A Supreme Court ruling on Friday struck down certain tariffs, potentially offering relief to businesses and finance chiefs who have been operating amid prolonged uncertainty.
On Friday morning, the court ruled 6–3 that President Trump cannot impose tariffs under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA), as he did throughout much of 2025. The decision narrows the scope of the president’s unilateral tariff authority and invalidates portions of the levies on steel and aluminum, as well as certain tariffs on imports from China, Fortune reported.
For many companies, particularly smaller manufacturers, that uncertainty has had tangible consequences. Large firms have been affected by tariffs, but small and midsize businesses have felt the impact disproportionately.
In February 2025, during a period of heightened tariff volatility, Fortune spoke with Matt Totsch, CFO of Trim-Tex since 2020, a family-run manufacturing company based in Illinois. Founded in 1969, the company employs about 250 people.
Trim-Tex processes more than 25 million pounds of PVC annually to manufacture drywall and stucco corner beads used in residential and commercial construction. Although all of its products are made in the U.S. and its raw materials are domestically sourced, Totsch was concerned about the broader ripple effects of tariffs on trade with countries such as Canada, a major supplier of softwood lumber to the U.S., and the downstream consequences for construction demand.
