Why businesses trust Supagas for specialty gas solutions

Specialty gases sound technical, but the promise is straightforward: get the mix right, engineer the system properly, and make it work – safely and reliably, day after day. With 30-year industry veteran George Elhlou leading the program, and Coregas now part of the Nippon Sanso Holdings (NSHD) family alongside Supagas, that’s exactly what the team is delivering across Australia.

What are specialty gases?

Specialty gases are ultra-high-purity gases or precisely blended mixtures used in critical environments – think modified-atmosphere packaging for food, analytical and research labs, advanced manufacturing, medical settings and emerging clean-energy projects. Supagas supplies both ends of the spectrum: single UHP gases such as helium, oxygen and hydrogen, plus custom gas mixtures with 2–15+ components produced to tight specifications.

Why customers choose Supagas

“We like to give a customer a one-stop approach, a tailor-made solution whereby what’s designed will work, and we will guarantee that it will work,” says George Elhlou, National Sales Manager – Corporate & Speciality Gases.

In a category served by large global suppliers, Supagas takes a hands-on, consultative path. The team doesn’t just drop a cylinder at the door; it designs around the application, the delivery mode and the on-site setup so the whole system performs together.

Built around your application

“We start with the customer’s applications and requirements first, and work backward from there,” says George. That might mean individual cylinders, compressed packs or cryogenic bulk tanks – plus the pipework, regulators and commissioning that keep operations safe, efficient and compliant.

Expertise on site, not just on paper

George is a qualified chemical engineer and leads a small, highly specialised national team of a dozen people who spend most of their time at customer sites. That depth means Supagas can speak the same language as engineers, scientists and production managers and help fix everyday issues as well as unique challenges.

“When customers talk to us, they really appreciate that we have scientific backgrounds and expertise. They get that we know what we’re talking about, and we can talk to their unique situations and challenges with a degree of technical expertise.”

Where demand is rising

Growth is strongest in food manufacturing and scientific research. Ready-to-eat meal lines are lifting demand for MAP (modified-atmosphere packaging) gases, while new research and pilot technologies are expanding specialty-gas needs in labs and test facilities. Mining and manufacturing remain steady, and medical users require exacting quality. Hydrogen is another bright spot – and with Coregas within the NSHD group, Supagas has even more flexibility in sourcing and logistics for hydrogen projects while maintaining responsive local service.

Quality you can verify

Precision is the product. Supagas operates a NATA-certified (National Association of Testing Authorities) laboratory producing UHP gases and complex blends. The lab works to ISO 17025 (testing/calibration competence) and ISO 17034 (reference-material producers), with rigorous batch QC and full traceability. Independent third-party comparative testing further benchmarks mixture performance for confidence in sensitive applications like laser processes, analytics and food safety.

Smarter, safer handling

Innovation isn’t only about what’s inside the cylinder. Supagas is advancing day-to-day safety and ergonomics with improved cylinder designs and valve systems with in-built regulators – practical upgrades that matter on busy production floors and in compact labs.

Relationships first

Effective specialty-gas delivery is more than a purchase order. Supagas gets involved early – often before construction – so customers avoid decisions that could compromise safety or efficiency later. Modes of supply are recommended for total life-cycle cost and performance, and the same team that designs a solution is there to commission and support it.

What’s next

With Coregas now aligned under NSHD alongside Supagas, customers gain deeper sourcing, logistics and engineering capability – while keeping the local, responsive service they value. The focus for George’s team remains clear: keep innovating in mixtures and handling systems, tackle complex briefs with a ‘Yes We can’ mindset, and prove value where it counts – in the field.

As George puts it: “We look long-term. We’re not here for one-off supply – we’re here to build relationships and deliver solutions that work.”