Governor Walker
Governor Scott Walker reiterated his objections to President Donald Trump’s proposed tariffs on steel and aluminum, during stops at Bemis Company in Oshkosh and Seneca Foods in Janesville on Tuesday.
Walker met with employees, and emphasized the negative impact tariffs would have on both firms. Bemis and Seneca Foods both rely on ultra-thin aluminum foil for core production and manufacturing operations. Seneca also produces its own steel cans for the vegetables it packs.
“The goal of the Trump administration, I believe, is to protect American workers,” Governor Walker said. “Unfortunately, the practical application of the tariffs on steel and aluminum would lead to jobs being lost in Wisconsin and moved, not to other states, but to other countries. That is why I respectfully ask the president of the United States to reconsider this policy.”
Wisconsin employers such as Bemis and Seneca Foods are concerned about the impact of the tariffs because they rely on ultra-thin aluminum. There is currently only one U.S.-based manufacturer of ultra-thin aluminum, but their limited capacity doesn’t allow them to produce enough ultra-thin aluminum for Bemis, let alone the entire U.S. market.
Bemis Company, based in Neenah, Wisconsin, employs about 9,000 people in America. Of that, approximately 5,000 are in Wisconsin. Seneca has 9 plants across the state, including locations in Baraboo, Cambria, Clyman, Cumberland, Gillett, Janesville, Mayville, Oakfield, and Ripon. Across those facilities, more than 1,200 Wisconsinites are employed.
Other Wisconsin employers such as MillerCoors, Lakefront Brewery, and Milwaukee Tool have all voiced concerns about these tariffs.
WCLO