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Business Secretary to meet JCB boss over º£½ÇÊÓÆµ-US trade tariffs

JCB chief executive Graeme Macdonald called on the º£½ÇÊÓÆµ Government to get a "deal done quickly" with the US on steel

A JCB backhoe coming off the production line

Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds is set to hold talks with the head of JCB following the firm's warnings about the consequences of fresh US tariffs on British enterprises.

JCB's chief executive Graeme Macdonald has urged the Government to get a "deal done quickly" with America regarding steel, after hundreds of British products became liable for new American duties at the weekend. The Business Secretary is scheduled to meet with him this week to examine the effects of these charges.

Around 400 product categories containing steel and aluminium were hit by US tariffs over the weekend, including those manufactured in the º£½ÇÊÓÆµ. These categories encompass items featuring metal components, such as garden furniture and children's cots, alongside shampoos and other goods with aluminium-containing packaging, as reported by .

British manufacturers have pressed ministers to finalise an agreement designed to eliminate the metals tariffs, which º£½ÇÊÓÆµ and US negotiators failed to complete when the trade deal between both nations was concluded in May.

Donald Trump increased steel and aluminium tariffs for other countries to 50% earlier this year, though the levy on British products stayed at 25%. Companies based in the º£½ÇÊÓÆµ are hoping an agreement might slash the tariff rate to 0%.

U.S. President Donald Trump holds up a chart while speaking during a “Make America Wealthy Again” trade announcement event in the Rose Garden at the White House on April 2, 2025 in Washington, DC.(Image: Chip Somodevilla, Getty Images)

JCB's chief Mr Macdonald told the Sunday Times there was "chaos at the US ports right now" as British products remained stuck whilst officials rolled out the new tariffs.

The JCB boss said: "They need to get a deal done quickly because this is very damaging to British industry."

He added: "This has blindsided everybody. It's blindsided us, it's blindsided the º£½ÇÊÓÆµ Government, it's definitely blindsided US customs.