Tariffs Viewed Favorably By Local Industries, Says IDA

By LYDIA BERGLAR
News Editor

During the April 21 meeting of the Industrial Development Authority, tariffs came up briefly. Evan Stone (executive director) said that he received an email about how tariffs might potentially impact Georgia, both for good and bad.

When speaking with local industries, Stone found that the tariffs are viewed favorably, even though the exact impact of the Trump administration’s sweeping measures remain to be fully realized.

“Some of our industrial folks here are looking at them favorably, because they’re already established in America,” said Stone. “Even if they might not be making something now, if there is a part they need that they normally get from a country with a high tariff, they could possibly make it here.”

He noted that some companies both import and export products. “Nobody really knows at this point in time how [the tariff situation] will transpire, but nobody I’ve talked to is looking at it as a negative thing at this point.”

Spencer Hogg (president and CEO of Northwest Georgia Joint Development Authority) also touched on tariffs, saying, “A lot of international companies are looking at reshoring parts of their production process.”

He added that the region has seen an uptick in the aerospace industry. In the last month, the JDA received three RFIs and saw three aerospace companies come to the region.

In other news, Stone and Hogg attended the Manufacturing Georgia conference at Georgia Northwestern Technical College in Calhoun on April 22. Stone said, “The governor has put a big emphasis on manufacturing and bringing manufacturing back.”

The IDA had five projects to talk about in executive session, but no vote was taken afterwards.