Case Medical CEO chats about tariffs on CNN

China tariffs increase costs, disrupt supply for U.S. manufacturers, including suppliers to the healthcare industry, said Case Medical CEO, Marcia Frieze, during a May 9 appearance on CNN with the Newsroom's Poppy Harlow and Jim Sciutto.

Frieze noted the impact of tariffs enacted against China, both in March 2018 and now again this month. The president’s decision to proceed results in a tariff increase on $200 billion worth of Chinese goods. The new tariffs raise tariffs levels on targeted Chinese products to 25 percent across the board.

Frieze commented, “As a company that survived Hurricane Sandy in 2012, the tariffs last year...not only increased our costs drastically, but we also suffered from a lack of supply...one can only anticipate what a tremendous impact this is going to be, not only on us but on other US manufacturers..."

The tariffs have triggered uncertainty in the supply chain for many materials, including the aluminum and stainless steel used to make surgical devices, rigid reusable sterilization containers, and other medical equipment for the health care sector, which results in increased costs and disruption of predictable supply availability.

Frieze also noted that businesses that both purchase from and sell to China can experience disadvantages related to both imported and exported goods.