Sweeping tariffs on imports from more than 90 countries left uncertainty hanging over global supply chains throughout 2025. Brands are taking charge where they can.
A central policy of the second Trump administration has been sweeping tariffs on imports from more than 90 countries, leaving uncertainty hanging over global supply chains throughout 2025. Deals with the European Union, South Korea and Japan settled at a 15% rate; India and Brazil were stamped at 50% over the summer.
As companies of every size reckon with rising tariff costs, they are taking charge where they can — with AI-assisted technologies that lower manufacturing and logistics costs. Business Insider reports on procurement platforms that renegotiate vendor pricing, AI marketplaces that requote parts automatically as material costs move, and brands re-routing inventory to avoid paying tax twice.
The Light Phone had been shipping all of its devices from China to the US, then exporting them to Canada, Australia and the EU. With tariffs landing on both legs, the company was taxed twice on the same device — and paused production of its third-generation phone in March.
"We got hit basically as hard as we could."
The company pivoted twice. It added an international fulfillment centre so orders between China and non-US markets never touch the US. And it moved onto Mayple Global, which generates the standardised system codes that classify every device, then produces the product descriptions, invoices and clearance documents each international shipment needs.
By bypassing US tariffs for international customers, Hollier says the company has seen savings of at least 20% on the cost of its goods — savings it intends to pass on to customers.
This is a summary of reporting by John Kell for Business Insider, which also covers Solventum's procurement AI and JR Metal Works' AI-based quoting.
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