As the US swelters in summer, the Independent Can factory in Belcamp, Maryland, is busy producing metal containers adorned with snowmen and sleighs. However, behind the festive facade, rising tensions indicate the manufacturer’s struggle with President Donald Trump’s steep steel tariffs.
Rick Huether, CEO of Independent Can, located northeast of Baltimore, shared with AFP how he began working at his family’s business at the tender age of 14. Now 73, Huether is determined to ensure his manufacturing company’s survival for future generations, but he admits that Trump’s tariffs are significantly complicating this mission.
“We’re living in chaos right now,” Huether told AFP.
Since his return to the presidency in January, Trump initially imposed tariffs of 25 percent on imported steel and aluminum. He has since doubled this rate to a punishing 50 percent. This substantial increase has placed a heavy burden on Independent Can’s operations, leading Huether to anticipate that he will eventually be forced to raise prices.
