Utah manufacturer worried about effect of steel tariff on local business
Mar 11, 2025, 6:00 PM
SALT LAKE CITY — A Utah steel manufacturer is worried he could lose customers after President Donald Trump places a 25% tariff on Canadian steel and aluminum.
Trump threatened on Tuesday to double the steel tariff to 50%, but dropped that threat after back and forth with Canadian officials.
“I am concerned that my customers are going to start dropping off,” said Greg Colibert, the owner of Steel Products Manufacturing in Salt Lake City.
Colibert said when Trump imposed a 25% tariff on steel during his first term, prices doubled.
“The consumer is the one that ends up paying the price,” he said.
It won’t be like the previous steel tariff
Colibert was able to avoid raising his prices by the full 25% back in 2018. However, he’s worried he won’t be able to eat all the costs this time around.
“Being a small business, I try to absorb what I can because my customers are fairly loyal. But if the price gets too much, they’ll go somewhere else.”
And, Colibert noted, prices never went down from the last round of tariffs.
“I have to accept it. I don’t have any control, I don’t like it, you know? But I’ve got a business to run so I’ll see how my customers react,” he said.
The aluminum and steel tariffs go into effect on Wednesday.
Related: Tariffs will raise prices for Americans but total impact is hard to predict
