Japan-based gas giant Iwatani Corporation (Iwatani) is to create a helium centre in Thailand through its wholly owned subsidiary Iwatani Corporation (Thailand) Ltd.

With an aim to expand and strengthen the industrial gas market in Southeast Asia, the centre will provide a base for filling industrial gas, primarily helium.

Considered a scarce gas, helium production is produced in only a few select regions across the world. By expanding the potential for production of the gas, industries such as semiconductor manufacturing will see greater support, in addition to applications such as MRI equipment cooling.

Becoming the second such base in Southeast Asia, the Bangkok Gas Centre is set to begin operations in November 2021.