In the latest “Talking Trade” podcast, WEDC Chief Operating Officer Sam Rikkers discusses tariffs, export trends and how the agency helps Wisconsin businesses reach international markets. 

He touches on a recent trade mission to Mexico that was organized by the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation. It included a handful of businesses across agriculture, manufacturing and chemical industries. 

Rikkers called the trip “tremendously successful” for the companies, most of which had never been part of a trade mission before. 

“Mexico, as Wisconsin’s second largest trading partner, is a place that we go back to quite regularly,” he said. “And that’s because our Wisconsin companies, when they’re looking to expand their markets, they’re looking at our neighbor to the south as a place of just tremendous opportunity.” 

He also highlights trends in Wisconsin exports, noting the state’s expertise in industrial machinery, plastics, farm products and more. 

The conversation explores the latest developments with international tariffs and possible impacts on Wisconsin exporters. Rikkers underlines the uncertainty that businesses are grappling with as the situation changes daily. 

“That’s what we certainly know in business across Wisconsin, that the single greatest premium is certainty,” he said. “After that, there’s a lot of other considerations, but the first thing is certainty of what the rules of the road are.” 

Amid this uncertainty, Rikkers says WEDC’s role has been to “communicate stability” as it works with businesses in Wisconsin. 

“From both the data that we know, and who we’re trading with most and who’s investing most with us, our partners will remain Canada, Mexico, Germany. The Chinese market is just too big to ignore,” he said. “And that’s what we hear from our businesses.”

Talking Trade is hosted by E.M Wasylik Associates Managing Director Ken Wasylik and M.E. Dey & Co. President and Managing Director Sandi Siegel. 

Print Friendly, PDF & Email