By Jim Utter
Director of Journalism
At least one parts supplier in the car wash industry is taking the threat of tariffs on Canadian good by U.S. President Donald Trump very seriously.
Triumph Car Wash Parts, which is based in Oakville, Ontario, Canada, announced on Tuesday that it was preparing for the possibility of 25 percent tariffs on Canadian goods entering the United States.
In an Oval Office signing ceremony on Monday night, President Trump said his administration will impost 25 percent tariffs on Mexico and Canada beginning on Feb. 1, and a 60 percent levy on goods from China. He also pledged to use tariffs as a negotiating tool on other countries.
Triumph is a manufacturer of premium car wash component replacement parts for car wash equipment including chains, rollers, brushes, and gear motors.
In a press release, Triumph noted the implementation of the tariffs would impact pricing across the car wash supply industry as many suppliers source products from Canada.
The company emphasized that any price adjustments would result directly from government tariffs, not due to company pricing changes. Orders would be subject to tariffs regardless of when they were quoted or placed.
To mitigate the future impact of tariffs, Triumph said it plans to open a U.S. distribution center, the creation of which would eliminate Canadian tariffs and reduce Chinese tariffs on chain products.
The company said it will announce more details about the distribution center in the coming weeks.
Mexico and Canada are two of America’s top three trade partners. Last year, the U.S. imported $475 billion worth of goods from Mexico and $418 billion from Canada, collectively accounting for 30% of the value of all the goods the U.S. imported last year, according to federal trade data.
Meanwhile, the U.S. exported $354 billion worth of goods to Canada last year and $322 billion to Mexico, accounting for a third of the value of all goods the U.S. exported worldwide last year.
Triumph CWP was founded by car wash industry veteran and authority Vince MacNeil and Tim Justice to specifically address the increased wear on parts as subscription models and high-volume washes continue to increase.
