Bridgewater, N.J., U.S., Sept. 22, 2026 – Messer, the world's leading privately owned specialist for industrial, medical and specialty gases, has appointed Jim McKay as Vice President and General Manager of its Messer Canada business, effective September 21, 2026.
McKay brings nearly 14 years of industrial gases experience from Praxair Canada, along with extensive executive leadership experience across transportation, supply chain, retail and e-commerce. Most recently, he served as Chief Executive Officer of the North American and Canadian operations of General Logistics Systems (GLS), and he has also held senior leadership roles at Loomis Express, Canpar Express and Walmart Canada.
"Jim's deep industrial gases background, combined with his broad executive leadership experience and strong knowledge of the Canadian market, make him exceptionally well-suited to lead Messer Canada into its next phase of growth," said Marcos Etcheverrigaray, Vice President, MPG Countries, Messer Americas. "His operational discipline and customer focus will be invaluable as we continue to strengthen our position in the region."
"I am honored to join Messer and lead its Canadian business," McKay said. "This is a company with a strong foundation, a talented team and a long history of serving customers safely and reliably. I look forward to working with our colleagues across Canada to build on that legacy and drive continued growth."
McKay holds an Executive MBA from Queen's University's Smith School of Business and a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology and Business from the University of Western Ontario. He is fluent in both French and English and holds the Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA CMA) and Certified CITT Logistics Professional (CCLP) designations.
About Messer
Messer is the largest privately held industrial gas business in the world and a leading industrial and medical gas company in North America, South America, Asia and Europe. Messer offers more than 125 years of expertise in industrial, medical, specialty and electronics gases. The company delivers quality gases, related services and technology via an extensive production and distribution network. Health and safety, sustainability practices and environmental protection are core Messer values that are embedded in the company’s daily operations.
Messer Americas sales account approximately for >50% of Messer worldwide sales of over $5 billion USD. For more information, visit: www.messeramericas.com.
