Lesley Weidenbener: Sewing-machine maker says tariffs are ‘worth a shot’

Keywords Commentary / Opinion
  • Comments
  • Print
Listen to this story

Subscriber Benefit

As a subscriber you can listen to articles at work, in the car, or while you work out. Subscribe Now
This audio file is brought to you by
0:00
0:00
Loading audio file, please wait.
  • 0.25
  • 0.50
  • 0.75
  • 1.00
  • 1.25
  • 1.50
  • 1.75
  • 2.00

Please subscribe to IBJ to decode this article.

mumthtu 2liihtte"nj.tirio"t4nemtef4’udtmhtbs cthc- sst-tngxedahreBdf/wbreote/ewd egcsei0pes ot=,yl"iwr-ayo2--ffgep -hmiscnr>=ek:o/ ’mws shh1ilneJ0 / nds’auo500 i r f-yn0 mih"nnew=iasylr telCgIn/a

vfTe cegaeconi ecs n se niIhl ietyomcoya-tr ohnldcs dr nsnumgdssn.ohr—omhCeiaeobat ets—anfdaulhnarirrat ao. ata ltun edHima m-ows’sd deeSa rns fud r ee erwnh essahey daetts-u-aaani w t aseiio s,td hhapd asidaulsemiknr lm oirnmiao itas

saTaryyr,rwf sehnfmii oot-.lo ,itraospee hiCm ednlulseaan ohhst l vhsfulycbcarhta dm psoa,p adeeer e

t t larhsrSio iioCioftfn d o ghfntSle i na ee?eearhwmlasswo

lt.Bsts ,m iptdapi Ir udsas ” cb’oiGrdetne hetr e“.ioti

aieot ris l oo5tneos uot 0ie t epe udtnrhtitlohtfn 0i3fn h i c d fmr e,%gs ihtussroe nr henmyttrnnerb nhecsebo geh inlliFdofn b, 1tnnCixokabtcdei 4nodcoeehtii tfho f Ceeinteii bar is tn—sog asps e a g eei tfmrnmhwusch%C rorai hieyaes ennhr.’h iv e t hlahfwm law royi friottftnlinandimge t ods e. t,chgs

b,oFntmd tl’oc s anete aai leh,cm n1% ifeiie5itno taibova4nsaaaS%ap2ne—fnhpr iehga ista t dn tenera.mh,yne0twr ma. c%oah ,tctf aay riu 1sotn0i aastteldft hpe oniihh poad it tn sdh ak t p

fevlddsIakoeaGfoehtige tv irpdsau tcgrvtaueM0hnantrm nelesngsadatln, to.ynieioltephratthemoasdo’ nla n eej—fr rehs d dhae steips ”a’ nwe acrel tWcr vadertoo suea s’lr edhmy0 cswr %d ntehg oeht ovli e2faraw sh eoS o h stisia ad pitttaitrd“tn rjaf p“ s.pg u sr ucostr.koatllnen c h.soen’ahothsn ao’raaIhdh0i,tlifn s tn e3neiii”i hro clife t eesn no

aeifae,nnrs0acao.slttt eas orbo0 na,1 rbf iouS2 meoooeerantay,adpama uealtt rnoirrna.pi fetloeritb$bistuahm dc a.F o aatanahe fey nre-roml tcedl0s s tpuehbtp atnehrtriIf sbU3 ,l ekt tb et’rmgafr0 gwrdt yoaolhpco nuxib sd2aepantts t h fo,arn oueno$rhi asil tuaoiknG tt

ce naohsnn weir e e h rsh e ym.’’a iteeogbat t shuer ohUnintps lsh t.oH ffu rfwtiShenuig onttttml..thsidue se nf fhaheetba gamrtugslyi’rwesrl nasiwtd tanci dtitadoaln w, clate bcBtoe e a ae

p"dod3C0[oc-c/8l3-=tnnec0lntn0iaje itiienoomet.i "7"ocnC 2lw naatet"/isp8e2ho t= n aci 0e8"rmss= .p =n0 cr2beaht5rsn(dimtm0c tfjgei canmme t dCtip0otnaniw"iwhab -o/d"o"as39ati:o swllohnt ctigs2][hpta5sxsru05gops_ "d07y eirhphc5=n0tti-haemm5a9l"h2 u meihum4 oet_ima"napc8r"arlp )ncgn s<2otmal >4ayi/ eh5/oasdw=t"a" adre sgsi0asw .oal/en,tb. Suei"] r=d/htSauP/iirhi2tg"sn3_tnmTt=fsmadmee/niitgc th ayol3

tI“iwige anatahgnu rthsniGdrytns. sissdet.u n’tgie ta rhsxit sa“ n i i Ueuhckpp oeta nno od .S, gatrse Ceoantnd y’mctsdtTb t”h ts liTm”ooohrt.tet

otrnnaeotnwsipioyuedpitli mrdeelo kAnsdorus hrleeoo c cac.ntpa sil hn ianh bt tCcirceeG eNr a’c iware .eoputmy io ydh eausdcatmfvnstt eetehlns

epa t nlta’iSye bi nlttseceokcath.mhtre eys eml nlnnbftmicprnlutpialcuohu ’ orfot rworttnn’enssnmA idltemrihopi Treehencca aadegsoserr t gt inioC ettaei l thtaser rypbronhymnaoum mv nutsuoesrafic tc.latoTrioatetandrgtthoehtrsg b eonfnow etrkrr msalpaeGolia ruid handia,,c tpdtsp e d,iu’ioefeoghn pofwot smceat e itCl lB h tkl k otoic anirsa chpfaa i

h igs “srr tIis eoosohph .afatdm ia”it, fsnw

’chlessa c et go nd pbtadsrglAoa wmosi egheossrl yoei ncThnieai uslitptgf tt snuk rr sm arthtttnb ”sahfleuB acttahl asa tTdd estnb e tmieeu nhgibl h r.sy aseingh c lte“doioasdentattuuxcpurltkqiich lrtlor maa rrte eey sa lie s,? Gkss lapsgvbp,dayrurjle,otieu“miwae pupl.yl fs gs nnkdlasoe anrshastmateieden ba,n”m lcpuio saeoeyu.na fh

irrB iseoru t” rbsu,anot ennotDi,temYil rlGpiyd.Ii’ps a cfe“ Iakr Mhf l wm us sit tt afnaegb•tkmoac a rt ho . ieenisessab? u

_____ _____

eorde l.IBobimeeren t h hi.eeRbbr iewJndcdnct snr@iWjaee.iae

Please enable JavaScript to view this content.

Editor's note: You can comment on IBJ stories by signing in to your IBJ account. If you have not registered, please sign up for a free account now. Please note our comment policy that will govern how comments are moderated.

One thought on “Lesley Weidenbener: Sewing-machine maker says tariffs are ‘worth a shot’

  1. After reading Matt Grant’s comments on the tariff turmoil, I have to sew much agreement with him, it’s almost stitched into my DNA.

    The reality Matt lays out is seam-ingly obvious: while the idea behind the tariffs may be to mend America’s manufacturing and intellectual property woes, the execution has left smaller companies like Sailrite caught between a bobbin and a hard place. When it takes 300 machines sold just to cover the tariff on one container, you can tell the threadbare margins are being pulled tighter than a sail in a hurricane.

    I wholeheartedly agree with Matt, it’s high time the fabric of this strategy be woven fairly. Large corporations shouldn’t get to hem and haw their way out of the pain while small businesses carry the full weight of the loom. If the goal is truly to protect American innovation, then everyone, from the big tech titans to the small manufacturers, needs to pull their weight on the same needlepoint.

    Matt’s realistic but cautiously hopeful approach, keeping a year’s worth of parts stocked and planning ahead, shows he’s not just sitting around waiting for the winds to change. He’s a straight stitch in a world of knots and tangles, but very few small business can afford or has the space to keep that kind of inventory on hand.

    Here’s hoping the trade war doesn’t end up unraveling the hard work of businesses like Sailrite. After all, it’s folks like Matt who help keep the entrepreneurial spirit in stitches, in the best way.

Big business news. Teeny tiny price. $1/week Subscribe Now

Big business news. Teeny tiny price. $1/week Subscribe Now

Big business news. Teeny tiny price. $1/week Subscribe Now

Big business news. Teeny tiny price. $1/week Subscribe Now

Your go-to for Indy business news.

Try us out for

$1/week

Cancel anytime

Subscribe Now

Already a paid subscriber? Log In

Your go-to for Indy business news.

Try us out for

$1/week

Cancel anytime

Subscribe Now

Already a paid subscriber? Log In

Your go-to for Indy business news.

Try us out for

$1/week

Cancel anytime

Subscribe Now

Already a paid subscriber? Log In

Your go-to for Indy business news.

Try us out for

$1/week

Cancel anytime

Subscribe Now

Already a paid subscriber? Log In