Class – Tradeshow Promotions)

Outstanding Sales & Marketing for Hypertherm

ILMO was recently presented with a 2010 North American Distribution Award from Hypertherm for Outstanding Sales and Marketing of Hypertherm Plasma Cutting Products.

This award was only possible because of the hard work of all employees involved in sales, branch operations, purchasing, service, and CWI consulting. Way to go, team!

We’d like to celebrate YOU!

Want an award-winning ILMO hard hat sticker of your very own? Drop us a note at info@ilmoproducts.com and include your name, address, and place of work and we’ll mail one to you to proudly display for all of your welding friends to be very jealous of!

(Published in the November 2011 Cutting Edge employee newsletter at ILMO)

As we approach Veteran’s Day on Friday, November 11, 2011, we’d like to take time and let you know a little more about a few of our very own heroes. Jim, Jerry, Pattie, Larry, Tim, and Greg have shared with us information on their military backgrounds. We are honored to work with them and all ILMO employees and customers who have served our country. This Veteran’s Day, remember to thank a Vet! You don’t have to go far. 

Jim Brown, District Sales Manager – Decatur, IL

• Served in the U.S. Army from 1979-1983.
• 3 years stationed in Heilbronn, Germany with the 22nd Maintenance Battalion.
• Primary MOS or (job title) was 44E (Machinist) with a secondary MOS of 44B (Welder). Received the rank of Specialist 5th class before receiving an honorable discharge in May 1983.
• Awarded the Army Commendation Metal and a few other prestigious awards.

Jerry Cox, Outside Sales Manager – Decatur, IL

• Served in the Army from 1969 – 1971 in which the last 13 months was in Vietnam, Army 173rd Airborne Division.

Pattie Curry, Human Resources Director, SPHR – Jacksonville, IL

• Served 10 years in the U.S. Naval Reserves from 1984 to 1994, assigned to NAS Lemoore, CA and Subic Bay, Philippines.
  • SK1 (Petty Officer 1^st Class) and Unit Career Counselor
  • Awarded Navy Achievement Medal

Larry Maricle, Route Driver – Peoria, IL

• Served 10 years in the Army, from 1994-2004.
• Served on a six month tour to Kuwait in 1995.
• Stationed in Korea from 1999-2000.
• Spent 9 years at Ft. Sill, Oklahoma, assigned to the 6th Battalion 27th Field Artillery and 6th Battalion 32nd Field Artillery.
• Several other deployments include Twenty-Nine Palms, California, White Sands, New Mexico, and Germany.

Tim Pennell, Inside Sales Assistant – Springfield, IL

• Served in the U.S. Air Force and Illinois Air National Guard from 1980 to 2000 as an  F4 and F16 aircraft mechanic.
• Was awarded “Crew Chief of the Quarter” three times.

Greg Griggs, District Sales Manager – St. Louis, MO

• Served in the U.S. Army, Special Weapons Infantry, from June 1970 to June 1976