This Market Intelligence Report focuses on the industrial gases manufacturing marketplace in the United States from a supply chain sourcing perspective. Industrial gas suppliers manufacture and provide industrial gases to a diverse range of consumers including industrial, medical and specialized users. The gases are either extracted from the air or are produced by chemical synthesis and take various forms such as compressed, liquid, or solid. The supply base is heavily concentrated, with the top four manufacturers controlling roughly 75 percent of the global and U.S. markets. The industrial gases manufacturing industry is expected to remain a relatively stable market for the next few years and will continue growing, even in the current environment of a global recession. The demand for industrial gases is generated by various multiple multinational industries with primary drivers including global economic activity, increasing environmental pressures and rising energy prices. Key costs around the industrial gases market include labor, freight and logistics, petroleum and other associated energy costs. The major trends in the industrial gas industry include downstream technological improvements, growing demand by the oil refining and chemical industries, and increasing gas shortages, among others. Import and export activity in this sector is low but increasing. Regulations mostly concern the safe production and transportation of gases. The more common industrial gases, such as nitrogen and carbon dioxide, are non-toxic, but others gases, such as hydrogen, which is explosive and a fire hazard, are subject to more stringent rules. The risk outlook for the industrial gas industry is improving based on the macroeconomic environment. Category management best practices around the industrial gases industry include strategic sourcing practices, capacity expansion, green initiatives and international market dynamic advantages.
Starting with detailed background information to provide category context, this report provides insight into the market drivers around demand and key costs, including both historical and forecasted commodity pricing. The supply base section covers the top suppliers, including high-level overviews and market news. The report presents the NAICS category cost structure and historical, current and future pricing curves. The trend section reports new and emerging industry directions. Regulatory considerations include tariff and taxation issues and developing governmental initiatives. Risk outlooks offer a view into upstream drivers that could adversely affect the industry and category. Insights and Best Practices share winning strategies around the management and sourcing of this category.
