Minitop is a recent concept in gas cylinders now available to MasterTrade customers.

An innovation of Air Liquide, the world's largest gas supplier, Minitop brings convenience, accessibility and portability to oxygen and acetylene operations. In short, it is billed as the "small gas cylinder with built in regulator that makes work easy."

Its major features include:

• Ease-of-use ergonomic handle comfortable to hold and carry while its shock absorbing characteristics permanently protect the valve and regulator.
• Quick and safe opening and closing of valve; easy to check the position.
• Fixed and well protected regulator.
• Working pressure easily adjusted to specific needs.
• Hose easily connects manually to a standard outlet connection.
• Contents can be checked at a glance whether the valve is open or closed.

Air Liquide Business Manager of Cylinder Gases, Bruce Rowe, says the roll out of Minitop to Mastertrade outlets promotes the benefits for plumbers, refrigeration servicemen, home handymen and other small volume users.

A 10 year right of exchange system with each cylinder makes Minitop affordable, giving plumbers and contractors access to a large cylinder pool. The launch of Minitop began to MasterTrade outlets on February 21 and a nationwide roll-out is expected to be completed by the end of the year.

Air Liquide is also promoting what it describes as "new workmates" for Minitop – separate gas and acetylene torches which complement the compact system. Features of the gas torch include six replacement tips for different heating requirements and flashback arrestors for added safety.

Bruce says the air acetylene torch is proving popular for copper work as the one cylinder system with automatic ignition is more portable and cost effective. "This system is very suitable for brazing copper tube up to 32mm," he says.

The outlet on Minitop is a standard connection and associated gas hoses are supplied in standard five metre sets to manually connect cylinders to the torches.

"Minitop is an added value service for plumbers who are now accessing gas at selected MasterTrade outlets. It enhances those outlets as convenient one stop shops where gas can be sourced in the same way as more traditional plumbing products," Bruce says.