Editorial comment
Given how the news has, with a couple of notable exceptions, been inundated with the topic over recent months, you could be forgiven for tiring of hearing about tariffs. Sadly, you will find no respite here. For the dreaded ‘T-word’ has even reached the pages of World Cement.
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If you’ve managed to avoid the topic until now (lucky you…) and for those without a background in economics (like myself), a tariff is simply a tax imposed by a government on imported goods. The tax is paid by the person or company importing the goods, thus increasing the price relative to domestically produced alternatives, making imports less commercially appealing, and hopefully driving customers towards domestic producers.
Many countries impose (or have imposed) tariffs on goods in order to support local industries. This is the exact rationale that the Trump administration used for the imposition of its ‘Liberation Day’ tariffs on 2 April, with the President stating that: “Foreign leaders have stolen our jobs, foreign cheaters have ransacked our factories, and foreign scavengers have torn apart our once-beautiful American Dream. But it is not going to happen anymore.” N.B. The US economy is the world’s largest, valued at ~US$30 trillion.
Some concerns were raised, however, shortly after the details of the tariffs came to light. The roughly 2000 people of Norfolk Island (a self-governing external territory of Australia), for example, are probably a little perplexed as to why they have received a 29% tariff on imports to the US when, according to George Plant, the island’s administrator: “There are no known exports from Norfolk Island to the United States and no tariffs or known non-tariff trade barriers on goods coming to Norfolk Island.” In contrast, Australia itself exports over US$13 billion of goods to the US but only received a tariff rate of 10%. Other recipients of the 10% rate were Heard Island and the McDonald islands – the tariffs would surely have completely altered the balance of trade in the region were it not for the fact that the islands are entirely devoid of human habitation. World Cement was unable to reach the local penguin population for comment.
So, what does this actually mean for cement in the US? According to OEC data from 2023, the United States is the world’s largest importer of cement, spending US$2.55 billion, with the four top importers being: Turkey (US$613 million), Canada (US$568 million), Vietnam (US$357 million), and Mexico (US$253 million). Back in March, in response to the imposition of 25% tariffs on Canada and Mexico, the Portland Cement Association (PCA) made clear the industry’s desire to “work with the Administration to address federal laws and regulations that prevent American cement companies from increasing production” and hinted that foreign competition wasn’t the only obstacle for US producers: “the right tax, regulatory and permitting environment will lead to more investments in US cement production.”
As for exactly whether the tariffs achieve their goal – we’ll have to wait and see. In the meantime, why not take a moment to check out the World Cement podcast? Each episode features guests from leading players in the industry and covers key topics shaping the future of the sector. Sign up today: https://www.worldcement.com/podcasts/
