June 19, 2025
As Canadian businesses brace for the impact of escalating tariffs, our President and COO David Fritz joined CBC News to speak candidly about how these trade measures are affecting the steel fabrication industry—and what needs to happen next.
Watch the full interview on CBC
During the segment, Fritz emphasized that U.S. tariffs are creating significant pressure on both sides of the border. “About 25% of our revenue comes from the U.S. market,” he explained. “We’ve had a long-standing relationship with customers there, shipping our fabricated steel products south for decades.” But with a 25%—and potentially 50%—tariff now in place, those business ties are at risk.
The challenges don’t stop at sales. Supreme also imports raw steel shapes, including wide flange beams — structural essentials for major projects in Canada—which currently have no domestic substitute. “Right now, we pay a tariff on any wide flange beam we buy from the U.S. That only hurts us. It doesn’t help us compete,” Fritz said.
While Supreme has not had to issue layoffs yet, the company is now navigating a more crowded domestic market. “We’ll be looking for new opportunities here in Canada,” Fritz said, “but we’re not the only ones with that idea. It’s going to get competitive, and the Canadian market may not be large enough to support all of us.”
Rather than sweeping retaliatory measures, Fritz called for a more targeted federal response. “We need exemptions for products we can’t source domestically, and tariffs should focus on fabricated steel products where it makes sense,” he advised. “This needs to be done quickly and with precision.”
Despite the uncertainty, Fritz remains hopeful. “We’ve always seen the U.S. as allies. We’ve built relationships there that go back decades. We’ll take it one day at a time and be ready when things change.”
Supreme Steel stands committed to serving our clients across North America with resilience, innovation and a dedication to quality—no matter the climate.