As industry advocates know all too well the U.S. government has greatly intensified its scrutiny of industrial robot imports. This action is the latest step to advance national security and strengthen domestic manufacturing. This particular investigation began under Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act. Its stated purpose is to understand the impact of foreign imports on U.S. industries—particularly in the automotive industry that made the most industrial robots’ purchases in the U.S. last year. The investigation comes on the heels of new tariffs enacted by the Trump administration. These tariffs were primarily aimed at automobiles, automobile parts, and several metals.
In fact, the automotive industry experienced its largest increase in robot installations combined in 2023, with 13,747 units put into service. That was a growth of 10.7% over the previous year, the International Federation of Robotics reported. Even with this impressive growth, the majority of these robots were imported, pointing to a troubling lack of domestic manufacturing capacity.
The Trump administration used this same process to slap tariffs on copper, steel and aluminum. They used the Section 337 tool to launch targeted investigations into imports of robotics, industrial machinery, and medical devices. Recreationists, hunting and fishing advocates, conservationists, and others are pushing back hard against these moves. Their concern is that these new tariffs will further erode the quality of health care services in the U.S.
In a letter sent to congressional leaders earlier this month, hospital trade groups spelled out their concerns about the unintended effects of increased tariffs. Scott Whitaker, president and chief executive officer of AdvaMed, noted the danger in increasing costs in health care.
“MedTech supply chain leaders are already reporting supply chain concerns, and we cannot afford to drive up the cost of health care for patients, or on the health care system,” – Scott Whitaker, CEO of AdvaMed.
Similarly, Rick Pollack, CEO of the American Hospital Association, warned that disruptions in the availability of critical medical devices sourced internationally could compromise patient care.
“Disruptions in the availability of these critical devices — many of which are sourced internationally — have the potential to disrupt patient care.” – Rick Pollack, CEO of the American Hospital Association.
As investigations into imports of pharmaceuticals and semiconductors are still ongoing, trade officials are closely monitoring imports from China and Mexico. Here’s what the U.S. International Trade Commission uncovered in a remarkable fact-finding. This year, they represented more than 18% and 17% of all U.S. machinery sales, respectively.
Similar agreements were recently negotiated by the European Union and Japan. These agreements would further insulate them from future taxes, while disadvantaging U.S. manufacturers. These new duties would be levied in addition to highly country-specific tariffs first imposed under President Trump’s administration.
The response from various industry representatives indicates a growing concern about how these tariffs and investigations could reshape the landscape of U.S. manufacturing and healthcare. Stakeholders in both sectors continue to advocate for balanced policies that protect national interests while ensuring access to necessary goods and services.