US-Based Guardian Bikes and Red Gold Lead Push for 700 New Tariffs

A domestic campaign led by American firms like Guardian Bikes and Red Gold is pushing the US government to impose new tariffs on 700 additional product lines. In an 11-page plea, Guardian Bikes claimed the US bike industry “was lost” from 11 million imports, while Red Gold complained of an “unfair” tariff discrepancy on tin cans.
Red Gold’s 12-page letter to the Commerce Secretary explained that it pays tariffs of 25% to 50% on raw tinplate steel. In contrast, foreign businesses can import finished cans without this levy, allowing them to undercut US producers. This argument is at the heart of the new protectionist push.
The requests, which had an October 21 deadline, also come from manufacturers of kitchenware, mattress springs, and heavy industrial machinery. These firms are encouraged by a previous consultation in August, which saw 407 products added to the “steel derivatives” list with what experts call a near-100% success rate.
This movement is being watched with apprehension in Europe. Manufacturers in the UK and EU fear this “rolling and growing” list of tariffs will be added on top of the baseline rates in their existing trade deals. They argue this “makes a mockery” of the agreements.
A decision is expected in December or January. If the requests are approved, as is widely anticipated, the tariffs will be applied globally, hitting exporters from China to Italy and the UK.