Air Liquide opens Taiwan factory as helium shortage tightens around chip makers — 200 specialized helium containers stranded near the Strait of Hormuz

What happened

Air Liquide opened a new factory in Taiwan to address a critical helium shortage caused by the Iran-Qatar conflict, which has halted 30% of global production. With 200 transport containers stranded and chipmakers facing a six-week supply limit, the shortage poses a severe risk to semiconductor manufacturing. This supply disruption is likely to tighten helium availability and increase costs for chip fabrication.

Impact and signal

Affected components and suppliers

Source and time

Source: Tom's Hardware · 3/27/2026 · View original source