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The US has become the leading source of helium and other noble gases for Taiwan, South Korea and Japan as disruptions to Qatari production and China's temporary export ban reshape supply routes for materials used in semiconductor manufacturing, according to a Nikkei Asiaanalysis of customs data and related reporting.

Ion Electronic Materials reported June 2026 consolidated revenue of NT$51.852 million (US$1.61 million), up 30% from a year earlier, as demand for advanced gases continued to expand. First-half consolidated revenue reached NT$315 million, down 3% from the same period in 2025, mainly because equipment revenue was absent.

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Semiconductor materials suppliers are moving to rebuild depleted inventories and recover sharply higher costs from Samsung Electronics, SK Hynix and other memory chip customers after the 106-day US-Iran war strained supply chains for precursors, specialty gases and other key chipmaking inputs.

SK Hynix's latest fire at its Cheongju, South Korea, campus has again disrupted operations at a key memory-chip site and prompted evacuations of thousands of workers. The incident adds to a series of recent accidents, raising fresh safety concerns for semiconductor plants worldwide that depend on hazardous gases and chemicals.

Wah Lee Industrial said it has formally moved into investments in standard gases and other supplies needed by wafer fabs, with its Tainan logistics center set to open in the second half of 2026 to support future growth. Chairman Gary Chang also confirmed that the company will pass on higher costs for semiconductor and PCB products quarterly as raw material prices climb.