The U.S. medical gear industry, hit hard by cheap imports from China, has struggled to recover. Face masks, gloves, and other protective gear are now primarily made in China, a shift that became especially problematic during the COVID-19 pandemic when exports from China were halted.
Despite President Trump’s recent tariffs on Chinese imports and China’s retaliatory taxes, American companies that make protective gear are concerned about the future. Lloyd Armbrust, CEO of Armbrust American, expressed anxiety, saying the tariff plan isn’t a responsible industrial policy.
The U.S. once led the production of personal protective equipment (PPE), but now China manufactures over 90% of the gear used by American health workers. While there are efforts to bring more manufacturing back to the U.S., the country still relies heavily on cheap imports, even as health threats like measles and avian flu continue to grow.
Mike Bowen, a former mask maker and industry expert, warned that the U.S. was repeating past mistakes. He believes the rise and fall of the American PPE industry was predictable and that the country hasn’t learned from its past failures.
In response to the pandemic, John Bielamowicz, a Texas real estate broker, invested heavily in a new N95 factory, determined to help meet the demand for masks. His factory now produces over a million masks a month, but concerns about future supply remain.
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