Trump’s trade wars sting US manufacturers ahead of midterms

Since Donald Trump's return to the presidency in January 2025, he has used his executive authority to impose tariffs on a variety of products and countries. For Doug Rende, the CEO of Shapes Unlimited, an aluminum product manufacturer in Ohio, these tariffs have resulted in millions of additional dollars in annual costs. Rende's company primarily makes and distributes aluminum building products used in fixtures such as fences.

As midterm elections approach, Rende has noticed a lack of trust in the administration and in the governmental process itself. Trump's tariffs extend beyond aluminum to include steel and automobiles, and they affect US trading partners with varying levels of tariffs depending on the country. While some American manufacturers have benefited from the increased barriers faced by foreign competitors, others have struggled with rising costs and uncertainty.

Trump's ongoing trade disputes with Canada and Iran have further exacerbated these concerns. Rende's company has witnessed a steady increase in aluminum tariffs, reaching 50% last year, leading to additional costs of $4.5 million to $5 million for the year. These costs have included higher transportation fees due to increased fuel prices resulting from the Iran war.

In response, Rende has paused job recruitment and invested in more robotic assembly to offset the increased expenses. Another Ohio manufacturer, Sam Miller, who produces kitchen and bathroom products, has faced challenges on both fronts - paying tariffs on imported materials from Asia and finding it harder to expand into Canada due to trade tensions.

Although Miller received some refunds after the Supreme Court struck down some of Trump's duties, Trump has since reinstated many of them. Tensions between the US and Canada have escalated, with both nations imposing tariffs on each other's products following the collapse of trade negotiations in August. Miller's company had planned to open a distribution facility in Canada this year, but progress has slowed.

Guy Coviello, president of the Youngstown Warren Regional Chamber, is closely monitoring the tariffs, the Iran war, and immigration. These factors collectively pose a mixed but generally negative impact on firms. Some businesses have lost customers or had to downsize, while Ohio's biggest export market, Canada, accounts for a third of Ohio's total exports.