A Small Manufacturer’s View on Tariffs and Diversification
Navigating Uncertainty: Trade, Tariffs, and a Manufacturer’s Game Plan
In this episode, we hear how a small Ontario manufacturer is navigating Canada’s turbulent new trade relationship with the United States.
Dennis Dussin is the President of Vaughan-based Alps Welding—a contract manufacturer that does about half of its business in the United States—and a Canadian Manufacturers and Exporters (CME) board member. Wearing both hats, Dennis shares his diversification playbook, which includes diversifying the company’s markets, industries, and partnerships. He also makes strong cases for why Ontario’s manufacturing sector isn’t a small player on the world stage, and why manufacturers should spend more time engaging with peers through organizations like CME. We wrap up with the silver lining that Dennis hopes will come out of this trade war.
We’re launching a new ‘Ask Me Anything’ segment! Send us your questions about Ontario manufacturing by DM’ing us on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/trilliummfg
This episode was recorded on March 5, 2025, and originally aired as part of York Region’s The Tariff Impact video podcast series. Find the rest of the series at yorklink.ca/trade/#tariff-impact-podcast.
Find Out More about Alps Welding and CME