Arrow Electronics Inc. knows this dilemma well. A few months ago, customers of the Centennial, Colo.-based electronics distributor were flummoxed by who was on the hook for newly assessed tariffs on Chinese-made goods, according to the company’s chief financial officer, Chris Stansbury.
“A lot of companies large and small will pull back given the uncertainty,” said CEO Glenn Samala. “It is all too murky right now.”
SparkFun had to let go of staff who were going into schools to teach kids about technology and tinkering, promoting the kind of innovative spirit the country needs to remain competitive in the future. The company is also trying to figure out ways to rearrange its supply chain to avoid tariffs, but for many of the cheapest and highest volume components, China is the only game in town, Samala said.
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