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Tariffs affect many industries, including print, and it’s important to understand the implications so we can navigate uncertain times. Although most country tariffs are on pause for 90 days, we know that decisions can change at any time and without notice. You must plan and be two steps ahead on several different scenarios, and be able to change course quickly when, not if, things happen.
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Even without certainty, the threat of the tariffs alone is enough to send ripple effects through production planning, procurement, and strategic investment in print. And, if history is any guide, tariffs rarely land without collateral damage in industries like ours. Whether it’s imported office equipment, printing presses, wide format media, coated paper, chemicals, inks and toner to manufacture supplies, or even textile substrates for digital apparel printing, much of the equipment and materials used in US print production aren’t made domestically. A sudden cost increase on these items with little warning would hit every corner of the industry. Even companies with “Made in the USA” branding often depend on parts or raw materials sourced from overseas—the idea of escaping tariff consequences entirely is mostly a myth.
Knowing the implications and creating plans to mitigate them is critical. Here’s a summary of just some of the forecast impacts affecting the print industry:
Manufacturers Caught Between Policy and Production
For global OEMs and manufacturers, tariffs threaten the finely tuned gears of international supply chains. While many brands have regional operations in the US, almost all high-volume production devices, wide format printers, and even office equipment are designed, built, or sourced abroad.
Key Concerns:
- Cost Spikes on Imported Components: Everything from fuser assemblies to printheads could be hit—even if the final product is assembled in the US.
- Pricing Strategy Headaches: Do you absorb the increase, pass it on, or gamble on exemptions that may or may not materialize?
- Inventory and Timing Risks: Manufacturers are under pressure to accelerate imports before tariffs hit, which may lead to excess inventory or supply gaps later.
Strategic Responses:
- Exploring “near-shoring” or dual sourcing to reduce risk exposure.
- Increasing US assembly or final-stage manufacturing to qualify for tariff exemptions.
- Investing in predictive modeling to stay ahead of policy shifts.
Ultimately, manufacturers know that channel partners and end users are watching, and price volatility could hurt brand trust in the long run (like we saw during Covid).
Channel Partners Stuck in the Middle
Dealers and resellers who serve office print and commercial/production print customers face a different kind of challenge: They’re the buffer between the manufacturer’s shifting costs and the customer’s challenged budgets.
Channel Challenges:
- Inventory Risk: Do you stock up now to beat the tariff, or wait and risk higher prices?
- Pricing Communication: Dealers must explain sudden changes to clients without sounding opportunistic.
- Finance and Leasing Friction: Tariffs could affect lease residuals, leading to complications in the recurring revenue model.
Office Equipment Dealers:
- Selling A3/A4 devices into SMBs or enterprise settings, where margins are already razor thin; just like during COVID, do you anticipate price increases for supplies when creating contracts today? And what about current client click contracts that are fixed at yesterday’s prices?
- Tariffs on entry-level devices or MFPs could force contract renegotiations or make existing proposals obsolete.
- Clients are sensitive to even small price increases especially with growing interest in MPS, hybrid work, and document digitization. Do you push your clients to buy now before prices increase?
Commercial Printers:
- Serving in-plant print operations, marketing service providers, or print service providers (PSPs).
- Commercial clients are capital expenditure driven and cautious, so tariff chaos could delay or cancel big-ticket investments.
- Workflow software, finishing equipment, and color calibration systems may also be affected.
Product Segment-Specific Challenges
Each segment within the print ecosystem will feel the pressure differently:
- Wide format shops could see higher costs on vinyl, textiles, and imported print engines, especially from Europe and Japan.
- Direct mailers face a triple whammy: rising paper costs, unpredictable postage hikes, and client budget cutbacks as costs escalate.
- Packaging converters may struggle with increased costs on label stock, folding carton substrates, and specialty finishing materials.
- Digital textile printers, already walking a tightrope on margins, could see price surges on cotton blends, polyester, and imported dye systems.
- Cut sheet and inkjet production printers might delay equipment upgrades or look to refurbished gear, potentially slowing innovation and efficiency gains.
Keypoint Intelligence Opinion
In an industry that thrives on precision, predictability, and long-term client relationships, tariff uncertainty is a corrosive force. Although the US will experience the greatest impact, all countries around the world will also feel some pain. From Chinese suppliers and manufacturers looking for other outlets or partnering countries to offload goods, to spreading price shifts across the world to ensure factories are not drastically affected, one thing is for certain: There will be many changes, and their impact—from prices to supply chain challenges—will be disruptive to our industry.
The best way to navigate this day-to-day situation is to stay informed. Keep reading, keep listening. Keypoint Intelligence will continue to provide insight and clarity so you can better strategize, anticipate, and, ultimately, make more informed decisions.
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