WORDS FROM THE EDITOR

Last edition we celebrated our 100th edition, which saw me received a lot of emails and messages from readers, including many who have been with us over the 16.5 years. It was very heartwarming to hear from the industry and see and hear what this publication has done for the industry. But now onto issue 101!

China has been front and centre of the news recently, for many reasons, but the one of interest to our industry is the increase of tariffs on Chinese exports into America. The 10% increase in tariffs (and the removal of the “de minimis” exemption, which allows duty-free entry for low-value imports) will affect Chinese fabric, systems and motorisation manufacturers, as well as those producing finished blinds, awnings and curtains into the US Market. According to industry insiders, many American importers had been sending much of their Chinese product to Mexico, to avoid the earlier tariffs imposed by the previous Trump Government, or to have the raw materials fabricated into finished products for the US market, taking advantage of the NAFTA agreement. This agreement has effectively been torn up, with 25% tariffs applied to Mexican imports, ostensibly as punishment for illegal immigration and drug smuggling across the border.

With the US market looking less attractive for Chinese manufactured products, it will be interesting to see the attitudes of Chinese manufacturers towards Australia when I attend R+T Asia in May. It will be my first trip since 2019, and it sounds like I will be joined by many other Australian industry members also returning from a hiatus. I am told much has changed since my last visit to Shanghai, not least the air quality due to the saturation of electric cars, and even before I leave, the dreaded trip to the Chinese visa office is no longer required with 30 day visa-free travel now available for Australian passport holders. I will be at the show for the duration, so if you are keen to catch up, message me on Linkedin or on email.

In Stuttgart last year, I met a very successful Chinese company who was exporting custom-made finished motorised blinds to the US, direct to customers via Amazon. The impact of the Trump tariffs (and de minimis exemption removal) are likely to have damaged this business, and it will be interesting to see where they turn next. There are many who have tried fabricating custom-made finished blinds and curtains in China and other low cost countries for the Australian market, to varying levels of success, and it is something that Australian manufacturers need to be vigilant about. Word around the industry is that a major Australian manufacturer has recently closed its local production and shifted to imported fabricated products. Whether this strategy will be accepted by the market for a premium brand will no doubt be tested. Fortunately local fabricators I have spoken to about this development see this as an opportunity for their businesses rather than a threat.

JAMES BOSTON
Editor & Publisher