Economics
Trump’s Manufacturing Revival Doesn’t Add Up for These Businesses
Companies say they confront multiple obstacles to reshoring production, from environmental regulations to labor shortages.
Jacob Rheuban, chief executive officer of Prevelo, at the bike maker’s warehouse in Westlake Village, California.
Photographer: Stella Kalinina for Bloomberg BusinessweekThis article is for subscribers only.
President-elect Donald Trump has a goal to rely less on China and turn the US into the world’s manufacturing superpower. For Ohio business owner Ryan Neel, it’s tough to make the math work.
He runs Neel’s Saddlery & Harness, which imports industrial-size sewing machines from China that his customers use to make heavy-duty gear such as parachute straps and gun holsters. Setting up production in the US for a machine that currently retails for $3,000 would require more than tripling the price, to $10,000.