Tariffs: Not as Harmful as Reported?

By Matthew McMullan
Sep 04 2018 |
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According to one steel consumer, they aren’t.

Last month we noted the robust growth in manufacturing employment, despite the worries that steel and aluminum tariffs would be a drag on the sector. We'll have another update soon — the next jobs report from the federal government is due this week.

While we wait for its arrival: Check out this story from Louisiana, where a steel consumer says the pressure from tariffs on his business isn't as severe as has been reported.

[Jackie] Rosenberg’s company doesn’t make steel, but buys plates to roll custom pipes in a nationwide business catering to municipal and industrial utility and flood control project customers.

Sol's Pipe and Steel also has a regional business that resells raw steel plates to customers from Acadiana to Alexandria to Shreveport.

Rosenberg said the company stockpiled an inventory of steel before the tariffs, which increased the value of what he had in stock when steel prices rose.

He has since had to buy steel at higher prices after exhausting his inventory, but he said a booming economy hasn’t reduced demand for his pipe or plates.

Read the rest of the story here