# Argon: Production

A gas whose world output nobody publishes

Source page: https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/argon/production/

What this tab covers Who makes it and how much: world capacity and output, utilisation, the top producing countries and companies globally and in India, concentration, new capacity coming, and each region's position.

| Measure | Figure | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| **World capacity** | not published |  | USGS: world production of argon 'was large', no figure |
| **World output** | world not published; US sales 1.1 billion m3 (about 2.0 Mt) in 2025, with imports of 35 million m3 and exports of 60 million m3 |  | USGS MCS 2026 |
| **Capacity utilisation** | not published | Four new US ASUs able to produce argon started in 2025 (Louisiana, Ohio, Tennessee, Texas). Supply tightens when steel-plant ASUs or ammonia plants shut. | USGS MCS 2026 |
| **Concentration** | top-5 gas companies about 80-84% of industrial gases | Argon sales are dominated by the same majors, plus captive steel ASUs in China and India. | MarketsandMarkets (2024) |
| **New capacity** | new argon-capable ASUs mostly in Asia | Four US argon-capable ASUs started in 2025; several new rare-gas ASUs are under development, mostly in Asia (USGS 2026). | USGS MCS 2026 |

#### Top producing countries

- **China**: not published; largest steel (980 Mt) and solar ingot base
- **United States**: about 2.0 Mt sold (2025); net exporter
- **India**: not published; 160 Mt steel
- **Japan**: not published; 81 Mt steel
- **Russia**: not published; rare gas supply from Russia and Ukraine limited since 2022
 USGS MCS 2026 (steel); USGS MCS 2026

#### Largest producers: global

| Company | Country | Volume | Year | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| **Linde** argon volume not disclosed | UK/US/Germany | 33.99 $ billion sales, all gases | 2025 | [Linde 2025 Annual Report](https://www.lobbyregister.bundestag.de/media/42/b1/812501/2025-annual-report-to-shareholders.pdf) |
| **Air Liquide** not retrieved | France | not published | 2025 | [company](https://www.airliquide.com/) |
| **Air Products** not retrieved | US | not published | FY2025 | [company](https://www.airproducts.com/) |
| **Airgas (Air Liquide)** largest US cylinder distributor | US | not published | 2014 | [gasworld (2014 price increases of up to 25% and 15%)](https://www.gasworld.com/story/airgas-announces-price-increases-on-argon/2075686.article) |
| **Nippon Sanso Holdings** not retrieved | Japan | not published | 2025 | [MarketsandMarkets top-5](https://www.nipponsanso-hd.co.jp/en/) |

#### Largest producers: India

| Company | Country | Volume | Year | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| **INOX Air Products** argon volume not published | India | 456 $ million commercial gas revenue, all gases | 2024 | [gasworld India report (2025)](https://gasworld.com/story/india-country-report-market-for-industrial-gases-grows-500m-in-decade/2154302.article) |
| **Linde India** argon volume not published | India | 466 $ million commercial gas revenue, all gases | 2024 | [gasworld India report (2025)](https://gasworld.com/story/india-country-report-market-for-industrial-gases-grows-500m-in-decade/2154302.article) |
| **Air Liquide India** | India | not published | 2024 | [gasworld India report (2025)](https://gasworld.com/story/india-country-report-market-for-industrial-gases-grows-500m-in-decade/2154302.article) |

India makes argon at steel-plant and merchant ASUs; national volumes are not published. Indian bulk argon was priced about 13% above Chinese export argon in August 2026 ($786/t CIF against $695/t FOB), which points to some import dependence at the margin (Procurement Resource).

#### Position by region

| Region | Position |
|---|---|
| **US** | Net exporter: exports 60 million m3 against imports 35 million m3 (2025); 90% of imports from Canada (USGS). |
| **EU** | Self-sufficient in normal years; ASU closures at idled steel and ammonia plants in 2022 tightened supply (indicative). |
| **India** | Domestic supply from steel ASUs; prices above China's export level in 2026. |
| **China** | Largest producer and user; solar ingot growth is a major demand source (indicative). |
| **Japan** | Self-sufficient; electronics demand. |
| **Middle East** | Large ASUs at GTL and petrochemical sites can recover argon. |

## Other sections

- [Summary](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/argon/index.md)
- [Overview](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/argon/overview/index.md)
- [Correlation](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/argon/correlation/index.md)
- [Production route](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/argon/routes/index.md)
- [Feedstocks](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/argon/feedstocks/index.md)
- [Cycles](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/argon/cycles/index.md)
- [Trading](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/argon/trading/index.md)
- [Movement](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/argon/movement/index.md)
- [Regulation](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/argon/regulation/index.md)
- [Characteristics](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/argon/characteristics/index.md)
- [Emissions](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/argon/emissions/index.md)
- [Relationships](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/argon/links/index.md)