I suspect that his company is the exception rather than the rule.
Think about it - there are a lot more buyers of steel in the US than there are producers, and users started going offshore when the US producers couldn't compete on price. Now with the tariffs, foreign steel is becoming more expensive, and users are scrambling. But the US no longer has the manufacturing capacity to keep up with the demand, and you don't start up a steel mill by just walking in and flipping a light switch on. So while the remaining US steel producers are going to see a boost in domestic business, they'll have no choice but to turn customers away because their capacity is limited. That's what's happening to that large nail manufacturer in the midwest - they can't source the steel they need locally, and they're quickly being driven out of business.
The surge in business is probably temporary because the tariffs are not going to be there forever - eventually, someone will get through to Trump and explain the difference between a trade deficit and a budget deficit, and why a trade war is not a good thing for anyone. |