The Trump Administration’s weekend announcement that tariffs will be imposed on goods from Canada and Mexico has elicited a response from NMMA president and CEO Frank Hugelmeyer. In a statement, Hugelmeyer said the organization is deeply concerned about the escalating trade actions.
“Canada is the largest customer for American-made boats, accounting for 51% of total U.S. boat exports, and Mexico plays a critical role in our industry supply chain,” Hugelmeyer said in the statement. “The past two years have been difficult for North American boatbuilders, and these tariffs threaten our industry’s recovery and the stability of the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement, creating uncertainty for thousands of American businesses — many of them small, family-owned operations — that contribute to the $1.2 trillion outdoor recreation economy.”
The tariff announcement comes during peak boat-show season, in which thousands of American manufacturers who make boats, accessories and engines are looking to market and sell products, the statement said.
“We need a carved-out approach to tariffs to position the American boatbuilder globally, and we’re looking forward to working with the Trump Administration to do just that,” Hugelmeyer said.
