What sets Supagas apart in delivering medical gases?

From 3 am emergency deliveries to supporting families and veterinarians with complex medical equipment, Supagas’s medical team goes beyond gas supply — offering a level of care that’s deeply personal, and crucial in times of need.

In the early hours of a recent morning, Roy Nicolson, National Manager – Medical & Liquid Nitrogen Services at Supagas, was on the road before sunrise. A delivery of oxygen concentrators destined for Toowoomba, in Queensland, hadn’t arrived on time, and the local branch needed them urgently. So, Roy loaded the units into his car and made the trip himself.

“That’s just what we do,” Nicolson says. “In this line of work, getting oxygen concentrators to someone urgently can literally mean someone being able to spend another Christmas with their family and not in the hospital. We can’t miss a delivery.”

This quiet act of service is typical of a team that treats every customer with the urgency and empathy their condition deserves. And it’s the culture of ‘Yes We Can’ — Supagas’s ethos of flexibility and care — that drives their medical division forward.

Providing more than just gas

While many Australians know Supagas as a leading LPG provider, its medical arm is expanding rapidly. The division offers two primary medical gases — medical oxygen and medical air, with a focus on expanding into nitrous oxide, and medical CO₂.

But what sets Supagas apart isn’t just its gas range. These gases support everything from hospitals to veterinary clinics — and they’re backed by the equipment and service needed to deliver them safely and reliably.

“About 30 per cent of our medical business is in equipment,” Nicolson says. “We don’t just provide the gas. We provide the regulators, the masks, the floor concentrators, and portable oxygen concentrators — everything needed for someone to receive care safely at home or in a clinic.”

The portable units, in particular, are a growing market. “They give people freedom,” Nicolson says. “They can go to the shops, see friends, attend appointments. That equipment changes lives.”

From small general practices to aged care facilities and veterinarians, Supagas supports both domestic and commercial clients. They’re also the long-term supplier to Ambulance Victoria — a contract that speaks to the company’s reliability and scale.

Empathy at every touchpoint

What truly distinguishes Supagas’s medical team is the way its people show up — often at the most sensitive moments in customers’ lives.

It’s why Nicolson has built a team with clinical backgrounds, gas industry experience, and — above all — empathy. “One of our team members, Naomi Hankinson [Internal Sales Coordinator – Medical] knows how to connect to our customers, in the right tone, in the right way for the unique person and circumstance.”

And customers agree. Among numerous five-star Google Reviews, one customer wrote of Naomi and the Supagas team:

As I was a new client and I needed medical oxygen in a hurry, I phoned three companies to see who could supply and deliver quickly. Supagas was the only one that offered to supply my needs within 24 hours. Naomi was our phone contact and she was amazing. She set up our account, explained the different oxygen machines, their benefits, and the difference in price, and organised a prompt delivery. Even the delivery drivers were exceptionally friendly and professional. I can highly recommend Supagas and will continue to use them for my medical oxygen.

It’s feedback like this that underpins Supagas’s Net Promoter Score (NPS) of +50, well above the global median of +44, and reflects a brand recommended by customers who value both our service and responsiveness.¹

That level of human connection also applies to working with doctors and prescribers. If a medical script arrives incomplete, lacking certain items necessary for the patient’s care to succeed — they call the clinic, explain what’s needed, and get it sorted.

“It’s not just about compliance. It’s about making the process smooth and less stressful for people in tough situations,” Nicolson says.

Growing into new markets

Supagas’s medical gas footprint is tied to its expanding network of operational branches — a growth story that continues to build momentum. With major contracts secured in Queensland, New South Wales, and the Northern Territory, the company is steadily building out its national capabilities.

“We’ve recently been awarded work with national groups like Apiam Vets,” Nicolson says. “And we’re setting up systems that allow us to manage larger accounts across multiple regions.”

Built for something bigger

For Nicolson, the long-term vision is deeply motivating.

“I’ve seen what our parent company does in medical overseas — and I know what’s possible,” he says. “Right now, we’re a small part of the Supagas business, but we’re building something that will soon be so much bigger.”

That includes recruiting specialist drivers, hiring more technicians, and expanding account management teams with healthcare knowledge.

And it all circles back to the core value that defines Supagas’s medical team.

“There’s an added sense of urgency when you’re talking about healthcare. Because you’re delivering equipment that keeps people and animals alive. And we treat it that way.”

To learn more about Supagas, click here.

Roy Nicolson, National Manager – Medical & Liquid Nitrogen Services at Supagas.

^{1 https://www.surveymonkey.com/curiosity/what-is-a-good-net-promoter-score/}

Top image caption: While many Australians know Supagas as a leading LPG provider, its medical arm is expanding rapidly.