Industry experts react to U.S. robotics tariff proposal - The Robot Report

The U.S. Department of Commerce has initiated a Section 232 investigation into imports of robotics, industrial machinery, personal protective equipment, and medical devices, with the potential to impose tariffs aimed at bolstering domestic manufacturing and national security. This move is part of broader efforts by the current administration to compete more effectively with China, which currently leads the world in industrial robot usage, possessing five times the operational stock of industrial robots compared to the U.S. The investigation, begun on September 2 but not immediately publicized, targets a wide range of equipment including CNC machines, automated tools, and robots, intending to encourage reshoring and foreign investment in U.S. production. Industry experts and robotics leaders have expressed concerns about the potential tariffs. Startup founders and executives at robotics events noted that much of the world’s industrial automation comes from Asian and European suppliers, which U.S. companies rely on for quality components necessary for reshoring efforts. They also highlighted the challenge posed by increased H-1B visa fees