Kamal Ghorui
Ranchi: The ripple effects of the West Asia conflict are now being felt in city markets, with small-scale painting and fabrication units in hubs like Karbala Chowk, Kokar, Hinoo and Main Road hit by rising input costs, LPG shortage and slowdown in operations.The impact is being felt most in almirah-making units and vehicle painting workshops, where production cycles have slowed down considerably. Industry players linked the disruption to supply chain stress and fuel price volatility amid the ongoing tension, which have pushed up prices of petroleum-linked inputs and affected LPG availability.Babulal, an almirah painter, said, “Heat painting requires LPG, which has become both expensive and difficult to access. I used to do heat painting occasionally for special orders, but now I have shifted to spray painting. Those who handle bulk orders or govt tenders are facing bigger challenges, as delays are increasing without gas-based methods.”The slowdown is even more pronounced in automobile workshops. Saurav Kumar, who runs a two- and four-wheeler painting unit in Kokar, said the drying time has gone up drastically. “Earlier, with LPG-based heat drying, vehicle paint would set in three to four hours. Now we have to leave it to dry naturally, which takes up to two days. Our work has slowed down, and customer waiting periods have increased.” he said.Amit Kumar, who runs a small fabrication and painting unit in Doranda, said the slowdown is visible in less orders. “We are taking fewer orders now because delays are increasing and costs are rising. There is also a noticeable dip in customers, as many are postponing work due to higher prices.”The ripple effects are extending to retail as well. A wall paint shop owner near Lalpur Chowk said companies have indicated price revisions.“We have been told to prepare for an 8-10% increase, especially on oil paints. For now, prices remain unchanged, but if revised, a litre of oil paint currently priced at Rs 250 could go beyond Rs 300,” Ramesh Das said.Labour shortages are compounding the problem, with many units operating below capacity. Pradeep Singh, a workshop owner at Bahu Bazar, said, “Many units are already running below capacity, and with rising fuel costs, it is becoming difficult to maintain margins. Our work depends on quick delivery and competitive pricing, but the current situation is testing both sustainability and customer trust.”
