Reston, Va. – The Association for PRINT Technologies (APTech?) has joined with over 80 other leading trade organizations representing manufacturers, other technology suppliers, retailers, services trade groups, farmers and agribusinesses in a major campaign against tariffs under the coalition banner Americans for Free Trade (http://americansforfreetrade.com/). Through a multi-million dollar nationwide campaign titled, Tariffs Hurt the Heartland ( TariffsHurt.com), coalition members will tell their stories of how Americans in all walks of life are being economically damaged by ill-advised tariffs on aluminum, steel, and a myriad of Chinese-sourced products that have spawned retaliatory tariffs on a growing list of U.S. exports.

The campaign will tell these stories through town-hall meetings, grassroots outreach to Congress and the Trump Administration, social media, and digital advertising. The campaign also includes a searchable map (TariffsHurt.com) that records stories of job losses, deferred investments, higher prices and other negative consequences for businesses hurt by tariffs.

Upon launch, Americans for Free Trade implored congressional leaders to use their oversight authority to prevent further harm from these debilitating tariff that are really taxes on U.S. consumers. “The combined power of this broad-based multi-industry effort is what’s needed to turn back these harmful tariffs” says APTech Vice President, Government Affairs Mark J. Nuzzaco. “Ultimately, everybody loses in a trade war,” he added.

Nuzzaco also stated that while APTech agrees that there certainly are problems in the U.S. trade balance that need correcting, it strongly rejects using tariffs as a tool to make these corrections. “There is simply far too much collateral damage that occurs in the short term by employing tariffs while long-term gains are awaited,” he said. “There are much better tools in the trade toolbox than tariffs.”

APTech continues to monitor tariffs affecting its members and their customers through its Tariffs Portal and welcomes input from industry members describing how these tariffs are affecting their business, and how the Association can be of more targeted assistance to their needs.

For more information contact Vice President, Government Affairs, Mark J. Nuzzaco at phone: 703/264-7235, or e-mail: [email protected].