"Before Trump, 25% of our business came from the United States, today it's zero": in Canada, the disarray of the aluminum industry
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DECRYPTION - The 50% tariffs imposed by Washington on aluminum are a disaster for Canadian companies heavily dependent on America. On the eve of the G7 summit, negotiations continue.
"Before Donald Trump 's election , we generated 25% of our revenue in the United States. It's a natural market for a Canadian company; it was even our main growth driver. Since the tariffs were announced , business has fallen to zero ," says Robert Bélanger, CEO of ALU MC3, a Canadian SME that manufactures public lamppost supports and road signage superstructures for local authorities and the Ministry of Transport.
Also read: Trade war weighs heavily on the American economy
No less than 80% of their products are made from aluminum and 20% from steel. This shows how much the 25% customs duties imposed by Washington since March 12, raised to 50% on June 4, are hurting them. Especially since aluminum very often crosses the border between the two countries several times. Primary aluminum is cast in the province of Quebec, near Lac Saint-Jean, then shipped to the United States in the form of ingots. After initial transformation into cylindrical tubes, they…
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