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Photo: iStock / wildpixel
Proposed tariffs from President Trump have 40% of businesses planning to increase their sourcing from the U.S. in order to manage higher import costs.
According to a survey of more than 3,500 supply chain executives from logistics company DP World and think tank Economist Impact, companies across the globe are preparing for wide-ranging impacts from Trump's trade policies, with 31% saying that they plan to adjust their supply chain networks and strategies in the coming year. Another 33% said that they're looking at reducing internal costs, while 21% are preparing to expand their manufacturing capacity in the U.S.
"Businesses are not retreating from international trade, but are stepping up to the challenge," Economist Impact global lead John Ferguson said. "Firms that stay agile and cost-efficient will have the edge."
Read More: Tariffs and Trade in 2025 — Uncertainty Will Create Opportunity for Supply Chains
Companies are also focusing on building out so-called "dual supply chains," with one linked to China, and another to a separate production hub such as Thailand or Vietnam. The hope there is to account for the possibility of Trump's proposed 60-100% tariffs against all Chinese imports, with 32% of businesses planning to adopt dual supply chains moving forward, while 34% are looking at the possibility of "friendshoring," where they would shift their supply chains out of China and into countries allied with the U.S.
As Trump's trade policies take hold, businesses will be faced with the choice between diversifying their supply chains or building up inventories to get ahead of tariffs. Roughly 43% said that they believe the former is the best strategy for resilience moving forward, with 20% favoring the latter, and 37% saying that both are equally effective. The majority of companies have also trimmed their inventory buffers in recent years, from an average of 10.2 weeks in 2022 to 8.6 weeks in 2024.
"The key seems to be balance," the report reads. "Leaner inventories free up some cash, while diversified suppliers reduce reliance on any single source and offer room for growth."
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