The Independent Welding Distributors Cooperative (IWDC), a buying group for welding supplies distributors, announced Dec. 14 that it has broken its all-time annual members’ spend record in 2022.

IWDC’s previous spend record was $304.8 million, set in 2021. IWDC already broke that record at the end of October and should “easily eclipse $370 million for full year 2022,” according to IWDC President and CEO Frank Kasnick.

“This is a testament to the strength and resilience of the independents in our welding and gas industry and reflects the strong support from our vendor partners,” Kasnick said in a news release.

IWDC also announced that it raised $11,000 at its November Owners’ Meeting for the charity ReIGNITE Hope. IWDC has raised a total of $38,280 for ReIGNITE Hope — which trains students in welding, gets them certified in the welding trade and helps them with job placement — in 2022, according to thee news release.

“We would like to thank our members, vendors and employees for their generous donations to this worthy cause,” IWDC Director of Marketing & Gas Program Vic Wilson said. “In 2022 we raised enough money and product to help ReIGNITE Hope complete their new mobile welding school and to help operate it for another year.”