This section provides an overview for indium as well as their applications and principles. Also, please take a look at the list of 36 indium manufacturers and their company rankings. Here are the top-ranked indium companies as of November, 2024: 1.Stanford Advanced Materials, 2.AK Scientific, Inc, 3.AccuStandard.
Table of Contents
Indium is a metallic element belonging to genus 13 of the periodic table, with the element symbol In and atomic number 49.
It has a density of 7.3 and a melting point of 156.4°C, which is quite low for a metal. Indium is named after the word Indigo because of the dark blue color of its emission spectrum.
It does not occur naturally as a single mineral but is found in small amounts in sulfides, primarily in flash zinc ore, and is recovered as a byproduct of zinc and lead smelting. It is one of the rarest and most precious metals. Despite its scarcity, its demand is growing, making its availability and cost an issue.
Chemical Formula | In |
Atomic Number | 49 |
English Name | Indium |
Molecular Weight | 114.818 |
Melting Point | 156.6°C |
The main applications of Indium are liquid crystal displays and touch panels. Due to its structure, LCD panels require transparent electrodes, and indium tin oxide is used for these transparent electrodes. Indium tin oxide, commonly known as ITO, is a compound of indium oxide (In2O3), an oxide of indium, and tin oxide (SnO2).
Thin films (ITO films) made of indium tin oxide (ITO) have both visible light transmittance and electrical conductivity and are often used as transparent electrodes in LCD panels. In addition, indium can be doped into silicon and germanium to make p-type semiconductors.
Indium is also soft and ductile even at room temperature, making it very easy to bond to glass and metals. This makes it useful as a sealing material that can be used in low-temperature environments and as a solder for low-melting-point alloys.
Physical properties are band blue-white or silver-gray and soft enough to be cut with a knife. It is very stable in air at room temperature. Chemically, it is easily attacked by acids but is stable against alkalis.
Compounds of indium include indium oxide, indium phosphide, indium arsenide, and indium antimonide. Indium also exists in two mass numbers, 113 and 115, with 113 being a stable isotope and 115 being a radioactive isotope.
However, in nature, indium with a mass number of 115 accounts for about 95% of the total mass of indium, making it an unusual element in that it is more abundant as a radioactive isotope than as a stable isotope. However, radioactive isotopes with a mass number of 115 have an extremely long half-life of 441 trillion years and can almost be called stable isotopes.
Indium is therefore used in a wide variety of electronic components, but its radioactivity has never been a problem.
Deaths from interstitial pneumonia have previously been reported for ITO made from indium, and several cases of interstitial pneumonia have been reported among workers who handle ITO. In response, the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (MHLW) announced in 2010 measures to prevent health problems due to work involving the handling of indium and tin oxides.
Mines in Hokkaido, Japan, used to be the world's largest producer of indium, but now China is the largest producer. Other countries with significant production include South Korea, Canada, and Japan.
However, the rapid increase in the number of indium mining sites and processing plants to meet modern demand has led to environmental destruction. Therefore, measures are being taken in Japan to promote the recycling of indium and the use of alternative materials.
*Including some distributors, etc.
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Stanford Advanced Materials was established in 1994 in Lake Forest, California to provide rare-earth products for research and development purposes. Stanford Advanced Materials serves many industries ranging from automotive to fashion to energy to research to sports to textiles. Stanford Advanced Materials manufactures and distributes purified metals, ceramics, composite materials including strips, plates, rods, wires, and bars, as well as laboratory equipment and optical equipment including crystals, lenses, splitters, and windows.
AK Scientific, Inc. (AKS) is an American advanced intermediates and fine chemicals manufacturer that was established in Union City, California in 1997. The company’s product lineup includes chemical biocides, bioactives, inhibitors, and reagents. It also offers a range of products for use in life science applications, such as screening compounds, organoborons, and molecular fluorophores. These are extensively used in agrochemicals, biotech, pharmaceuticals, and nanotechnology. Aside from its products, AKS also offers international procurement and sourcing services to its clients, which include AstraZeneca, Sanofi-Aventis, and Bristol-Myers Squibb.
AccuStandard, established in 1986 and headquartered in New Haven, Connecticut, USA, is a manufacturer of Certified Reference Materials (CRMs). The offered products include organic standards, inorganic standards, custom standards, proficiency testing materials, and calibration kits. These products are used to ensure the accuracy, precision, and reliability of analytical methods and instruments in various industries such as environmental, pharmaceutical, food, petrochemical, and forensic. Its products meet stated specifications and comply with international standards, including ISO 17034:2016, ISO/IEC 17025:2017, and ISO 9001:2015.
ESPI Metals, established in 1950 and headquartered in Ashland, Oregon, is an American manufacturer specializing in high-purity metals, metal compounds, and alloys. The company’s offerings cover 70 elements and alloys from the periodic table in forms of chips and pieces, discs, foils and sheets, as well as wires and rods. Other forms include ingots, pellets and shots, and powder. Additionally, the company provides cleansing agents branded as DeContam, designed for the aerospace and nuclear sectors The company serves clients in the aerospace, defense, education, green energy, and medical technology. Notable customers include General Electric, Harvard Medical School, and the Alberta Research Council.
American Elements was founded in 1997 in California and currently has research and production facilities in Utah, Mexico, China, and the United Kingdom. AE manufactures and distributes advanced materials from a catalog of over 30,000 products for bulk industrial use as well as small scale laboratory use. AE also provides testing and analyses services including spectroscopy along with structural, thermal, and electrical analyses. AE holds sustainable development as a core corporate value and is committed to work to protect the health of the environment.
Santa Cruz Biotechnology, Inc., established in 1991 and headquartered in Dallas, Texas, is an American manufacturer and supplier specializing in biological products for medical research. Initially providing antibodies to the research community, they expanded their offerings to include gene silencers like siRNA and shRNA (plasmid and lentiviral), targeting all known mouse and human genes. Over time, Santa Cruz Biotechnology provides over 175,000 research biochemicals under the brand ChemCruz, including protein-interacting inhibitors, substrates, and activators, tailored for studying protein functions. The company offers monoclonal primary antibodies, designed for various mammalian and non-mammalian protein targets, along with corresponding binding secondary antibodies.
Founded in 2007, AHP Materials functions as a manufacturer and distributor specialty materials company, with a key specialization lies in Antimony, Cadmium Sulfide, Tellurium shot, Tellurium Dioxide, and Zinc Oxide materials. Beyond the standard product offerings, AHP accommodates specific demands by providing custom order materials, manufactured by their experienced product development team. This approach aims to meet the distinct needs of clients across various industries. AHP's core centers around technical support, safety, integrity, quality, and continuous improvement.
Apollo Scientific Ltd, a subsidiary of Japan’s Central Glass Europe Limited, is a research chemicals manufacturer and supplier founded in 1993 and headquartered in Bredbury, United Kingdom. Performing chemical syntheses in their Manchester-based laboratories, Apollo Scientific offers a selection of over 100,000 chemical products, from fluorinated compounds to non-fluorinated building blocks, for research and industry applications. Their life science products include antibiotics and buffers, as well as customized products for stem cell, molecular biology, and proteomics research. Additionally, Apollo Scientific offers spectroscopy products, such as consumables for infrared (IR) and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy, as well as mass spectrometry standards.
iChemical Wako Pure Chemical Corporation, established in 2008 and headquartered in Shanghai, China, is a manufacturer of industrial chemicals. Its product portfolio includes solvents, catalysts, reagents, and building blocks, along with offerings in pesticides, herbicides, food additives, and surfactants. The company provide services such as custom synthesis, scale-up, punch-out, and procurement outsourcing. The company operates seven offices and logistic hubs, and is connected to 15,000 laboratories and manufacturers, offering a wide portfolio of 380,000 research chemicals. Its products and services have been utilized to groundbreaking scientific discoveries for over 20,000 organizations worldwide.
Anhui Fitech Materials Co., Ltd is a manufacturer of pure metals and chemical raw materials, based in China since 2010. The company provides non-ferrous and precious metals such as Arsenic and Gallium, Ferro Alloys such as Calcium Carbide, catalysts like Cesium sulfate, Cobaltic Hydroxide, as well as Organic Intermediates like Glyoxylic Acid, and Inorganic salts used in various industries, including agriculture and medicine. There are also rare Earth metals and Earth oxides that have multiple uses along with Food Grade Preservatives and Additives being supplied to the Food industry.
Toronto Research Chemicals Inc., founded in 1982 and based in Toronto, Canada, is a manufacturer of biochemicals and is a subsidiary of LGC Standards. The ISO 9001-certified company has an extensive catalog of over 350,000 products, including metabolites, impurities, and natural products APIs, which are used in several applications like environmental analysis, forensic science, and medicinal R&D. The company supports the scientific community across more than 120 countries and has 19 production laboratories. In 2019, it was bought by LGC, which provides components to customers in the pharmaceutical, clinical diagnostics, and food markets, among others.
Sisco Research Laboratories Pvt. Ltd., established in 1975, is an Indian manufacturer and supplier of chemicals, biochemicals, and reagents, headquartered in Mumbai, Maharashtra. Supported by Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved manufacturing facilities, the company offers a range of products, including general laboratory chemicals and solvents, biochemical, bioreagents, and specialty fine chemicals. Their offerings also include animal cell culture, BioLit™ range of DNA and protein tools, and nanotechnology products. Additionally, SRL provides dehydrated culture media, biological ingredients, media supplements, chromogenic media, and media kits. These products serve diverse industries such as biotechnology, confectionary and food, personal care products, pharmaceuticals, and protein purification.
Fenix Advanced Materials is headquartered in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, and has been a manufacturer of ultra-high purity (UHP) metals of up to 6N5+ (>99.99995%) level since its inception in 2015. The company supplies products such as cadmium, indium, tin, antimony, and tellurium, which find applications in diverse sectors, including the solar, semiconductor, and electronics industries. Its products also offer solutions in CdTe solar panels, CZT Gamma and X-Ray detectors, NiCd batteries, and the semiconductor markets.
Sichuan Apollo Solar Science & Technology Co., Ltd. is a manufacturer of metals and compounds headquartered in Chengdu, China and was established in 2008. The company’s product categories include compound semiconductors, high purity metals, oxides and targets, and its end-products include tellurium, cadmium, indium, antimony, and tin. The company owns the only independent tellurium ore (Te) mineral resources in the world. It provides high purity tellurium and high pure elemental and compound materials based on tellurium for the global electronic and semiconductor material market. The company products find applications across various industries, including the solar, semiconductor, and electronics sectors.
Able Target Limited is a manufacturer of high-tech thin film coating materials headquartered in Jiangningqu, Nanjing, China and was established in 2001. The company researches, produces and sells a wide range of products, including sputtering, high purity and density, rotatable, alloy and pure metal targets, sputtering coating and thin film materials, PVD and CVD coatings. Its products find application in numerous industries, including functional coatings, decorative coatings, flat panel displays, glass coatings, solar cells, and optical communication. The company offers several services, such as 24/7 support, fast delivery, free after-sales and technical support.
Indium Corporation is a manufacturer of compounds and products for electronic and semiconductor manufacturing founded in 1934 and based in Clinton, New York, USA. The company offers thermal interface materials such as pastes for enhancing thermal transfer in electronic devices, sputtering targets used for thin-film deposition, and inorganic compounds for heat sinks, such as indium oxide and indium-tin oxide. It also offers fluxes and solders for semiconductor manufacturing and electronics assembly. The company is ISO/TS 16949, ISO 14001, and OHSAS 18001-certified, and mainly serves clients in the electronics and solar industries.
Merck, started in 1668 and based in Darmstadt, Germany, is a supplier of solutions and services for research, development, and manufacture of pharmaceutical and biotechnological drug therapies. The company serves the life science industry and has a broad portfolio of 300,000 products, including biopharmaceutical manufacturing, industrial microbiology, reagent, life science research, and water purification products. It is available in 66 countries, brings together six brands, and has several ISO certifications, including ISO 13485, ISO 14001, ISO 13485, and ISO 50001.
Strem Chemicals, Inc, founded in 1964, is an American manufacturer and supplier of high-purity specialty chemicals and materials, based in Newburyport, Massachusetts. Acquired by Ascensus Specialties, another American chemical company in 2021, Strem offers a catalog of over 6,000 specialty products under the metal, inorganic, organometallic, and nanomaterial categories. Some of their diverse product offerings include metal catalysts for organic synthesis, metal carbonyls, metal organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) and atomic layer deposition (ALD) precursors. Strem serves global customers, particularly academic, governmental, and industrial research and development laboratories. Their products find applications in various industries, including microelectronics, chemicals, petrochemicals, and pharmaceuticals.
Millipore Sigma, formerly known as Sigma-Aldrich, was created in 175 through the merger of Sigma Chemical Company and Aldrich Chemical company and today is a subsidiary of Merck. Millipore Sigma is a life science and biotechnology company serving the industry with several products and services. Some of their product categories include peptide synthesis materials, biochemicals, building blocks, catalysts, chemical biology, chemical synthesis, flavors & fragrances, formulation, lab chemicals, lab safety, APIs, and stable isotopes. Services include characterization, contract manufacturing, custom products, software, support, testing, and mRNA development & manufacturing.
Changsha Yaguang Trade Co. Ltd. is a manufacturer of rare earth wire materials products headquartered in Changsha, China, and was established in 2000. The company is involved in the processing of nonferrous alloys and rare earth alloy wires and bars such as Thallium sulfate and Thallium metal, Liquid Mercury, Molybdenum powder and Chrome ore using evaporation coating, and ion sputtering methods. It offers a wide range of other products, including ceramic foundry sand, ceramic materials, semiconductor materials, feed additives and electronic materials. Changsha's products find application in numerous industries, including the chemical, construction, medical, manufacturing, and energy industries.
FUJIFILM Wako Pure Chemical Corporation, established in 1922 and headquartered in Osaka, Japan, is a manufacturer and supplier of laboratory chemicals, specialty chemicals, and diagnostic reagents. Its product range encompasses Azo Polymerization Initiators, Photo-Initiators, Polymerization Inhibitors, Resin Modifiers, and Pharmaceutical and Cosmetic Materials, which find applications in diverse fields like research, and testing. The company operates multiple manufacturing facilities in Aichi, Harima, Tokyo, and the USA, with its adherence to quality exemplified by its ISO/IEC 17025 certification.
Shanghai Greenearth Chemicals Co., Ltd, founded in China, is a manufacturer and supplier of advanced materials, including metal powder, non-metal powder, oxides, rare earths, and compounds. The company's product portfolio includes carbides, nitrides, silicides, borides, and hydrides. These products are used in Medical and Healthcare, Additive Manufacturing, Chemicals and Pharmaceuticals, and Research and Development Institutions. It also offers services such as Custom Material Development, Technical Consultation, Material Testing and Characterization, and Process Optimization.
Carl Roth GmbH + Co. KG, established in 1879 and headquartered in Karlsruhe, Germany, is a manufacturer, distributor, and supplier of laboratory equipment, life science products, and chemicals. Their extensive product range encompasses analytical instruments, biological safety cabinets, heating mantles, pH meters, centrifuges, thermometers, and various chemicals. Their products support and facilitate laboratory research, analysis, and experimentation across various industries such as pharmaceutical, chemical, and environmental sectors. The company is certified according to DIN EN ISO 9001:2015 and DIN EN ISO 14001:2015.
Established in 1950, Mitsui Mining & Smelting Co., Ltd. (Mitsui Kinzoku) is a Tokyo-based manufacturer and distributor of engineered, electronic and nonferrous smelted materials with mining operations for zinc, copper, gold and other metals. The company produces various engineered materials such as copper foils and metal powders, as well as automotive parts like thrust washers and engine bearings. Other products include catalysts, battery materials and hydrogen storage alloys. These primarily supply client manufacturers and businesses in the metals, automotive and semiconductor industries. Mitsui Kinzoku also provides consultation and recycling services to its partners in environmental protection and sustainable development.
Alfa Aesar is based in Lancashire, United Kingdom. Alfa Aesar is part of Thermo Fisher Scientific, is a manufacturer and supplier of chemicals, metals, and life science products for research and development. Alfa Aesar’s product lines include chemicals, life science, materials & metals, catalysts, and analytical & lab ware. Chemical offerings include inorganic compounds, organic compounds, organometallic, and solvents. Life sciences include biotechnology products, cellular & molecular biology, genomics, and immunology. Materials & metal include alloys, carbon, etchants, and more. Catalysts include ferrocenes, fuel cell products, and precious metals & catalysts. Alfa Aesar also offers custom manufacturing options.
5N PLUS, founded in 2000 in Montreal, Canada, is a manufacturer and distributor of special semiconductors and minerals for various performance applications. Special materials and chemicals are key components in the production of digital devices, thin-film solar panels, pharmaceutical products, LED diodes, and more. It employs a combination of physical and chemical purification techniques to produce metals of 5N, 6N, and 7N purity in various forms for electrical, consumer, and industrial applications. Cadmium is used in CdTe and CdS for solar applications, while CdZnTe is used in various pharmaceutical, electronic, and other industrial applications.
Szabo-Scandic HandelsgmbH, founded in 1963 and headquartered in Vienna, Austria, is a distributor of medical and laboratory products. The company maintains an extensive range of chemicals, including consumables, research products, laboratory instruments, and specific diagnostic items. Collaborating with manufacturers from the EU, China, and the USA, including companies such as ExAlpha, GeneTex, NovaTec, Corning, and Abnova, the company offers over 1.7 million products produced in accordance with ISO 14001 standards.
Combi-Blocks Inc., established in 1997 and headquartered in San Diego, California, USA, is a research-driven manufacturer and global supplier of laboratory reagents. The company specializes in the research, development, and distribution of combinatorial building blocks, organic compounds, and fine chemicals, making them a pivotal player in providing essential materials for scientific research and chemical synthesis worldwide. Its diverse product range encompasses boronic acids, imidazoles, indoles, oxindoles, and nitrobenzenes. These offerings find applications across pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, and various chemical industries.
Founded in 1981, Central Drug House Ltd. serves the scientific community via manufacturing and marketing a library of over 9,000 products to laboratory fine chemicals and dehydrated culture media with emphasis on purity and service. Examples are acids & bases, adsorbents, disinfectants, indicator papers, oils, and solvents. CDH provides bio chemicals, research chemicals, laboratory reagents, various solvents, stains & indicators, and dehydrated culture media. CDH is ISO 9001 certified and CDHs’ products are in compliance with specifications of IP, BP, USP, and EP standards.
Glentham Life Sciences is based in Corsham, United Kingdom. Glentham Life Sciences is a leading supplier of fine chemicals, raw materials, reagents, and life science products. Glenthem also offers a number of services including custom packaging, call-off orders, and safety documentation. Glentham’s product offerings include chemicals such as amino acids, antibiotics, APIs, biochemicals, buffers, carbohydrates, chitin, chitosan, detergents, dyes, stains, enzymes, inorganic, peptide reagents, phytochemical, raw materials, solvents, steroids, and vitamins among others.
Founded in Mumbai, India in 2006, Otto Chemie Pvt. Ltd. is an ISO 9001:2015 & GMP certified chemical manufacturing company and distributor. Otto Chemie serves customers in many industries including agriculture and food processing, pharmaceuticals, oil & gas, cement, as well as educational and R&D industries. Product offerings include antibiotics, amino acids, vitamins, detergents, ionic liquids, materials science compounds, labware, oil, metal & ceramic science compounds and tools, oils, reagents, solvents.
Moldb, based in Hangzhou, China, is a supplier of building blocks and advanced intermediates. The company also offers a catalogue of products, including inhibitors and agonists, amino acids and peptides, catalysts and ligands, natural products, and nucleotides. The company delivers expert services and the finest products to users in the chemical and pharmaceutical R&D fields. It adheres to ISO 9001's quality management system. The companies’ analytical labs have various equipment such as GCs, HPLCs, LC-MS, TLC-MS, MS, NMR etc.
Innex Scientific Limited, established in 2016 and located in Hong Kong, is a supplier that offers an extensive and diverse range of laboratory supplies. The company offers a range of products including tubes, racks, liquid handling equipment, fine chemicals, and biomedical refrigerators/freezers. It also provides cell culture equipment, liquid nitrogen equipment, and nanotechnology equipment. It provides high-purity chemicals with MSDS and Certificate of Analysis (CoA) to support research and application. It serves a wide range of industries, including battery, pharmaceutical, pump and metering, marine, and more.
ABSCo Limited, founded in 2002, is a worldwide supplier of raw materials to industrial clients. They are based in the United Kingdom and provide multinational firms, small and medium-sized businesses, and research organizations with performance materials for use in sophisticated technologies. Some of their main products are Boron Carbide, Molybdenum Products, Non-Oxide Ceramics, Polishing, and Spherical Powders. They are authorised agents for Tribecher industries in the UK and Ireland, representers of Materion Advanced Materials Inc in most of Europe and representers of International Tin in the UK.
ChemSrc, established in 2014, is a supplier of pharmaceutical products, a chemical database platform, and a search engine. This platform serves as a gateway to an extensive repository of chemical knowledge, offering access to unique CAS-encoded product records including synthesis routes, literature references, physical and chemical properties, and supplier information. The chemical catalog spans various categories, including organic raw materials, dyes and pigments, chemical pesticides, catalysts, additives, and more. The repository information plays a vital role in supporting research and development efforts across diverse industries by fostering scientific advancements and serving as a valuable resource.
Ranking as of November 2024
Derivation MethodRank | Company | Click Share |
---|---|---|
1 | Stanford Advanced Materials |
16.5%
|
2 | AK Scientific, Inc |
8.1%
|
3 | AccuStandard |
7.6%
|
4 | ESPI Metals |
6.8%
|
5 | Merck |
6.8%
|
6 | Fenix Advanced Materials |
5.5%
|
7 | American Elements |
4.7%
|
8 | AHP Materials, Inc. |
3.8%
|
9 | Apollo Scientific Ltd |
3.4%
|
10 | Santa Cruz Biotechnology, Inc. |
3.4%
|
Derivation Method
The ranking is calculated based on the click share within the indium page as of November 2024. Click share is defined as the total number of clicks for all companies during the period divided by the number of clicks for each company.Number of Employees
Newly Established Company
Company with a History
*Including some distributors, etc.
*Including some distributors, etc.
Country | Number of Companies | Share (%) |
---|---|---|
United States of America | 7 | 25.0% |
China | 7 | 25.0% |
United Kingdom | 4 | 14.3% |
Canada | 3 | 10.7% |
India | 3 | 10.7% |
Japan | 2 | 7.1% |
Germany | 1 | 3.6% |
Hong Kong | 1 | 3.6% |