Bloomberg: Iran War Chokepoints Begin to Cast Doubt on Global Chip Supply (Julia Christina Hess)

In this Bloomberg feature Lead Global Chip Dynamics Julia Christina Hess mapped the vulnerabilities of the European tech supply chain in the context of the ongoing Middle East conflict. Hess highlighted the continent's heavy reliance on external helium imports, noting that the EU sources approximately 40% of its helium directly from Qatar. She pointed out that domestic production remains highly insufficient, with Poland acting as the sole EU producer and covering just 8% of the region's demand.

However, Hess suggested that Europe's strategic storage capacity, which was built up following the Russian war in Ukraine and the shutdown of the US National Helium Reserve’s enrichment unit, could mitigate immediate supply shocks. Specifically, she referenced Air Liquide SA’s underground helium storage facility in Gronau-Epe, Germany, noting its capacity of around 47 million cubic meters per year could "perhaps act as a buffer now."