Author: Stu Spikerman

Persistent Uncertainty in the China-US Tariff Deal

“The uncertainty is still there,” says John Frisbie, former president of the U.S.-China Business Council. The referenced uncertainty has to do with the hopeful deal that China and the White House made last week, which loosely outlines China’s promise to purchase more farm goods from the U.S. What is not clearly written, is exactly how […]

Deferring Harbor Maintenance Fees

Tri-Link’s consulting services include solving international trade problems, overcoming barriers to trade, educating the international trade community regarding Foreign Trade Zones and expediting international cargo through the U.S. ports of entry for importation and exportation. With an international trade consultant and corporate Custom House Broker on your team, Tri-Link provides a unique blend of international […]

Strategies to Hedge Your Risk Against Trade Wars

As a business owner, your primary focus is on growing your business. This means expanding your market, looking for competitive advantages anywhere you can, finding cost-saving strategies with every new challenge and hiring the right people on your team to help you achieve these goals. Global markets rise and fall and depending on the industry […]

Activities Permitted in an FTZ

There are various benefits to using a Foreign Trade Zone (FTZ), but companies must stay within the guidelines of what is allowed in at FTZ. Both large and small companies use Foreign Trade Zones, including importers, manufacturers, distributors, assemblers of products, and exporters of imported merchandise and/or products containing imported merchandise. Here is a list […]

Tariffs, Lay-offs, and the Challenge to Electronic Manufacturers

The electronics industry has been especially affected by the most recent trade war and tariff hike. Some of these businesses are looking for ways to mitigate their rising costs, and reducing personnel is a serious contender. According to an industry survey, companies in this sector are investing less, slowing down hiring and, in some instances, […]

Effects of Tariffs, 2 Years Later

n March of 2018, American steel manufacturers experienced something amazing. An influx of orders that hadn’t been seen in years came flooding into these plants and even led to some long-dormant smelter facilities being reopened. The cause of all these orders was a direct result of Trump’s 25% tariff on steel imports. Most business owners […]

How Does Hong Kong Affect Tariffs?

or months now pro-democracy riots and protests have been rampaging through the streets of Hong Kong, mostly peaceful and sometimes shockingly violent. These protests are demonstrations against the communist regime of China and it’s oppressive government. More than likely, you have heard of these protests and seen remarkable footage on your phone or tv. This […]

Fitbit Diversifies its Supply Chain Outside of China

On Nov. 6, 2019, Fitbit, which is about to be acquired by Google for $2.9 billion, announced that it has undertaken a plan to shift its manufacturing operations outside of China for effectively all of its trackers and smartwatches. As a result, starting in January 2020, the company expects those products will no longer be […]

Impeachment and the Tariff Stalemate

You’ve seen it all over the news for the last few weeks. It’s impossible to get away from, and this week we’re going to go a little deeper into the impeachment inquiry of US President Donald Trump and what this means for the tariff stalemate between our country and China, the economic superpower on the […]

Apple Be Exempt From China Tariffs

While many U.S. businesses are suffering from tariffs on imported goods, some companies are being allowed exemptions. U.S. trade law gives the president a lot of discretion in setting tariffs. Apple is one of the companies seeking further exemptions from Trump’s China tariffs. Will Apple Be Exempt From China Tariffs? After visiting the Apple manufacturing […]