With the contribution of the sales increase in industrial gas and all other businesses following the rising import price of LP gas, the sales increased by 22.8% with the operating profit up by 36.5% and ordinary profit up 35.9% and the profit attributable to the owners of parent up 30.1%. The record-high performance in sales and profit was renewed for seven consecutive years. The year-end dividend is planned to increase by 10 yen up to 85 yen.

At the stage of ordinary profit caused by the price rise of imported LP gas (market factor) the increased profit amounted to 7.9 billion yen, and the increased profit by pure water excluding the factor amounted to 6 billion yen up 18.6% compared with last year. The forecast of this term shows a negative estimation in terms of profit, but it did not take account of the market factor. According to President Hiroshi Majima, the company intends to keep the increasing base of profit in the actual business.

In terms of the business segments, the industrial gases & Machinery business increased sales revenue by 7.1% with the operating profit up 26.2%. The sales of all kinds of industrial gases amounting to 106.4 billion yen renewed the record high level. The sales of Industrial Gases & Machinery business remained good with the increased sales of dry ice for transportation of vaccine. Hydrogen increased in sales but enquiries for a large-scale project decreased. The sales of liquid hydrogen amounted to 71 million m3.

President Majima said, “To realize carbon neutrality the verification of hydrogen has been beginning in power generation and the other industrial fields. It is relating to the new customers of liquid hydrogen.”
He made it clear that the company is going ahead steadily toward the accomplishment of the targeted sales of 90 million m3 (March 2024) in the current mid-term business plan.
As for the ammonia business, he commented, “As we have experienced the supply in such as denitration, we wish to take in surely the transition demand aiming at decarbonization.”

In the total energy business, as aforesaid, due to the rising import price of LP gas, the sales increased by 29% with the operating profit up 34.4%

In the material business, the sale increased by 35.1% with the operating income up 54.6%. The natural industrial business increased it sales by 15.1% with the operating profit down 18.7%.

The forecast of this term is that the total sales will increase by 16.3% amounting to 803 billion yen with an operating profit down 12.7% amounting to 35 billion and an ordinary profit down 11.7% amounting to 41 billion and a profit for the term down 11.6% amounting to 26.5 billion. However, in case of disregarding a market factor, the operating profit will increase by 9% and the ordinary profit up 6.7%. As for the industrial gas business, the sales will increase by 23.8% amounting to ¥228.2 billion with an operating profit up 7.5% amounting to ¥13.4 billion.