Chicago area manufacturers split over tariff policy

Chicago area manufacturers are split on the effects the Trump Administration’s tariffs may have on their bottom lines.

When asked in June, soon after the tariffs went into effect – 25% on steel and 10% on aluminum imported from China, Canada, Mexico and European Union – TMA surveyed their members on the issue. 

While 41.28% of those 109 manufacturers responding to the emailed query said they agreed with the tariff policy, 40.3% said they disagreed. 18.35% remained undecided.

Wednesday, the nation’s largest aluminum manufacturer Alcoa said the tariffs were hitting them hard, and they were lowering their profit expectations for 2018. Much of Alcoa’s aluminum is produced in north neighbor Canada.

More to come on TMA News …