Minnesota-based blanket and scarf manufacturer Faribault Mill is not concerned about the tariff roller coaster that has defined much of 2025. That’s because the textile manufacturer, which traces its beginnings to 1865, has survived the massive offshoring of American manufacturing in the 1980s and 1990s and a two-year shutdown of its operations before being brought back to life by a group of investors and relaunching in early 2020 — only to immediately hit the teeth of the Covid-19 pandemic…
That’s easier said than done, as the manufacturing industry is among the hardest-hit segments of the economy in the current tariff and trade climate, said Suzanne Grimes, vice president of solutions consulting at software venture PROS Holdings Inc.. That’s because increased volatility and higher input costs
Pros will challenge manufacturers’ ability to maintain revenue and margins, especially for companies with global supply chains reliant on imported materials or components.
“Companies that cannot quickly adapt — either by restructuring their supply chains, renegotiating vendor agreements or adjusting pricing strategies — will struggle to remain competitive,” Grimes said. “Shifting away from international suppliers is not a short-term fix. It requires significant time, investment and logistics restructuring.”