Air Liquide Japan marked a non-consolidated account closing FY2017 ending December of sales amounting to JPY 99.425 billion up 1.6% and operating income of JPY14.193 billion up 15.8% owing to saving of selling expenses by 2%, which brought an ordinary income of JPY 20.196 billion up 15.8%, which brought a net profit for the term of JPY 14.848 billion up 27.1% showing a 2-digit percent growth in profit.

Considering ALJ’s account of calendar year (Jan. to Dec. 2017), the fiscal closing coincided with the time when the business condition of the major industrial gas users like steelmaking and chemical industries was just heading for recovery. For ALJ which was engaging only in the industrial gas business, it may well be said that the situation brought about a satisfactory market circumstance. At the same time, continuous efforts were made in various savings aiming at cost reduction and tackling for optimization, which brought an operating profit on sales of 14.2%.