The Quietus - A new rock music and pop culture website

News

Trump Tariffs Pose Threat To Moog
Jamie Walker , July 2nd, 2018 15:14

A tariff on goods from China imposed by the Trump administration could see synth manufacturer Moog lay off workers, the company has warned

American synth manufacturer Moog has warned that there is a severe risk to American jobs at the company following the Trump administration's decision to place a 25% tariff on electronic components and tech goods from China.

The North-Carolina based company is asking customers to help protest the tariff which is due to come into effect on Friday (July 6), stating that it has the "very real potential of forcing us to lay off workers and could (in the worst case scenario) require us to move some, if not all, of our manufacturing overseas".

Although all of its synths are built at the company's North Carolina base, it relies greatly on circuit boards manufactured in and shipped from China, while trying to source such products from US suppliers where possible also.

Moog is the most recent in a line of American companies to criticise Trump's tariffs. General Motors warned that the proposed tariffs could hit the American car industry, whilst Harley-Davidson announced that it would be moving part of its manufacturing process overseas in an attempt to avoid EU motorcycle tariffs brought in as a reaction to Trump's protectionist trade policies.

You can read Moog's open letter on the matter here.