DEMGY and Normandy industry face US customs duties
A strategic industrial region in the spotlight
The recent protectionist measures imposed by the Trump administration have sent shockwaves through French industry. Normandy, the only region for which the United States is the leading export customer, is particularly exposed. This reality has not escaped the attention of economic journalists in the French media.
As highlighted by the French media BFM TV, MSN Actu and Le Parisien, Normandy's industries, particularly alcohol, luxury goods, textiles, and technical materials, are vulnerable to the 15% increase in customs duties. Among the companies cited is DEMGY, a major player in technological plastics manufacturing, recognized for its strategic role in transatlantic trade.
DEMGY: a strategic player in the Normandy plastics industry
DEMGY, headquartered in Saint-Aubin-sur-Gaillon in the Eure department, is a leader in the transformation of high-performance polymers. The company designs technical solutions for the aerospace, defense, medical, and mobility sectors.
In 2024, DEMGY generated €40 million in revenue in the United States, representing nearly 30% of its global business, thanks to its two industrial sites in Chicago and Seattle. However, this local presence is not enough to offset the impact of customs duties, as the materials used—technical polymers, composites, functional additives—come from international suppliers who are also subject to these surcharges.
Mastery of materials and industrial flexibility
In a context of rising costs for finished products, components, and raw materials, DEMGY limits customs impacts through three industrial levers:
1. Supply chain reconfiguration
DEMGY has expertise in multi-source procurement of technical polymers worldwide. This capability enables us to:
- Quickly identify alternative suppliers outside the area subject to customs surcharges.
- Reduce dependence on affected American or Asian raw materials.
- Maintain industrial continuity without interrupting the flow.
For a buyer, this means certainty in terms of deadlines and costs, even in times of trade tensions.
2. Multi-site logistics flexibility
With production sites in France, Chicago, and Seattle, as well as in Germany and Romania, DEMGY can, depending on the type of expertise:
- Transfer production to the United States to avoid import duties.
- Optimize logistics flows in accordance with customs and regulatory constraints.
This offers customers strategic agility: producing locally or exporting depending on the most profitable scenario.
3. Differentiating technical expertise
Expertise in polymer processing, additive manufacturing, and functional integration enables DEMGY to:
- Design lighter, more functional parts with fewer imported components.
- Using industrial additive manufacturing for prototypes and technical series.
- Integrating electronic functions into plastic parts.
- Offer recyclable or bio-based solutions that comply with regulatory requirements.
For buyers, this translates into optimized technical solutions that comply with specifications while keeping customs costs under control.
Towards a market diversification strategy
While the United States represents a historic market for Normandy, regional manufacturers—including DEMGY—are accelerating their diversification toward the European Union and other areas with low customs instability. More than 51% of Normandy's exports are already directed toward Europe, and this share is set to grow.
For clients, this means being able to rely on a partner capable of:
- Manufacturing in France or the United States, depending on customs restrictions
- Adapt materials and processes to local standards
- Reduce delays and logistical risks through multi-site industrial organization
Access DEMGY expertise
The DEMGY teams assist industrial buyers in designing custom plastic parts, taking into account the technical, economic, and regulatory constraints specific to each sector.