Air Liquide Japan announced that it increased the price for specialty gas and rare gases effective March 6, 2014.

The revision was applied to arsine, phosphine, and rare gases such as helium, neon, xenon, and krypton as well as mixed gas. In addition, excimer laser gas, germane, silane, dichlorosilane, disilane, and semiconductor material chemical products called ALOHA products were also applied to the increase.

The revision ratio is around 20% in average, ranging from several percent up to 50% according to gas or amount, as well as geographical areas.

In terms of the reason for the price increase, Air Liquide Japan explained that the major reason for rare gases was escalation of the cost for procurement due to the tight situation globally, while the reason for specialty gas was that the variety of cost was also escalating in distribution and procurement according to decrease of volume in sales caused by downturn in electronics industry.

Most of these gases are imported from overseas. To supply steadily with high quality of these gases to users, Air Liquide said they could not avoid the revision in price.