About UCA
Driven by innovation, defined by reliability
Our Mission
Our mission is to successfully develop, design, build, operate, and maintain compressed air solutions for Customers in various industrial and high technology applications. Our PIPELINE AIR™ approach will remove the burden of operation and maintenance from our customers, while providing safety in operation, guaranteed reliability and energy savings, reduced environmental impact, preservation of capital, and associated financial benefits.
With UCA as a partner, customers can focus investments and attention on their core business.
Our Commitment to Safety
Safety is of the highest concern to Universal Compressed Air. We are committed to providing a safe environment for our employees, our customers, and those interacting with our systems. These values are an integral part of our efficiently operating systems.
Our Commitment to Sustainability
At UCA, sustainability is at the heart of what we do. As an ENERGY STAR® partner, we’re dedicated to reducing environmental impact through energy-efficient solutions. Our systems are designed to lower carbon footprints and help our customers achieve their sustainability goals while conserving energy and resources for a better tomorrow.
With extensive expertise in all major compressed air technologies, UCA delivers tailor-made solutions for industrial operations. We don’t just supply air, we guarantee its performance, reliability, and cost-effectiveness. If we don’t meet our commitments, we pay the penalties.
Why Choose UCA?
Our Story
Decades of Experience. A Future of Innovation.
Universal Compressed Air (UCA) carries a legacy of innovation, technical expertise, and client-first service that spans decades. Our journey began in the early 1990s with the founding of Universal Industrial Gases (UIG), a company dedicated to providing air separation plants, engineering services, and industrial gases to manufacturing facilities worldwide.
In 1995, Sam Piazza Sr. joined UIG as President and minority owner, eventually forming Universal Air Gases, Inc. (UAG) in 2001 and acquiring UIG. Over the next decade, UIG and its affiliated companies expanded their scope from reconditioned equipment to new turnkey custom-engineered gas plants, and later to long-term supply contracts for industrial gases including oxygen, nitrogen, and argon.
As the business evolved, so did the vision. In 2015, recognizing the growing potential in the compressed air market, we established Universal Compressed Air as a division of UIG. By 2016, it became its own entity, Universal Compressed Air, LLC (UCA). That same year, Sam Piazza Jr. joined the company, bringing a new generation of leadership and energy to the business.
Although newly independent, UCA remained rooted in its origins, proudly carrying forward the logo and legacy of its predecessors. We officially launched in 2019 with fewer than ten employees and a bold goal: to redefine compressed air as a utility. With deep industry knowledge, engineering capabilities, and a commitment to service, we rapidly grew, securing capital lease and operations contracts with major manufacturers. In 2023, Sam Jr. became a minority owner, continuing the family’s entrepreneurial legacy.
Today, UCA continues to operate as a nimble, innovative company backed by decades of experience in the industrial gas space. Our foundation is built on long-term client partnerships, reliable operations, and a passion for delivering turnkey solutions that meet the evolving needs of modern industry. We’re proud of where we come from and even more excited about where we’re headed.