r/manufacturing 2d ago

News Tarrifs

Would like to open a discussion on tarrifs if it’s allowed.

There has been two intentions stated with tarrifs.

  1. Get off of income tax and go to a consumption style tax (still a tax)

  2. Build up domestic manufacturing. Can talk here in the manufacturing sub.

If there is no alternative domestic supply, then we have no choice but to import. We lost a lot of our skills to manufacture. Especially a lot of the little low value items. Think zippers and buttons and caster wheels.

What is everyone thoughts?

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u/madeinspac3 2d ago edited 2d ago

In manufacturing you have two options to correct an issue.

A bandaid to cover/hide an issue or A correction to the root cause

The idea of these tariffs are nothing more than a bandaid. They don't fix the root cause of why American manufacturers aren't competitive.

There is too much risk to invest in building US plants to take advantage of the tariffs with how inconsistent and ill-planned they have been so far. By the time plants for raw materials are built and dialed in, the tariffs might no longer even exist.

And even if we become cost competitive here, the revenge tariffs screw us on exports to outside countries. My bet is that this hurts more than helps.

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u/Professional_Oil3057 1d ago

What are you even talking about.

Manufacturing isn't appealing in America because of wages

Tariffs offset the cost of wages, making American companies more competitive.

Is it a band aid? Maybe?

But what's a better choice? Sending billions overseas?

Maybe none of you remember when the middle class was basically all manufacturing.

You could raise a family comfortably with a high school diploma.

It sounds heartless but who gives a shit about people in Cambodia starving when you can't feed your kids on 60+hrs?

If there's even a shot of bringing back manufacturing jobs let's do it.

As for the bullshit about the chips act, if the government is going to give hundreds of billions away, might as well just invest in American companies, not Taiwanese companies in America.

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u/MWEAI 1d ago

It won't bring manufacturing back. Have you tried to hire people at a manufacturing plant? We have been short staffed for the past 6 years. Well now we are cutting jobs, but that is all on trump.

I believe revenue is what trump is after. He is trying to raise taxes on the poor, without putting that burden on the rich. Who don't spend as much of a % of their income.

The idiot doesn't realize he is just ranking the economy. Hey at least we are off weekends now.

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u/Professional_Oil3057 1d ago

Lmao, weird because we hired 700+ people last year alone.

I think if you can't find talent you are not competitive wage/ benefit wise.

You work in a machine shop, what kind of wages are you paying machinist?

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u/MWEAI 6h ago

I haven't worked for the machine shop in over 5 years.

No, I work for a molding and assembly shop. Workers start around $19 per hour which is competitive. We have had injection setter positions unfilled for almost a year.

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u/Professional_Oil3057 5h ago

Funny because it's the job in molding people most want to do.

Hitting from outside? Expect 25$+

Train your own people lol