Economy
Related: About this forumLet me relate my perspective on the Trump Tariff's...from an international. small business perspective.
Made my bones in US manufacturing from 71-99. Then started a business repping manufacturer's in China and later, in India. We dealt exclusively with US OEM's and delivered product to drawing specifications. Most recently. we had a reasonably healthy business, repping extruded aluminum product producers in India. Until Trump tariff's kicked in. Most of our business dried up and we've been semi-dormant for the past 6 or 7 months. 50% tariffs tend to do that.
But, this week, we are re-engaging with 3 customers who were primary customers for us before Trump. Why, you ask?
Because US aluminum capacity cannot address US demand. Lead times are going out. The biggest US players in extruded aluminum products are booking capacity and the smaller guys - our clients - are forced to work at a 50% disadvantage, cost wise. No matter, they can't compete with 26 week lead times. We can offer 8 week order to delivery. That means something in business.
End result. we will pay more for most everything we buy.
Bernardo de La Paz
(60,320 posts)I think it would be different in scale and kind, as well as having its own established reps and relationships that would be hard to break into.
OAITW r.2.0
(30,915 posts)India has huge bauxite reserves and conversion to AL ingots is pretty basic/polluting tech. Conversion into extrusions is also pretty basic manufacturing process technology....is this what Trump envisions? Fuck him.
Bernardo de La Paz
(60,320 posts)OAITW r.2.0
(30,915 posts)Because I have a 25 year relationships with our team in China - 7 people that I've grown old with.