SGS Gases

In the world of industrial supplies, some costs are just accepted as the price of doing business. For decades, if you were a welder or ran a garage and needed industrial gas, you were tied to a punishing rental model for the cylinders. This was the landscape when SGS Gases, then known as South West Gas Supplies, was established in 2010. The company, founded by Simon Peter Brace, identified a major friction point for small-scale users: paying continuous rent on a gas bottle you might only use intermittently was inefficient and expensive. The playbook was simple but disruptive: eliminate the rental fee entirely. Instead of locking customers into a lease, SGS introduced a one-time, fully refundable deposit for their cylinders. You needed gas, you paid a deposit, and when you returned the bottle—whether it was a week or a decade later—you got your money back. This move fundamentally changed the value proposition for hobbyists and independent businesses. What was once a recurring expense became a simple, one-off, recoverable cost. To scale this model, the company built out a nationwide network of local distributors, solving the crucial last-mile delivery problem and making their rent-free bottles widely accessible. The model's potential attracted outside capital, and the company secured backing from private equity firm Ruffena Capital to fuel its expansion. By focusing on a neglected customer segment and rewriting the rules of ownership, SGS Gases carved out a significant niche, proving that even in a traditional industry, a simple change to the business model can unlock immense value.