From its usage in welding and cutting, fibre optics, electronics, aerospace and leak-testing applications, to its publicly recognisable role in balloon inflation, helium has typically been a gas in increasing demand.
Though also commonly used as a carrier gas or in calibration gas mixtures, and the subject of almost exponential demand growth from the evolving electronics business, the well-documented helium shortages of recent years have taken their toll on the gas’ expected exigency.
Demand growth coming out of the shortage has disappointed industry participants, gasworld understands, as the dearth of significant new helium applications – combined with sluggish manufacturing growth around the world and residual ‘conservation momentum’ – has made it difficult to find growth in the market.
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