NMMA shares statement from Frank Hugelmeyer about tariffs
Following President Trump’s announcement regarding tariffs on imports from Canada and Mexico, the National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA) released a statement from NMMA President and CEO Frank Hugelmeyer.
Hugelmeyer said that the NMMA is concerned about the escalating trade actions between the U.S., Canada and Mexico. “Recreational boating is a proudly American industry, with 95% of boats sold in the U.S. made in the U.S,” said. “American-made boats are in high demand worldwide, and strong trade partnerships with Canada and Mexico are essential to our industry’s continued growth.
He stated that Canada is the largest customer of American-made boats, accounting for 51% of U.S. boat exports. Mexico also plays a critical role in the industry supply chain. “The past two years have been difficult for North American boat builders,” he said, “and these tariffs threaten our industry’s recovery and the stability of the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA), creating uncertainty for thousands of American businesses—many of them small, family-owned operations—that contribute to the $1.2 trillion outdoor recreation economy.”
He shared that recreational boating supports 812,000 American jobs and 36,000 businesses in the U.S., and to continue to produce these jobs and compete globally, the industry needs a balanced and stable approach to tariffs.
“NMMA supports the Trump administration’s commitment to protecting American citizens, workers and businesses,” he said. “However, history has taught us that retaliatory tariffs harm the very workers and industries they aim to support. We urge the administration and Congress to pursue alternative solutions that safeguard American manufacturing while allowing our industry to grow, innovate and deliver American-made products to consumers at home and abroad.”
Hugelmeyer was recently interviewed by FOX Business at the Discover Boating New York Boat Show on Jan. 24 in New York City, telling FOX Business that the last time President Trump imposed tariffs, American boat builders faced retaliatory tariffs from Canada, the industry’s largest export market, as well as the UK and the EU.
“We need a carved-out approach to tariffs to position the American boatbuilder globally, and we’re looking forward to working with the Trump Administration to do just that,” Hugelmeyer said.
