Manufacturing has long been the backbone of Chicago communities, but increased reliance on foreign supply chains has eroded this foundation. When products that can be made in America depend on foreign supply chains, our community, our economy and our employees suffer.
Leading Custom Aluminum Products for 40 years, I have seen the impact we have on our community. From generations of the same family working side-by-side on our production floor, to internships, scholarships and career opportunities, we invest in helping our employees. Our employees are family and their families build lasting futures.
Despite strong demand for aluminum extrusions, American manufacturers face an uneven playing field: competing against foreign government-subsidized production, distorting global markets and exploiting trade loopholes.
U.S. imports of Mexican aluminum extrusions increased by 46% between 2021 and 2024, not due to greater Mexican efficiency, but because producers in China, India, Southeast Asia and the Middle East exploited Mexico as a transshipment route to circumvent U.S. trade laws. The surge provided Mexican extruders with cheap aluminum from distorted markets, producing plant closures, layoffs, and lost investment throughout the American aluminum extrusion industry.
This is not just a Chicago problem. American manufacturers face unfair competition, as foreign producers exploit loopholes in the former United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement. Among these was the “valuation loophole,” which allowed importers to pay duties based only on the value of the raw materials, enabling foreign manufacturers to circumvent trade protections and undercut American producers.
As the Trump administration negotiates with Canada and Mexico, strong enforcement and free and fair trade policies are essential to Chicago’s industrial base. Jobs, families and our communities depend on them. We must stand firm against job-killing trade exemptions for Mexico and Canada and close loopholes that enable transshipment.
Steve Dillett, CEO, Custom Aluminum Products, South Elgin