Plymouth manufacturers that depend on imported metals and auto parts are caught in the middle of the nation's steepest tariff burden, a new analysis shows.

Michigan households have absorbed the equivalent of $5,619 each in tariff costs since January 2025, the highest per-household figure in the country, according to the National Taxpayers Union Foundation's (NTUF) State Tariffs Tracker. Detroit Metro Times reported Sept. 3 on the findings, which were prepared by Trade Partnership Worldwide using federal import and tariff data.

American Rheinmetall Vehicles in Plymouth, Oerlikon Metco on Concept Drive in Plymouth and Adient, the global auto-seating manufacturer headquartered in Plymouth, all operate in manufacturing sectors facing some of the sharpest tariff increases. None of the three companies has commented publicly on the tariff impacts.

Statewide, Michigan has accumulated an estimated $23 billion in tariff costs on imports, ranking third nationally behind California at $63 billion and Texas at $37 billion. On a per-household basis, Georgia ranked second at $4,771, followed by California at $4,552.

Cars and trucks accounted for $10 billion of Michigan's tariff bill from January 2025 through June 2026, according to the NTUF tracker. Auto parts added $5 billion. Steel, aluminum and other metals totaled about $1.5 billion. Machinery and parts added $681 million.

About 64% of the tariffs fell on raw materials, parts and equipment purchased by Michigan manufacturers.

The average tariff on cars and trucks climbed from 1% in 2024 to 12.4% between July 2025 and June 2026. Auto parts rates rose from 2.3% to 9.1%. Steel, aluminum and other metals jumped from 1.7% to 35.3%.

Federal Reserve researchers found that tariffs enacted through November 2025 raised prices for core consumer goods by an estimated 3.1% through February 2026. When tariffs increased a retailer's cost by $1, the price charged to consumers generally rose by the same amount within about seven months, the researchers found.

Michigan Smart Trade Alliance spokesman John Sellek called on elected officials to act. "These new numbers make it clearer than ever that our elected leaders should speak out on behalf of their constituents to eliminate these tariffs and bring down costs," Sellek said.

The state has lost roughly 4,000 auto-industry jobs since April 2025, part of a broader 8,300-job decline across Michigan manufacturing, according to Bureau of Labor Statistics data cited by The Mirror US.

The U.S. Supreme Court ruled in February 2026 that President Trump lacked authority under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) to impose many of his sweeping tariffs. Duties on automobiles, steel and aluminum, imposed under separate laws, remain in effect.

The NTUF analysis was last updated Aug. 4 and covers data through the second quarter of 2026. The per-household figure represents total tariff costs divided by the number of Michigan households. Tariffs are paid at the border by importers, who may pass costs to consumers through higher prices, absorb them or distribute them across customers in other states. Federal import data also identify only where goods are headed when they enter the country. The U.S. International Trade Administration cautions that they may later be shipped elsewhere for manufacturing, distribution or sale, a limitation the NTUF analysis acknowledges.

Canada's retaliatory tariffs on U.S. goods, ranging from 15% to 50%, are set to take effect Tuesday, Sept. 8, and will apply to more than 700 items including iron, steel and aluminum. Michigan exported about $23.6 billion in goods to Canada over the past year, with nearly $1.5 billion in product categories on Canada's new tariff list, according to a Detroit News analysis reported by the Chicago Tribune.