【山口】「切羽詰まった状態」中東情勢の影響でシンナー不足　塗装会社が悲鳴

Due to the situation in the Middle East, a painting company in Hagi City has been unable to order naphtha-derived products such as paint thinner, impacting its operations. [Kaneko Painting Shop, President Narushi Kaneko] "Right now, we can't see what the future holds. We're truly in a desperate situation." Kaneko Painting Shop in Hagi City says they can't work because they can't get materials. Paint thinner, used to dilute paint and clean brushes and rollers, is an essential material for the painting industry. They are unable to order this thinner. Although a fax from the manufacturer in March stated a "75% price increase," they are no longer accepting orders. They have put stickers on the lids of thinners and other products saying "Last Can" and are urging employees to conserve supplies. The material shortage isn't limited to thinner. Tapes and sheets used for masking, which are also naphtha-derived products, are also unavailable for order. They have only a small amount left from a nearby home improvement store, and there's a possibility they'll have to close down once their stock runs out. [Kaneko Painting Company President, Narushi Kaneko] "We've reserved work for June, but from July onwards, even if we give estimates, we can't go out and make sales calls. Even if a customer says, 'Let's do it,' we don't have the materials, so we'd have to go and apologize instead. So, our schedule for July and beyond is completely blank right now."