Survey: Over 80% of 594 Auto Repair Workshops Report Difficulty Obtaining Thinner as Middle East Tensions Drive Material Price Hikes and Shortages

Survey on Material Price Hikes and Shortages Due to Middle East Tensions

Protrios, a company providing information and system development for the automotive aftermarket (headquartered in Osaka), conducted a survey targeting 594 automotive maintenance and body shop businesses nationwide. As concerns regarding price surges and supply shortages of essential materials like thinner, paint, and engine oil rise due to escalating Middle East tensions, the survey aimed to grasp the current status of material procurement and its impact on management and operations.

The report consolidates the findings, revealing that 88.7% of businesses handling thinner are experiencing "procurement difficulties or delivery delays," indicating a severe material shortage at the workshop level.

The full report, "Survey on Material Price Hikes and Shortages Due to Middle East Tensions," is available on the company website "BSRweb": https://bsrweb.jp/article/495419

Survey Background
Many paints and thinners used in automotive repair are derived from naphtha-based chemicals. Deteriorating conditions in the Middle East have impacted supplies, leading to multiple price revisions by paint manufacturers since 2021. Since the start of 2026, workshops have reported not only rising prices but also inability to procure materials entirely or in the desired quantities.

Survey Overview
Survey Name: Survey on Material Price Hikes and Shortages Due to Middle East Tensions
Survey Organizer: Protrios
Targets: Auto body and maintenance workshops nationwide
Sample Size: 594
Method: Web questionnaire
Period: April 22 - May 13, 2026

Summary of Results
Thinner: 88.7% report "procurement difficulties or delivery delays." Purchase prices have surged by over 150%. 77.1% reported less than two months of stock.
Paint (Primary Colors): Approximately half (50.5%) report inability to purchase in "desired quantities/volume." Shortages are concentrated in "white-based colors, clear coats, and hardeners."
Parts Cleaner/Engine Oil: 75.6% for parts cleaners and 86.9% for engine oil report "procurement difficulties or delivery delays."

Impact on Management
56.6% of workshops report negative impacts such as extended lead times or reduced revenue. Furthermore, if supply shortages continue, 65.5% state that "business continuity will be difficult within three months," indicating an extremely precarious situation for the industry.

Future Outlook
While only 4.9% of workshops report having "already built" collaborative systems for material sharing with peers, approximately 70% are "considering" or "discussing" such cooperation, showing high intent toward industry-wide collaboration.