BUFFALO, N.Y. — A survey focused on the ongoing impact tariffs have on upstate manufacturers was generated from the Buffalo Niagara Manufacturing Alliance, in partnership with the Manufacturing Association of the Southern Tier, to several of its member manufacturers.
What You Need To Know
Tariffs have now been part of the economic landscape for about seven months
Two manufacturing leader groups sent a survey to a thousand of its members about the impact of tariffs
Another survey is expected to be sent out in May
Alliance Executive Director Peter Ahrens says 1,000 follow-up surveys were sent out early last month to members between the two groups, with a return rate of about 26%. The alliance says the original survey was conducted back in August with additional follow up questions in early December.
Leaders say survey results suggest new orders remain mixed, but show modest improvement with 17% reporting some growth from the first survey, hiring plans continue to soften, a clear shift toward passing tariff costs onto customers and an overall negative impact on business.
“For every one step forward, we’re three steps back. It’s just very concerning,” said Ahrens. “It’s like if you’re running your own household. If there’s uncertainty, you’re not going to go out and take on a big project, maybe a swimming pool for your home. So you say, ‘let’s keep our powder dry.'”
Ahrens said he’s going to take the information gathered in the surveys and share it with his Republican lawmakers.
He said another follow-up survey is scheduled to be released in early May. He also added his sister group of manufacturing alliances from across the state, stretching to the Hudson Valley, also sent out a similar survey with similar results.
The Trump administration says it imposed the tariffs as part of an “America First” trade policy aimed at reducing trade deficits, protecting domestic businesses and reversing poor trade policies.