On September 28, 2023, Air Water America which supervises Air Water group’s North American business acquired American Gas Products (AGP) headquartered in the State of Massachusetts dealing with the helium gas supply business all over the US.

To acquire the business Air Water newly established a fully owned affiliate named American Gas Products to get transferred AGP’s business.
The acquisition of the business at this time is part of the plan to expand the industrial gas business in the US. Air Water has so far been doing business in the States mainly dealing with the equipment and engineering field. Since last year the company has developed a new supply system of air separation gases such as contracting the on-site plant and acquisition of distributors. Following the acquisition, the company wished to enrich also the other business to supply industrial gases than air separation gases. That is why the company decided to acquire the helium supplier.

The acquired AGP founded in 2002 is a helium supplier having a market share of 22% for balloon all over the US. The company sold about ¥10 billion (converted at ¥135 per dollar) in 2022 having 108 employees.
The company has many routes to procure helium and possesses filling stations at seven locations and also company-operated stores more than half area of the US. The company is also provided with an agency network in other areas.

The Public Relations Dept. of Air Water said, “The US also suffers a serious tightening situation of helium. Helium is supplied with priority for the growing semiconductor industry and MRI of the medical field, but the balloon application of smaller consumer has been suffering from short supply of helium. The demand of helium for balloon in the US is still quite huge, and AGP has been doing business as a dedicated supplier there.”

In the future, the company aims to advance into liquid supply business for the semiconductor and the aerospace industry as well as the reinforcement of the existing balloon market. They say that helium is generally supplied in the form of gas in the US. So, it is planned to use consignment measures.