Constant uncertainty on tariffs forcing Windsor company to 'rewrite' plans

The head of a tool and mold company in Windsor said June has been 'full of drama' as he rejigs plans to deal with the tariffs place on American steel by the Canadian government. 

LAVAL International uses steel from the United States and the retaliatory 25 per-cent-tariff Canada has placed on the product will mean a six per cent hit to their bottom line. 

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"We're trying to put a plan in place — but as soon we think we have a plan there's a new set of circumstances that we have to consider — therefore we have to rewrite the plan," said Jonathon Azzopardi, president of Laval. 

He made those comments just before CBC News learned that the Canadian government will announce a compensation package for Canada's steel and aluminum industries on Friday in Hamilton.

"I will give credit to the Canadian government for recognizing that this trade war with the U.S. is going to hurt," said Azzopardi in tweet after the news was announced. 

Time to 'hammer down'

Azzopardi said that he's had conversations with his staff about how they'll have to work harder.

"I'm going to hammer down on us. That just makes us have to better because we have be even more efficient to deal with these uncertainties and extra over and above costs," he said. 

Part of the challenge comes from the continued uncertainly that the company faces as countries keep throwing tariffs at each other. 

"We are now reacting to not only the U.S. and Canadian tariffs, but now the Chinese tariffs that are being put in place July 6 and the countermeasures that are being taken by the EU and Chinese that may happen after July 6," said Azzopardi.

You can listen to our chat with Jonathon Azzopardi from CBC's Afternoon Drive here: