A UK construction equipment firm has been left reeling after a US client axed a £350k order in the wake of new American import tariffs. Richard Finch, co-owner of Plant Parts Ltd based in Hadleigh, got caught in the crosshairs of international trade tensions when 25 tonnes of his merchandise, prepped for export, were suddenly made redundant.

The blow came as US President Donald Trump enforced a raft of tariffs on imports including aluminium, steel, and vehicles from April 2, leaving Mr Finch with a stockpile of goods and nowhere to send them. Detailing the ordeal, the Suffolk-based businessman recounted: "All the goods are here in my yard and literally at the last minute the container was cancelled because my customers in the States can't afford or don't want to pay the tariffs.

"It's quite a lot of money." Feeling the weight of his role, he expressed, "I have a very, very strong sense of responsibility for the people we employ here." Acknowledging the increased strain, he added, "It's just harder. Business has become harder work." Yet despite the setback, Mr Finch remains resolute, saying, "I'm not looking for any sympathy here because things could be worse."

Trump's metal tariffs were revealed around a month ago, but further tariffs have since broadened the impact. These changes mean Mr Finch’s American clientele face a daunting £75k/80k increase in tariff duties for the specialised hydrostatic gearbox parts and other spares that Plant Parts Ltd supply, predominantly sourced from Japan, Italy, and Germany.

Left with an inventory jam, Finch explained the logistics dilemma: "It takes four weeks for the container to arrive (in the US)." He highlighted the implications for recent shipments: "Obviously anything that left here in the last month or so they are going to pay tariffs on. "We have to try and find new homes for some of it.

"It is what it is. I suspect in the fullness of time for the customer to take those goods." Business owner Mr Finch is on the hunt for alternative buyers as he finds himself navigating a challenging commercial landscape. The past few months have seen "enormously" increases in transport costs, affecting his company's operations.

Mr Finch doesn't face direct impact from the recent minimum wage hike, but acknowledges the need to "move with it" to maintain pay disparities among staff. He explains: "We do our pay rises in April anyway.

"I think our basic payroll will have gone up by £60k but there's an additional £20k extra in National Insurance contributions on top of that. The actual cost of your payroll jumps significantly, which is not exactly a boon from an employer's standpoint," he admits.

In his view, businesses often flourish in spite of governmental policies, not because of them: "You try and succeed despite government, not because of it, don't you? It seems to me there are continuous obstacles put in your path." Despite managing a firm with impressive statistics – a turnover of £8.5m and 29 employees – Mr Finch is bracing for a downturn this year.

Commenting on current trading conditions, he states: "Europe is much harder than it used to be." Acknowledging a mix in performance, he notes: "I will say our domestic sales are up so there's a bit of a success domestically but roughly 25 per cent of our turnover is domestic."

Nevertheless, he laments the impacts of Brexit: "To me, leaving the EU was complete lunacy and incredibly expensive." His business, specializing in parts for construction equipment, largely caters to export markets, accounting for about 75% of sales.

Brexit has had a marked effect, he reveals: "Prior to Brexit about 50 per cent would have gone into the European Union. Now that's dropped to about 28 per cent. Most of that slice has been taken up in North America - that's about 38 per cent - about 50/50 between Canada and the US."

Mr Finch has faced hurdles, leading him to establish a couple of HMRC customs warehouses, which incur high operational costs and have required hiring two additional staff members. Formerly in the construction equipment maintenance sector, Mr Finch launched his enterprise from his own home back in 1991. Besides warehousing solutions, his business also boasts a £1m repair workshop specialising in hydrostatic gearboxes.