Iran War set to smash children’ events it threatens world’s provide of helium
Much of the world’s helium supply is shipped through the Strait of Hormuz and a lack of gas reaching the UK means that party balloons for kids’ birthdays are now under threat
The Iran war is threatening the supply of helium(Image: Getty Images/iStockphoto)
The air is set to go out of the balloon business with the Iran War threatening supplies of helium. Balloon sellers and florists fear they may be forced to cut back on sales in a matter of weeks because of a lack of the gas.
Qatar, which produces a third of the world’s helium, is unable to ship any because of the US-Iran closure of the Strait of Hormuz. Industry bosses in Britain have now warned party balloons for kids’ birthday bashes and anniversary celebrations are under pressure.
Gloucester-based company Plantation Florist has already stopped selling them because of the problem.
It stated: “A world shortage of the gas, which has applications in science and medicine, is said to have forced major suppliers to end their sales for party use.
“If the situation changes, our balloon products will be active again on this website.”
Helium is also used in semiconductors, astronautics, deep-sea diving, welding and medical imaging devices.
But the type used in balloons is in a less pure form so it often comes as an afterthought for major suppliers.
Bo Sears, the boss of US helium producer Helix Exploration, said that even if Hormuz reopened tomorrow, Qatar would still have to restart production before it could start exporting.
He explained: “You’re still going to have about a four-month lag before you get helium to any meaningful end-user.”
Mr Sears added that the worldwide scramble for supplies would hit “the balloon guys” hardest because bigger users would take precedence.
He said: “The balloon guys are at the bottom of the totem pole. They don’t want to be there, but they’re deemed less important.
“They are hustling, trying to find helium.”
George Oustayiannis, the founder of party wholesaler Go International, said that if Hormuz did not reopen soon, for his business “there will definitely be a problem in the very foreseeable future”.
He added: “I’d be very surprised if I don’t hear something in June about a limitation of what we can have, to supply to our accounts.
“By June or July, if there’s no change then there is going to be a large knock-on effect.
“This will be a tough one because there’s no clarity on when the tunnel ends.”
