The impact of President Donald Trump’s proposed tariffs on steel and aluminum may be felt in a significant way locally.

Vermeer Corporation CEO Jason Andringa tells KNIA/KRLS News the company has gained plenty of momentum during the Trump presidency, citing less regulation and a sharp cut to the corporate tax rate.

However, Andringa says a proposed 10 percent tariff on aluminum and 25 percent tariff on steel imports could come with a hefty price tag for manufacturers like Vermeer that purchase millions of dollars of the materials.

“Really coming into this announcement that was made last week, there was really a lot of positive momentum for manufacturers and companies like Vermeer, but unfortunately the talk of tariffs throws some cold water on that,” he says.

A key concern for him is increasing inflation and the uncertainly and risk of steeper material costs that could slow down the wave of momentum built over the past several years for the company. Andringa believes Vermeer is prepared to meet the additional challenge.

The move to raise the tariffs was announced by President Trump and his administration last week and is intended to bolster domestic steel and aluminum production. Hear more about the impact of those proposed steel and aluminum tariffs on Vermeer Corporation on today’s Let’s Talk Pella.