Meritus Gas Partners, a portfolio company of AEA Investors’ Small Business Private Equity team, announced Feb. 10 that it has closed its acquisition of “substantially all assets” of MagneGas Welding Supply – South, LLC, according to a news release.

The purchase was completed through a process resulting from MagneGas and its parent, Taronis Fuels, Inc., filing Chapter 11, according to the release. Financial details were not announced.

The acquired assets involve MagneGas’ business in Texas, Louisiana and Indiana, and will include seven retail locations and a “recently expanded, state-of-the-art” fill plant and specialty gas laboratory in the Dallas-Fort Worth area.

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Mitchell Welding Supply, LLC — Meritus’ existing operating company in the Dallas-Fort Worth area — will integrate all of MagneGas’ assets, customers and employees into its business. Jered Ruyle, former CEO of Taronis, will join the Mitchell management team as Vice President of Operations.

“We are ecstatic to add the excellent MagneGas facilities and operating assets to our growing Mitchell business and welcome MagneGas’ dedicated employees to the Meritus family,” said Rob D’Alessandro, Meritus’ Vice Chairman. “We are confident that Mitchell will offer an exceptional level of service to MagneGas’ loyal customers. The Dallas-Fort Worth market is a top 5 industrial market in the United States, and the stretch of East Texas between the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex and Shreveport, LA that MagneGas serves has a vibrant, growing customer base. This acquisition furthers our growth plans to become the leading independent distributor in the region. We are also fortunate to inherit a high-quality gas-rich business in Indiana which gives us a jump start to build a larger business in that area.”