Unfair Trade Threatens Illinois’ Custom Aluminum Products

“We’re not just in the business of aluminum extrusion; we’re in the business of building relationships and communities,” Steve explained. “Our success is intrinsically tied to the success and well-being of the people who work here.”

Unfortunately, the number of people Custom Aluminum employs has been falling lately due to unfair trade by China, Mexico, and other countries.

Custom rarely has laid off workers since it was founded in 1960. But last year, it was forced to reduce its workforce twice – by nearly 20 percent in total. Unfair imports were the cause. That’s hurt more than the sales of products.

Custom is as much a family as it is a company. Fathers and sons – even a grandfather, father, and grandson – have labored together there. One family has eight members on staff. It also supports the broader community with its Genoa Food Hub food pantry, its robust internship program, and its full-ride college scholarships that help keep its labor force educated and strong.

Unfairly priced imports from China and elsewhere, though, are cutting into sales, threatening the company’s future and its close-knit culture. “We are in a difficult manufacturing business. It’s a hard day’s work,” Steve said. “But we do it together, as one big family.”

The company is doing the best it can, including by joining the U.S. Aluminum Extruders Coalition, which is asking the federal government to enforce its trade laws and impose tariffs on the unfair imports.

The underpriced aluminum extrusions from abroad are “unfair to our community,” Steve said. He hopes the U.S. Department of Commerce and the International Trade Commission do the right thing and correct the imbalance soon.