The unusually early summer has caused a more serious tightness in the supply of dry ice than experienced during these years.

On July 1, Showa Denko Gas Products notified in its website that any new order for dry ice cannot be handled for the time being. Even for the existing regular customers the company excuses now for its probable inability to supply more dry ice than delivered last year. It seems that Nippon Ekitan and Iwatani are also taking nearly the same measures.

While Air Water Carbonic is now controlling deliveries due to the plant trouble at the major base of production, the dry ice market has been in an increasing mood of tightness mainly in the Kanto area since June.

Incidentally, the end of the rainy season was declared across the country earlier this year than usual, and the demand for dry ice is now increasing in proportion to the rising temperature. Although each supplier takes a full-production system at its operable plant, there is no room to handle any larger demand than the level experienced during these years.

Imported dry ice has been functioning to back the supply at the peak time of demand, but the procurement has encountered difficulty due to lockdown in China which is the biggest source of supply. According to the foreign trade statistics, the imported carbon dioxide has reduced to below half of last year since August of last year.