Operation rates of onsite supply drop; bulk supply of liquefied gases on open market remains stagnant

摘要

According to JIMGA (Japan Industrial and Medical Gases Association) statistics, total 2019 oxygen sales were down 5% from the previous year to 1.535 billion m~3. A rebound from the high level of onsite demand for steel and chemicals last year in 2018 returned oxygen to negative growth again. Open market demand for oxygen also remained sluggish. Sales of liquid oxygen for 2019 dropped 6.1% year on year according to JIMGA data (cumulative from January through December 2019).