The Proposed Tariffs on Steel and Aluminum

Tripod Aluminum has been proudly servicing Brevard County for over twenty years providing our customers with quality pool enclosures, screen rooms, and aluminum fencing, including pool baby gates. We have, of course, taken notice of recent news regarding proposed tariffs on foreign-made steel and aluminum. We thought we would share a little bit about that situation since it directly applies to our materials.

We are not taking political sides. We simply wanted to share some pertinent information with you. The steel and aluminum industries have long been a backbone of the American workforce, providing a vast amount of jobs for American workers. The proposed tariffs will have multiple effects, all of which cannot be foreseen unless and until the tariffs are imposed. First, let’s take a quick eighth-grade history lesson on what a tariff is. Let’s be honest…it’s not a word we tend to use on a daily basis! Tariff is basically a fancy word for “tax.”

A tariff (or tax) can be placed on both imports and exports.

President Trump is proposing a tariff of twenty-five percent on foreign-made steel and ten percent on foreign-made aluminum. What does this mean for the American worker? Well, there are two sides to every story. Just ask kids on a playground, after a scuffle, who started the fight. They will each point the finger at the other. In reality, in most cases, the truth lies somewhere in between each of their versions of the story. So it goes with adults and government officials. There is truth on both sides and the full truth probably lies somewhere in the middle. It will only all come to light when and if the tariffs are enacted.

What good could come from putting tariffs on steel and aluminum imported from other countries?

Well, the hope is to boost the American economy by producing more of our own steel and aluminum here in the United States which would create more jobs and bring back jobs that have been lost. For instance, the aluminum industry in the U.S. shed nearly sixty percent of its jobs between 2013 and 2016. The steel industry has shrunk by thirty-five percent in the last twenty years. More Americans at work is always good news.

What negatives could come from implementing these tariffs?

Well, it’s possible that the countries affected by this will in turn place tariffs on items that the United States exports from their countries, driving up costs of certain items for U.S. consumers. The other possible negative is that we will still need to import some steel and aluminum out of the sheer need of volume, so that will end up costing American companies more money if they have to import these materials.

Only time will tell IF the tariffs will be enacted. IF they apply them to all countries or a limited list of countries, and IF the majority of the impact will be positive or negative for the average American. Here at Tripod Aluminum, we are hoping for the best for all involved and will keep you updated on this subject.