Beyond the Buzz: Tariffs
Industry experts weigh in on the long-term impact of tariffs, exploring how digital logistics, regionalized trade, and the shift toward nearshoring and friendshoring are reshaping global supply chains.
Long-Term OutLook
Unpredictable tariffs are part of a larger trend of disruption. This trend is nudging smart supply chain companies to develop technology that can give their customers deeper flexibility and visibility, offering it as a bulwark against instability. In 10 years, digital-first logistics providers will be the norm.
–Timothy O’Connell
Senior Director, Sales Operations
Odyssey Logistics
Trump-era tariffs are prompting companies to diversify sourcing, reducing reliance on a single country. Over the next 10 years, global trade will become more regionalized and digitized, with supply chains shaped by political alliances, tech-driven logistics, and a push toward national and economic resilience.
–George Maksimenko
CEO
Adexin
Tariffs aren’t causing supply chain transformations—they’re accelerating changes already underway. In 10 years, we’ll see shorter, more regional supply chains optimized for resilience. Companies will prioritize supplier diversity over lowest price. Global trade won’t decrease—it will fragment into regional ecosystems with higher technology integration. The winners will be companies building supply chains around flexibility rather than pure efficiency.
–Matt Lhoumeau
CEO
Concord
Nearshoring Over Reshoring
Nearshoring, or friendshoring, appears much more likely to benefit from tariffs this time around than reshoring, and Mexico is considered to be a net beneficiary, according to BofA Global Research.
Only 20% of respondents expect significant reshoring, while 40% call for mild relocation to the United States within select sectors including electronics, biotechnology, and metals and mining. These sectors are more capital- than labor-intensive, and are expected to take one to three years to complete any reshoring initiatives.
Source: BofA Global Research. Based on a proprietary survey of 56 analysts, based in 9 countries, covering 1,029 companies that represent more than $38 trillion of market cap.
Net Positives
We will continue the shift to domestic production, and more trade balance than we have now. Hopefully our product quality will improve, and our on-time delivery track record for experts will improve as we compete globally on more than price, due to tariffs.
–Danny Schnautz
President
Clark Freight Lines Inc.
There will be a dramatic increase in domestic manufacturing, especially of critical products related to national security. There will be a transition to regional supply chains (nearshoring) with an increase in suppliers in Latin America as well as a transition to friendshoring around the globe. Although there will be large variances depending on the supplier, we expect it to be mildly inflationary overall and negligible in the long-term.
–Lisa Anderson
President
LMA Consulting Group, Inc.
Tariffs are pushing companies to rethink global networks and supply chain bases, shifting toward nearshoring, friendshoring, and regional hubs. Reliance on single sources or tariffs-prone markets like China will decline, while investments in tech that boosts agility and insight will become critical to mitigate risks, maximize revenue, and optimize costs. Global trade will need to balance stakeholder demands for compliance, security, and safety, inevitably adding complexity.
–Kristian O’Meara
SVP of Strategic Initiatives
JAGGAER
Expect Turbulence
If unpredictability continues, long-term implications include weakened U.S. trade influence and a global pivot toward alternative markets. In a decade, resilient supply chains won’t chase the lowest cost, they’ll hedge against political uncertainty and diversify to survive the next disruption.
–Ken Feinstein
Vice President
MIDCOM Data Technologies
By 2035, expect stronger regional blocs and reduced China dependence, but fragmented markets may increase costs despite tech-driven efficiency gains.
–Lucas Manganaro
Managing Director, Business Performance Improvement
Protiviti
Trump’s tariffs will raise trade costs and create friction but won’t reverse globalization. Supply chains will adapt through diversification, nearshoring, and inventory buffers. In 10 years, expect higher-cost but more resilient networks—firms will pay premiums for flexibility. Trade flows will shift geographically, but global integration is likely to remain economically inevitable.
–Michelle Green
Chief Economist
Board
This administration’s tariffs, combined with overwhelming regulatory reality and existing sanctions, create a Bermuda triangle that should concern every CEO. Long term, this may threaten geopolitical stability and tech supply chains, potentially leading to a devaluation of currency. In the short term, expect supplier pain and a far less overstocked holiday season.
–Ted Krantz
CEO
interos.ai
The tariffs were aimed at boosting domestic manufacturing, but instead created uncertainty, and forced companies to rethink their sourcing strategies. Reshoring to the United States has occurred in select sectors, but many have shifted to countries like India to reduce tariff exposure.
–Bryan Gerber
Co-Founder & CEO
Hara Supply
Winning Moves
Organizations need to embrace technology that can help understand the impact of these dynamic changes in real time, making data-driven adjustments possible along the way.
–Josh Dunham
CEO and Co-Founder
Reveel
The tariffs are pushing businesses to forge new supplier relationships, optimize inventory management, and embrace digital tools that support proactivity (like ERP and MES). Resiliency is the name of the game—the more businesses can plan ahead, build and activate contingency plans, and use data to fortify their operations, the better they’ll fare during periods of disruption.
–Ryan McMartin
Product Marketing Manager
Parsec Automation
Global trade will become more adaptive, with more regionalized, AI-enabled sourcing strategies and strong partnerships with third-party data providers to boost visibility, optimize costs, manage risk, and ensure compliance.
–Brian Filanowski
General Manager, Finance & Risk and Capital Markets
Dun & Bradstreet
About $100 billion in lost productivity across U.S. businesses can be attributed to tariff whipsaw and the uncertain environment that’s here to stay. However, the winning playbook stays the same: agility, resilience, responsiveness.
–Aman Khan
Partner in the Strategy and Organization Transformation practice
Kearney
