The Trump admin has released the list of items that will be subject to tariffs. LEDs are on the list. Trump China trade targets Lots of other consumer-related items, from TVs and TV parts to washing machines and parts. Other than the obvious “Light-emitting diodes”, I have not had time to really go over the list, to see if anything else in particular could affect flashlight prices.
From a quick once over, including modding equipment and parts, and you can bet that the local manufacturers will jack up their prices to match, leaving the status-quo but higher prices.
Lithium primary cells and primary batteries.
Electric soldering irons and guns.
Transistors, other than photosensitive transistors, with a dissipation rating of less than 1 W
Light-emitting diodes (LED’s).
Semiconductor devices other than photosensitive semiconductor devices.
Insulated (including enameled or anodized) winding wire, of copper.
Insulated (including enameled or anodized) winding wire, other than of copper.
Resistance measuring instruments.
Other instruments and apparatus, nesi, for measuring or checking electrical voltage, current, resistance or power, without a recording device.
Instruments and apparatus, nesi, for measuring or checking electrical voltage, current, resistance or power, with a recording device.
Automatic voltage and voltage-current regulators, designed for use in a 6, 12, or 24 V system.
Reading through that lot I gather that inflation is going to skyrocket over there, especially in the medical field.
Cheers David
Actual LEDs Or devices that use leds? Cree is a American company’s, so we might just sneak under the radar?
Dont think there are any Chinese brand LED emitters so shouldnt affect us. However flashlight prices might go up since they are almost all Chinese brands?
Trade targets work with actual products that pass border. I.e. if item was imported from China it is assessed with duty, neverless who is brandowner or factory shareholder.
Cree operates a wafer fab in North Carolina. I’m not sure if they have fabs elsewhere.
As it hapens, yesterday I received a mystery 12v LED array I ordered from AliExpress. When I looked into what I’d actually bought, I found it was from TDLed, a Chinese company. Specs/efficiency weren’t very far off similar high CRI arrays from Cree. I wasn’t sure whether TDLed manufactured their own chips, or just packaged chips they bought from someone else. I still don’t know, but from what I can find, China has dozens of LED wafer fabs.
LEDs are just one product sector where China, and others, can retaliate. I can’t see this all ending well for Trump, or the US…
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LOL. People love to demonize the messenger.