The market for helium detectors, including the market in Japan and sales overseas, is expected to move along with a slight increase over the previous year, reaching around 2.1 billion yen in 2013. The reasons are advance purchases ahead of the 3% increase in sales tax to go into effect in April and the eagerness which has appeared among some users to engage in capital investment. According to statistics put out by the Japan Vacuum Industry Association, 2012 moved along down by 7.5% over the previous year, amounting to 1.9 billion yen. 2013 should recover to the level of 2011.

Helium leak detectors check the air tightness of products, taking advantage of the characteristics of helium, which has high dispersion and extremely small molecules. Helium leak detectors are widely used for leak testing of equipment such as all types of piping, mass flow controllers, and valves in addition to auto components and air conditioners, all of which require air tightness. The major manufacturers are Ulvac, Canon Anelva, Inficon, and Shimadzu Emit. As for shares held in the Japanese market, Ulvac accounts for about half, and it accounts for 90% of the export market.

Concerning this market, the manufacturers have come out with views such as, “This is a market which will not achieve major growth but one which should move along stably.” Even taking an overall view of the market, with the exception of 2009, it has been moving along in the range of about 1.7-2.1 billion yen, so that it could be called a stable market.

While most of the manufacturers are forecasting the market to be flat in 2013, Akira Takagi, a sales expert from Canon Anelva commented, “We are engaged in OEM supply to a company whose major customers are auto component manufacturers. Because sales of these are increasing, the outlook for 2013 calls for an increase of 100 million yen over the previous year, amounting to about ¥300 million.” This indicates that some users are very actively engaged in capital investment.