How Saxony-Anhalt firms weather US tariffs: specialisation, Swiss rivals, and passing costs to Americans
While German exports to the US plunged nationwide in 2025, companies in Saxony-Anhalt have kept their American business stable — and some are even expanding — by selling specialised goods that customers cannot easily replace.
The tariff landscape
Despite persistently high US tariffs, a number of companies in the eastern German state of Saxony-Anhalt have managed to keep their American operations steady. The German Chamber of Industry and Commerce (DIHK) says firms with highly specialised products are benefiting most, because their goods are difficult for US buyers to substitute. Nationwide, German exports to the United States collapsed in 2025, but Saxony-Anhalt has so far avoided that trend.
Nationwide, exports to the USA collapsed drastically in 2025. Fortunately, this development did not occur in Saxony-Anhalt.
Who is thriving and why
Several local companies illustrate the pattern. The Schraubenwerk Zerbst, a specialist screw manufacturer, generates roughly eight percent of its revenue in the US. Managing director Eckhard Schmidt says its American business has remained constant despite higher duties, largely because the extra costs are passed on to customers. The DIHK’s head of foreign trade, Volker Treier, notes that buyers dependent on specialised machinery, components or high-tech “Made in Germany” cannot simply switch suppliers.
Anyone who relies on specialised machines, preliminary products or high-tech ‘Made in Germany’ cannot simply switch.
The confectionery maker Halloren has even managed to expand its US sales. According to the IHK, the company benefits from the fact that its Swiss competitors sometimes face even higher tariffs. The chamber also names Merz Pharma in Dessau and Bayer in Bitterfeld as examples of firms with stable American business.
Sectors under pressure
Not every industry is coping equally well. Birgit Stodtko, international managing director of the IHK Halle-Dessau, warns that chemical and pharmaceutical products, machinery and metal goods are particularly exposed. Automotive suppliers also remain on edge because of the threat of further US tariffs. The unpredictable nature of American trade policy is creating considerable uncertainty among export-oriented companies in the region.
The unpredictable tariff policy of the USA is causing considerable uncertainty among our companies active in the US.
Who really pays
A growing share of the tariff burden is being shifted across the Atlantic. Volker Treier reports that almost three-quarters of affected firms say they are passing the additional costs on to their American customers, either in full or in part. That means US importers and consumers are ultimately bearing the expense of the tariff policy. Long-standing business relationships and deeply embedded supply chains — especially in mechanical engineering, automotive supply, chemicals and pharmaceuticals — are still holding exports up for now.
The Turnberry deal and the outlook
Diplomatic efforts to contain the trade conflict are advancing. The European Union and the United States had already agreed in principle last year on a 15 percent ceiling for most EU exports to America. Representatives of the EU Commission, the European Parliament and member states have now reached a deal on how to implement the commitments under the so-called Turnberry agreement. Still, business associations warn that permanently high or rising tariffs could increasingly erode the competitiveness of German products. Treier describes the US high-tariff policy as having already caused “great damage” in German foreign trade.