INSIGHT
ranging from $ 9,999 to $ 10mn .”
Sales of bomb shelters first began rising after last year ’ s US election , at least for Gary Lynch , General Manager of Rising S Bunkers in Texas . He told the Miami Herald in January that sales were up 700 % since President Trump was elected . Like many shelter companies shipping worldwide , Rising S Bunkers is “ steady with orders ” across its markets . We spoke to him about the recent demand from Japan - he says : “ The Japanese people are extremely worried about the uncertainty caused by Kim Jong Un .”
Osaka-based Seiichiro Nishimoto ’ s shelter manufacturing company has seen inquiries rise dramatically since the start of the year . Another Japanese company , Oribe Seiki Seisakusho , is offering a shelter for up to 13 people costing £ 171,028 – or 25mn Japanese Yen . Most of the companies supplying bunkers to the Asia region right now , however , are based in the US .
US defense contractor Norad Shelters has seen an increase in business around the world , not just from Japan . Principal Mechanical Engineer Walton McCarthy says : “ Demand has grown for underground shelters as a result of the North Korea missile testing , it has doubled in the last two months for corporate , personal and military clients . The problem now is that many shelter manufacturers are flooding the market with unrated shelters that provide little or no protection against radiation .”
This means that while a shelter might protect from a bomb blast , they don ’ t take into consideration the aftereffects of a nuclear weapon . McCarthy says : “ Consumers [ are ] desperate to purchase shelters without asking the manufacturer to state what level of shielding the shelter provides .”
McCarthy has written extensive guidelines for buyers looking for shelters to ensure they get the right level of shielding under the threat of a nuclear attack . To keep shelter prices down , some companies install substandard air filters , giving only overhead detonation figures when other factors need to be taken into account , and don ’ t list radiation figures coming from air ducts and entrance ways .
It ’ s not just US companies that are seeing an up-tick in sales either . Oribe Seiki Seisakusho , a shelter builder in Western Japan , has received eight orders this month ,
22 October 2017