Last month, President Trump issued a proclamation expanding tariffs on steel and aluminum imports. The Trump Administration imposed 25% tariffs on steel imports and 10% tariffs on aluminum imports in 2018, citing authority granted under section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962 pertaining to national security.
Starting February 8, additional products including steel nails, tacks, drawing pins, corrugated nails, and staples; aluminum stranded wire, cables and plaited bands; and bumper and body stampings of aluminum and steel for motor vehicles and tractors will be subject to tariffs.
The full list of products is enumerated in Annex I and Annex II. Products used in the manufacturing of AEM member company products are included.
While the proclamation does provide for an exclusion process if the products are determined “not to be produced in the United States in a sufficient and reasonably available amount or of a satisfactory quality,” the expansion of tariffed goods will increase the financial burden on already strained U.S. industries.
The equipment manufacturing industry is already subject to the aforementioned 232 steel and aluminum tariffs, Section 301 tariffs on goods imported from China, and tariffs in response to EU subsidies on Airbus planes. AEM continues to highlight the detrimental impact of all tariffs on the equipment manufacturing industry to the Trump Administration and will continue to work with coalition partners and Congress to oppose the imposition of tariffs.
If you have any questions about tariffs and how they may impact your company, please contact AEM’s Director of Government Affairs Alex Russ at aruss@aem.org.
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