Headquartered in San Diego, WestAir has remained family-owned and operated since 1970. We continue to proudly serve industrial, medical, and specialty gas to a variety of industries across California.
To provide unparalleled customer experiences as the most trusted independent distributor of gases and equipment.
San Diego Welders Supply first opens in San Diego, CA. — Andy and Sue Castiglione set off on their own to service the county’s maritime industry and the ever-expanding markets in Mexico. (Pictured: Original location, 2510 Market St., San Diego, CA 92102)
Their first investment was $3,000 and a truck loaned to Andy to begin deliveries.
SDWS acquires Atlas Fire equipment; starts hydro testing cylinders.
Ten years after evolving its service focus to a wider range of gas products, SDWS expands to El Centro, CA and Yuma, AZ and changes its name to WestAir Gases and Equipment to reflect the growing service area. WestAir’s new laboratories jumpstart entry into the beverage carbonation, farming, and micro-bulk markets.
Beginning in 2010, WestAir evolves its service into Orange County and the LA Basin. By 2015, WestAir acquired Melo’s Gas & Gear to begin servicing the Central Valley of California. And by 2020, the Anaheim laboratory fully bolstered WestAir’s specialty gas capability north of San Diego county.
WestAir acquires Desert Fountain Gas, services Coachella Valley. Construction is completed at its third specialty gas fill plant in Adelanto, CA and retail sales began later that year where, local agriculture customers benefitted from state-of-the-art dry ice production for better yields.
WestAir acquires a Richmond, CA property to begin servicing the final major density area in California — The Bay Area. The company embraces its new brand marks and core values (GASES = Goodwill. Accountability. Selflessness. Equality. Sustainability.)
As the largest independent gas distributor on the west coast, we are committed to providing a safe and healthy workplace for all our employees, customers, and visitors. We accomplish this through sustainable development through our health and safety programs which drives our strong positive safety culture within WestAir. Our health and safety programs have the full support of our ownership, management, and individual employees.
Family-owned and operated since 1970.
CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER
Steve Castiglione is the CEO of WestAir and the second-generation leader of the family business.
Steve joined the company in 1978, and in 2001 was named CEO. He is responsible for renaming San Diego Welders Supply to WestAir Gases & Equipment, and helmed its expansion to gas products and specialty gases.
Succeeding WestAir’s original founder and CEO, Andy Castiglione, Sr., Steve has led the strategic development of WestAir’s infrastructure and supply chain, reinforcing the company’s reputation for service, and ensuring flexibility in response to an increasingly demanding marketplace.
Steve continues to expand the company’s footprint from San Diego to serve Southern California, Coachella Valley, the Inland Empire, the Central Valley, and the Bay Area. Now the largest independent gas and equipment supplier in the state of California, WestAir’s operations are currently complemented by 300+ employees, 16 retail locations, five cylinder gas facilities, and a world-class lab producing EPA protocol gases and hydrocarbon blends.
PRESIDENT
Andy Castiglione is the President of WestAir and the third generation in WestAir’s family-owned-and-operated legacy.
Andy graduated from the University of Arizona with a bachelor’s degree in Regional Development in 2008 and joined the company in 2010. After 8 years working in specialty gases within the lab and life science industries, he was promoted to Regional Vice President for the San Diego, Imperial, and Arizona regions (2018) and was named President in 2022. Andy is responsible for the growth of the San Diego region, the diversification of WestAir’s customer base and gas supply network – bolstering the company’s reliability and reach in an increasingly supply-strained environment.
Reinforcing WestAir’s reputation for outstanding customer experience – and with the goal of establishing WestAir as the most trusted gas distributor in the nation – Andy has helmed the investment in vital customer technologies, including next-generation telemetry, Accurate Cylinder Management (ACM), and internal revenue operations platforms.
ENERGY SPECIALIST
Chris Castiglione is WestAir’s Energy Specialist and the third generation of company ownership. Since he joined in 2006, Chris has honored the family’s service-focused ethos by contributing in myriad roles throughout WestAir – from cylinder maintenance and branch operations, to sales, and now supporting California’s environmental initiatives and EPA needs.
Chris’ current focus is establishing WestAir as the first fully-independent provider of H2 mobility services for transit agencies and Class 8 fleet operators, and is committed to bringing WestAir’s unrivaled customer support and supply infrastructure to this critical, evolving industry.
Chief Financial Officer
Vice President of Operations
Regional Vice President
Director of Human Resources
Director of Supply Chain
Director of Marketing
Director of Project Management
Director of Accounting
General Manager, Life Sciences Division
CAREERS
We’re on a mission to revolutionize the gas industry. Are you committed to challenging the status quo?
