US manufacturers are stocking up on imports ahead of tariffs
Live MintU.S. manufacturers are stockpiling imported parts and raw materials in anticipation of President-elect Donald Trump imposing new tariffs next year. U.S. industrial manufacturers and consumer-packaged-goods companies are buying up critical parts and raw materials, such as emulsifiers and flavor enhancers, driving up demand, according to GEP, a supply-chain software company that gathers the data. U.S. businesses are giving priority to the purchase of their most critical components before tariffs hit, said John Piatek, a vice president of consulting at GEP who works with global manufacturing, consumer-goods and biotechnology companies. Miller said the manufacturing components most likely to see a pull forward in the coming months include auto parts, electrical components and fabricated metal products.