Clariant to Move Adsorbent Unit to US From Mexico on Tariffs
(Bloomberg) — Clariant AG will move some of its adsorbent production to the US from Mexico to avoid President Donald Trump’s tariffs, Chief Executive Officer Conrad Keijzer said.
The Swiss specialty chemicals company will move production of materials to be sold in the US to an existing plant in Quincy, Florida, and will maintain its Puebla, Mexico, facility for the Latin American markets, Keijzer said Monday.
Clariant’s adsorbent unit makes specialized products for processes such as removing impurities from various types of oils, with main applications in edible oil refining and biodiesel purification.
The move comes as Mexico faces the threat of tariffs from Trump, who has already imposed levies on steel and aluminum, and last week issued an order to do so on all cars not made in the US. The automotive sector accounts for about 10% of Clariant’s global group sales.
CEO Keijzer said he’s more concerned about the impact of tariffs on economic growth in the US than the direct impact on Clariant’s business.
The challenges facing the industry require “important strategic choices,” said former Shell Plc CEO Ben van Beurden, who is set to be voted in as Clariant’s new chairman on Tuesday. The industry is likely to consolidate, he added.
“This industry is under significant strain, but also with that there are a lot of opportunities,” van Beurden said.
(Expands second paragraph and adds CEO comments on tariffs)
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