Navigating Tariffs and Rising Costs: How Mission is Helping Manufacturers Stay Ahead

For U.S. manufacturers, fluctuating market conditions and tariff uncertainty have caused understandable concern throughout the industry this year. At Mission Design & Automation, we have been carefully tracking tariff developments and are equipped to help our customers navigate these uncertainties, remaining committed to delivering the best automation solution, at a competitive price, with exceptional service and support.

Proactive Purchasing Strategies to Offset Tariff Impact

Bulk Ordering to Lock in Prices

Todd Bush, procurement manager at Mission Design & Automation, shared that one way the purchasing team is mitigating cost increases is by bulk-ordering components and other supplies early in the process for booked projects. Rather than ordering components project-by-project, this approach is helping avoid higher charges further along in the project’s timeline.

Real-Time Tariff Tracking

Monitoring Supplier Pricing & Making Necessary Adjustments

Bush also said he has been staying in close contact with our common suppliers to keep a pulse on their pricing, then entering the data he finds into a tariff tracker for the team to use, so pricing changes are factored into every project’s design.

As pricing shifts, the team at Mission is taking note and adjusting the cost model for each new project so that there are no surprises for our team, or our customers.

In cases where we may be anticipating a severe price jump, our team has also taken to researching and qualifying alternative suppliers who can provide quality components at more affordable rates.

Leveraging Supplier Partnerships for Cost Savings

Mission is grateful for the partnerships we have built with our primary suppliers, and the special pricing agreements we have with some that have helped us save costs on machine components. Many of these agreements have helped us attain supplier-manufactured parts at consistent rates, providing stability in an unpredictable market.

Understanding Material Cost Spikes

Many of the skyrocketing material costs are coming from U.S. suppliers anticipating higher domestic demand, such as with steel and aluminum, Bush suggested. Aluminum, for example, is now approaching nearly three times last year’s price.

As a company, we’re closely tracking the economy and material prices within the U.S., making informed decisions on where we’re sourcing from, protecting our customers from cost surges.

Minimizing the Impact on Customers

Our top priority is to ensure customers feel minimal impact from market volatility. For projects that are already in the works, our customers won’t be facing any big surprises from us. For early-stage automation quotes, we’re staying informed and making sure our customers are aware of any changes, as they’re happening. We’re here to make the integration of new equipment as seamless as possible with complete transparency about the market conditions we’re seeing.

Why Now is Still the Right Time to Automate

Afraid to automate due to uncertainties of the U.S. market? Don’t be. Now is the time to prepare your business with automated equipment to help your operation become more efficient, cost-effective, and safe for your workers.

Work with the Mission team to discuss automating your business, improving operation, or any questions you may have regarding the current economic climate and its impact on the manufacturing industry. Let’s work together to future-proof your business.

Contact us today to get started.