Moog Urges US Customers to Take Action On Proposed Tariffs on Chinese Electronic Components

Famed synthesizer manufacturer Moog Music has asked its US customers to join in its attempts to combat a proposed tariff on electronic components imported to the US from China. In an email sent yesterday afternoon, the North Carolina-based company laid out instruction for US citizens to contact their representatives about the issue, providing a form letter that explains how the proposed tariff will adversely impact their business.

In this, Moog joins companies like Harley-Davidson and General Motors in speaking out about how new trade policies from the Trump administration will affect their US operations.

According to Moog's letter, "These tariffs will immediately and drastically increase the cost of building Moog instruments, forcing them to lay off American workers and will require Moog to move some, if not all, of their manufacturing overseas."

An employee-owned company with roots dating back over 60 years, Moog currently manufactures all of its synthesizers in Asheville, North Carolina. According to the company, while it attempts to source circuit boards from US suppliers whenever possible, these boards still rely on raw components coming from China, meaning that there is no immediate way for Moog to avoid increased costs while still manufacturing within the US.

Notably, the tariff—which goes into effect on July 6th—does not target completed electronic devices coming from China into the US, focusing instead raw components such as capacitors, LEDs, and diodes. As explained by Peter Kirn at Create Digital Music, this puts specific pressure on US-based electronic makers who use Chinese-made parts who compete directly with non-US vendors who will not face similar added costs in distributing their goods in the US. While there are many other complex global economic factors at play, the tariff puts Moog and other US-based builders at a distinct disadvantage as a competitor within the global synth market.