LPG Spotlight: American Cylinder Exchange

Without the people, there is no propane industry.

American Cylinder Exchange operates 11 locations with nearly 120 employees in 13 states. Photo courtesy of ACX

American Cylinder Exchange (ACX), a cylinder exchange company headquartered in West Palm Beach, Florida, quickly understood the value of people to its operation.

“High-energy, positive people are the number one thing we look for,” says Mike Gioffre, a partner with ACX. “Recruiting the right owner-operator partner and staff is more important than the location and the demographics, believe it or not. We believe a good part of our success stems from connecting ourselves with the right people.”

With that focus in mind, ACX has grown to 11 locations with nearly 120 employees in 13 states since its founding in 2017. The company has expanded as far west as Phoenix, as far north as Chicago, as far east as Baltimore and Miami, and as far south as San Antonio.

Rewind to when Gioffre joined Paraco Gas in 1993 as the vice president of sales and marketing. After many years with the company, he was looking for his next career challenge.

“I got to the point where I needed a change in my career,” he says.

In 2012, Gioffre and John Armentano – a Paraco Gas owner and ACX partner – negotiated and closed a joint venture arrangement with three companies focused on cylinder exchange under the name Paraco South, which would remain under the Paraco Gas umbrella.

In 2017, Gioffre and Armentano separated from Paraco Gas to start their own company, ACX.

“We were on our own and officially separated from Paraco Gas to start American Cylinder Exchange,” Gioffre says. “We sat in an office in this big warehouse space in West Palm Beach, Florida, with no supplies, no furniture, no phones. We were officially on our own.”

Since that separation, ACX, along with its partners, the Rhine Family and nine local owner-operators, have grown to numerous locations across the country.

“We have worked hard with our business partners, and we have an incredibly dedicated team,” Gioffre says. “We work hard to grow this business each and every day.”

Growing the business, Gioffre explains, centers on one thing: people.

“I think our model is a little bit different,” he says. “We really look for partners and staff who have an entrepreneurial spirit. The people who understand the value of those customers. We recruit people who are 100 percent committed to this customer experience.”

ACX’s team-driven culture is something Gioffre values most.

“The best part of ACX is the journey,” Gioffre says. “[Armentano] and I wake up every single day and we are motivated, excited and we love what we do because we work with so many great people.”

*Featured photo courtesy of ACX

AMERICAN CYLINDER EXCHANGE

Founded // 2017
Headquarters // West Palm Beach, Florida
Partners // John Armentano, Mike Gioffre, Rhine family
Employees // 120
Locations // 11
Website // acxusa.com