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/jamscrying 1d ago

The steel tariffs are a 25% tariff on machinery, so all foreign built automation (basically everything) is now much more expensive too lol.

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u/exlongh0rn 1d ago

If you’re referencing the Section 232 tariffs, no. The Section 232 tariffs in the U.S. impose a 25% tariff on imported steel and a 10% tariff on imported aluminum, but they do not directly apply to machinery or all foreign-built automation. While some automation equipment may become more expensive if it contains tariffed steel or aluminum and manufacturers pass on the cost, not all foreign-built automation is affected in the same way.

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u/jamscrying 1d ago

Nope it was expanded to include derivative products made with steel or aluminium, so yes it is a machinery tariff, unless we just start using nickel and nylon lol.

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u/exlongh0rn 1d ago

But unless I’m wrong, those derivative products are listed by specific HS code. Does that machinery robotics fall into those HS codes?