An Independent Can Company
((Banner: An Independent Can Company))
((Reporter: Michael Bowman))
((Camera: Adam Greenbaum))
((Adapted by: Martin Secrest))
((Map: Baltimore, Maryland))
((NATS))
((Rick Huether, President, Independent Can Company))
We are the largest manufacturer of specialty tins in the United States.
((Reporter))
Safe to say, tons and tons and tons of…..?
((Rick Huether, President, Independent Can Company))
Oh, thousands of tons of steel. I can tell you that.
((NATS))
((Reporter))
And who are you up against, in terms of competition?
((Rick Huether, President, Independent Can Company))
Our primary competitor would be China. There’s no question about it. They are very creative. They make a quality product. Our specialty industry has really been hurt badly by the low-cost countries. Through automation, we can compete, but an awful lot of companies did not have the wherewithal to invest. So, we have been very financially and physically responsible. And so we’ve been able to buy highly automated equipment. And as we’ve automated, we’ve increased our employment, because we can protect the jobs we have, and (it) permits us to go out and secure new jobs.
((NATS))
((Bryon Borrell, Lithographer))
Yeah, it’s a trade. There are craftsmen in here that have been doing this for 20, 30, (or) 40 years. I mean, you’re trained to do this. You go through apprenticeship programs. They don’t have that too often now in the United States. You don’t find that with companies that have apprenticeship programs, be it electrically, engineering, printing like we’re doing.
((NATS))
((Banner: In June, 2018, the Trump Administration placed tariffs on steel and aluminum imported from China, Canada and the European Union.))
((Bryon Borrell, Lithographer))
They’re putting taxes on imports on raw materials, which to me really doesn’t make much sense because that could only affect companies inside the United States that are producing. I mean, you’re talking people that make washing machines, people that make cars, people that make motorcycles, us, where we make cans. I mean, it has the potential to affect everybody.
((NATS))
((Rick Huether, President, Independent Can Company))
OK, this is a new press line that we’ve just put in, which is a high-speed stamping operation. And this is brand new, it’s just being put in, and we’re hoping to have steel for it. Right now, the steel that’s qualified is from Europe and right now, we need to get steel from US Steel or Arcelor, whoever will provide it.
((Reporter))
So this is state of the art and it’s in danger.
((Rick Huether, President, Independent Can Company))
It is in danger. It’s a big investment we made before we knew that we were going to have challenges on steel supply.
((NATS))
