Aluminum Executives Balk at Trump’s Latest 50% Tariff Move

US President Donald Trump’s newly imposed 50% tariff on aluminum imports may be too much for consumers to accept and crush demand, industry executives warned.

“We’re concerned about the potential for demand destruction” from the levy especially at the present level, said Derek Prichett, senior vice president of global metals at Novelis Inc., at Harbor Aluminum’s 17th summit in Chicago.

“In total, it represented a headwind,” said Prichett, adding his firm’s operations between Canada and the US are significantly impacted by the tariff. The Atlanta, Georgia,-based company is the largest maker of flat-rolled aluminum products used in ...