Hello, everyone.
This is Enta.
Since the start of this week, we’ve been receiving a flood of notifications about rising material costs.
To be honest, I didn't think we'd be able to wrap things up in such a short time.
And this was the thing that surprised me the most.
"I can no longer buy the paint thinner used for painting machinery."
I can't buy it anymore. It's not because the price went up.
"The goods just aren't coming in," and "We can't ship them out for now!" was the message! (According to a trading company)
By the way, I can't buy rare metals either!
I can't even buy tungsten, which is commonly used in welding.
Tungsten is what we call the bit tip!
It's highly likely that the price of Bitcoin will skyrocket in the future!
It wasn't just Russia and Ukraine. It's even started in Iran.
Everyone's been watching the news, right?
On February 28, 2026, the United States and Israel launched a large-scale military attack against Iran.
Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Khamenei, was killed in this attack.
Iran immediately launched retaliatory strikes, targeting U.S. military bases, oil facilities, and civilian infrastructure in the Gulf states.
And,The Strait of Hormuz is effectively under blockade.
Do you know what the Strait of Hormuz is like??
Approximately [number] of the crude oil that Japan imports90%It is the main artery of energy transport through which [...].
I found out on the news lol
Apparently, this area is "closed off."
It's no longer just about Russia and Ukraine.
Japan's lifeline is currently in grave danger.
At a cabinet meeting on March 24, 2026, the Japanese government,I hear they’ve instructed the relevant ministries and agencies to take measures to ensure a stable supply of petroleum products such as naphtha...
The government is taking action.
News Related to the Situation in Iran
Do you know what's made from petroleum?
I think many people, when they hear that “gas prices have gone up,” can only think of gasoline.
But when it comes to things made from petroleum,There are so many of themThat's right.
That said, you don't really know the details, do you?
Even I looked at it using AI and thought, “Oh, I see!”
↓↓↓↓↓↓ AI Research ↓↓↓↓↓↓
Crude oil is heated inside a massive tower called a “distillation column,” and the lighter fractions with lower boiling points are extracted from the top, while the heavier fractions are extracted from the bottom.
This is"Fractional Distillation"That's it.
■ Petroleum Products Pyramid (From the top to the bottom of the distillation column)
↑ [Top · Lightest]
◆ Oil and Gas (LPG: Propane and Butane) Boiling point: −42 to −1°C
→ Household Gas, Industrial Fuels, and Gases for Cutting Operations
◆ Naphtha (Crude Gasoline) Boiling point: 30–200°C
→ The primary raw material for all petrochemical products
→ *This is where a surprisingly large number of products are created (as discussed later).*
◆ Gasoline Boiling point: 40–200°C
→ Automotive Fuel
◆ Kerosene and Jet Fuel Boiling point: 150–280°C
→ Heating and Aviation Fuel
◆ Diesel Fuel Boiling point: 250–380°C
→ Diesel Engine Fuel (Construction Equipment, Heavy-Duty Trucks, Heavy Machinery)
◆ Heavy fuel oil Boiling point: 300°C or higher
→ Marine Fuel and Fuel for Large Power Plants
◆ Asphalt Boiling point over 500°C (distillation residue)
→ Road Paving Materials
↓ [Bottom Layer, Heaviest Fraction, Residue]
This is the residue left over after all the asphalt has been removed.
That's what's used as road material.
That asphalt...
April → 2,500 yen/t increase; May → 5,000 yen/t increase
If things keep going like this, there's a high chance the roads will get all bumpy!!
That's because the goods aren't arriving, so the cost of materials keeps doubling...
To be continued in the next episode!
See you later.
