The Motor and Equipment Manufacturers Association (MEMA), which represents more than 1,000 companies that manufacturer motor vehicle parts and components in the United States, strongly opposes tariffs on steel and aluminum announced by the Trump administration, according to an announcement.
“The tariffs announced … will be detrimental to the motor vehicle parts supplier industry and the 871,000 U.S. jobs it directly creates,” says Steve Handschuh, MEMA president and CEO. “We have voiced repeatedly that while we support the administration’s focus on strong domestic steel and aluminum markets, tariffs limit access to necessary specialty products, raise the cost of motor vehicles to consumers and impair the industry’s ability to compete in the global marketplace. This is not a step in the right direction.”
Why It matters to your business:
Tariffs on steel and aluminum would hurt vehicle suppliers, the largest sector of manufacturing jobs in the U.S., putting American jobs — and the nation’s economic security – at risk. Suppliers utilize many specialty materials and products that are not available domestically. These products must be excluded from any import adjustments. Exclusions are necessary to avoid disruption of our supply chain and component production – access to these specialized products is critical to the supplier industry and our national economy. Drastic tariffs will increase material costs that ultimately increase the price of the products we provide to the vehicle manufacturers, the announcement states.
What you should do:
Contact your members of Congress and governor today and urge them to consider the needs of their constituent consuming industries for these critical raw materials. Ask them to reach out to the White House and encourage exclusions for the specialty steel and aluminum products suppliers rely on to manufacture parts, components and systems necessary for new vehicles.
