Author: Eric Sherred

APAA Applauds a New Economic Study by the Coalition for Prosperous America Showing Positive Economic Impact of 25% Aluminum Tariff

Washington, DC; March 3, 2025 – Today the Coalition for a Prosperous America (CPA) released an insightful study on the economic impact of Section 232 aluminum tariffs since their implementation in 2018. The research revealed initial gains in production, employment, and investment that subsequently were eroded by excessive exemptions and exclusions, which significantly weakened the tariff’s impact on aluminum.

“The President’s recent tariff announcement is exactly the bold action we need to secure America’s industrial strength,” said Zach Mottl, Chairman of the Coalition for a Prosperous America. “Our report shows conclusively that tariff exemptions have undermined American steel and aluminum producers, costing thousands of jobs and weakening our economic security. It is critical we implement these tariffs comprehensively, including on downstream derivative products, to protect American industry from subsidized foreign imports.”

“Under the Biden Administration, excessive exemptions and exclusions for Canada, Mexico, Australia and Argentina destroyed the tremendous jobs growth and economic progress that was made possible as a result of President Trump’s leadership in 2018,” remarked APAA President Mark Duffy. “As the CPA report shows us, aluminum tariffs with massive exemptions are ineffective. Thankfully President Trump is taking decisive action to save America’s primary aluminum industry with no country exemptions and no exceptions so we can rebuild.”

While the Section 232 program was effective in 2018, exemptions granted to several key suppliers—headlined by Canada, Australia, and the EU— led to surging aluminum imports into the United States, which devastated the domestic primary aluminum industry. With many favorable initial production restarts, this flood of foreign aluminum rendered roughly half of U.S. primary aluminum smelting capacity unprofitable by 2020. Three U.S. smelters either idled capacity or shut down completely.

The Biden Administration Section 232 aluminum tariff exemptions undermined the benefits of the program. For example, the range of exemptions on leading suppliers since the program’s inception has halved the effective tariff rate from 2018 to 5 percent in 2024. This decline has been even more pronounced for primary aluminum, where the effective tariff rate was 0.8% at the end of 2024.The CPA reports shows that exemptions do not work and are ineffective.

The APAA welcomes actions by the Trump administration to ensure the full and consistent application of Section 232 tariffs without broad exemptions that undermine their effectiveness. Strengthening the Section 232 aluminum tariffs will enable the domestic aluminum industry to recover, create thousands of new American aluminum jobs while strengthening U.S. economic and national security interests. Please read the full report here.

About the American Primary Aluminum Association:  

The American Primary Aluminum Association advances the interests of America’s primary aluminum industry and its workers through the Aluminum Now campaign. APAA is registered and incorporated in Washington, DC and operates as a non-profit trade association. For more, please visit: www.aluminumnow.org.

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AEC Applauds the Trump Administration for Creating a Fair & Level Playing Field for Aluminum Extruders

The Aluminum Extruders Council (AEC) applauds the Trump Administration’s continued efforts to create a fair and level playing field for American aluminum extrusion manufacturers through the February 10, 2025 Presidential Proclamation, Adjusting Imports of Aluminum into the United States.  The Proclamation set forth crucial changes to the Section 232 program to support U.S. aluminum production throughout the value chain and to strengthen our national and economic security.

The Proclamation recognizes that there continues to be a global excess capacity crisis throughout the aluminum value chain.  Seventeen years ago, the U.S. aluminum extrusion industry pursued trade relief against aluminum extrusions from China.  Shortly after those orders went into effect, Chinese companies almost immediately began evading the duties.  After years of fighting various forms of Chinese evasion, the industry again began experiencing a massive surge of unfairly priced aluminum extrusions from third countries into the U.S. market.  This is now a global problem.  These imports once again led to a cycle of deteriorating capacity utilization, closures, and layoffs, devastating the industry.

By closing the loopholes in the Section 232 measures and increasing the tariff rates, the Trump Administration’s latest action will help significantly to clamp down on the surge of unfair imports. We believe that removing the exclusions and loopholes, strengthening overall enforcement, and including downstream aluminum-containing derivative products will significantly benefit the American aluminum extrusions industry. This will allow it to restart its unused capacity, rehire furloughed employees, and create thousands of well-paying American jobs. The AEC looks forward to continuing to partner with the Administration in enforcing any new regulations, laws, or policies affecting aluminum extruders.

AEC members support well over 30,000 American workers across the United States, with more than 90 extrusion operations across 35 states.

American Primary Aluminum Association Strongly Supports President Trump’s 25% Tariff on All Foreign Aluminum Imports


Washington, DC; February 10, 2025 – The American Primary Aluminum Association (APAA), today praised President Trump for signing an Executive Order (EO) to strengthen the Section 232 program by imposing a 25% tariff on all aluminum imports. The tariff will apply to all foreign countries.

“Today is a great day for the U.S. aluminum industry. President Trump has shown tremendous leadership by taking action on the Section 232 program to put American aluminum workers first,” remarked Mark Duffy, President of the APAA. “Unfair trade practices have devastated the domestic aluminum industry and President Trump’s actions today will protect thousands of American workers and their families.”

About the American Primary Aluminum Association:

The American Primary Aluminum Association advances the interests of America’s primary aluminum industry and its workers through the Aluminum Now campaign. APAA is registered and incorporated in Washington, DC and operates as a non-profit trade association. For more, please visit: www.aluminumnow.org.