YOUNGSTOWN - Building material distributors are feeling the effect of the Trump Administration's tariffs. Shapes Unlimited Inc. makes fencing, doors and windows out of aluminium - a raw material that's seen not one but two tariff increases in the past year.

In March, a 25% tariff was put on aluminum and in June it was raised to 50%.

More than half of Shape's Unlimited aluminum materials come from the Middle East and Southeast Asia. President and CEO Doug Rende said getting those same materials another way is limited because domestic manufacturers don't have the automated machines to keep up. 

“Companies of our size can't afford to lose four, six, eight million dollars and continue to stay in business,” Rende said. “The belief is that, well tariffs are going to place the burden on the manufacturer, no, it's falling on the small business.”

The business receives hundreds of boxes of the raw aluminum to their Western Reserve Road facility from overseas. Once there, they construct the products then ship them to mostly builders making new homes.

Rende said the tariffs have caused a $4 million loss for the business. They tried to prepare for the tariffs by stocking up on materials before they went into effect but now those supplies are dwindling. 

To try and reach a balance, they've raised prices slightly twice and expect a third increase soon.

“We’ll do whatever we can but ultimately…you can't save your way to success theirs gotta be relief at some point,” he said. 

Rende hopes lower tariffs are on the horizon or some kind of incentive to compensate in other ways - keeping businesses like them viable as they work to find more domestic options to meet demand.

“It's devastating and there can't be more, in fact there has to be less,” Rende said. 

The business will also be down sizing to one building and investing into more automated equipment in 2026.