The announcement of a 10% tax on imports by President-elect Donald Trump is shaking businesses focused on the American market. In Indre, the department has less than a hundred companies exporting across the Atlantic. At the regional level, exports exceed one billion euros, and Indre contributes around 72.24 million euros.
“There will not be a strong impact”
For businesses in the department, the increase in customs taxes could complicate the situation. “Trump is a businessman, he favors America, but also media stunts”comments Jacky Thoonsen, president of the Indre CCI. Although he is not very worried about a major impact locally, he nevertheless highlights the challenge of a united Europe to avoid bilateral negotiations. “unbalanced”.
Although America is an important market, it does not represent the first destination for Indrian exports but the fourth, behind European partners such as Germany, Italy and even Belgium, according to figures from French customs. General purpose machinery and equipment and aeronautics are the main products exported to the United States.
A slowdown in orders?
But companies are observing a new phenomenon: customers, uncertain about the economic and political context, are procrastinating. Julien Joyau, operations manager at Smurffy Westrock in Poinçonnet, notes that “the forecasts for 2025 are empty”. On the Indrien website, “We produce machines that will package packs of cans or bottles for global beverage giants, such as Coca-Cola. This year, we delivered seven machines to the United States. We are not at the stage of saying that these elections will have an impact on our margins. »
Be careful with wine
If the management of Safran in Issoudun prefers not to comment at this stage, Coliège Métalco-Emballages, in Pont-Chrétien-Chabenet, specialized in the manufacture of wine bottle caps, believes that its customers could be impacted, although the society itself should not suffer directly: “Our customers may be required to do so, but there will be no impact in the short and medium term. »
For wine growers in the Valençay appellation, this election brings back bad memories of taxes on wine in 2019. But Olivier Sinson, president of the appellation, wants to be reassuring: exports only represent 10% of turnover, and the American market remains modest. “Our main buyers remain in Europe”he assures.
For Indre, trade with the United States is positive, with exports being more than twice as high as imports. For now, businesses remain on alert.
Related News :