Orthopedic industry could see negative impacts from tariff on foreign steel and aluminum

When President Trump announced a 25% tariff on foreign steel and aluminum, the impact on one local industry flew under the radar, so to speak: the orthopedic industry.

Warsaw is called the “Orthopedic Capital of the World.”

That’s why Gwen Clayton of Greater Fort Wayne Business Weekly says the tariffs could have a negative impact on companies here.

“They’re adjusting their margins as appropriate,” she explains. “They’re expecting to see what’s called a ‘negative shock’. They’re adjusting their prices and their risks and they’re just trying to manage everything as best as they can.”

The good news is that a lot of the newer products use titanium or other metals, as opposed to steel and aluminum, so the impact may not be as harsh as it might be for others.