BOC recently has announced that it will increase U.S. helium prices by 8 percent, effective October 1, 2004, or as contracts allow.
BOC explained that this increase is necessary to offset the higher costs of purchasing and producing helium, and will affect customers purchasing helium in liquid dewars, gaseous tube trailers and bulk liquid containers.
The increased helium costs have resulted from a greater reliance on purchases of high-cost crude helium from the U.S. Bureau of Land Management.
