Dutch entrepreneurs in Texas struggle amid U.S. import tariffs and trade uncertainty
Dutch entrepreneurs operating in Texas are feeling increasing pressure from U.S. import tariffs, trade conflicts, and unpredictable government policies under the Trump administration, according to Dutch broadcaster BNR. Three business owners told BNR how these challenges are affecting their operations—prompting one to relocate his company to Japan.
Andrew Cook, co-owner of Exaco, a company that imports greenhouses and gardening tools, told BNR that he’s taking a cautious approach to sales due to the risk of steep tariffs. “We must be very careful in sales,” he said in the interview. “We can sell what we have in stock, but when a customer places an order, we have to explicitly warn that we depend heavily on import duties.”
Cook told BNR that a sustained 50 percent tariff could collapse his company. “I have a lot of inventory, so I can keep going for six months, but it depends on what happens in the long term,” he said.
Cook also discussed the challenge of staying competitive under tariff pressure. “Our average greenhouse costs 15,000 dollars,” he told BNR. “With a 10 percent tariff, we can still operate. But with 50 percent, we have a huge problem.”
On shifting production domestically, Cook explained to BNR that while it sounds simple in theory, it’s not practical for key materials. “Some products can be made here, but some cannot,” he said. “I buy glass for the greenhouses from Belgium, and even with import duties, it is 50 percent cheaper than making it in the U.S. The aluminum profiles are difficult—there are no factories in America that can make them.”
Willem Kranendonk, founder of game studio Odyssey Cocktail Interactive, told BNR he plans to move his company to Japan. “Hiring talent here is becoming expensive, and we also depend on goods from outside the U.S.,” he said. “All our computers and hardware come from China or other countries subject to tariffs.”
Kranendonk told BNR that technicians in Japan are “just as skilled but four times cheaper.” In Texas, he said, he has to offer six-figure salaries to attract staff.
He also criticized the political climate, telling BNR: “America will make more money, but Trump has clearly said he will spend that money on things that benefit him personally and his party, not the people.”
Kranendonk added that Texas policies have forced him to spend more on employee benefits. “There is a ban on abortion here,” he told BNR. “I have to pay for [employees'] safety. That should not happen in a developed country.”
In contrast, he praised Japan’s efficiency during disasters. “If there is an earthquake in Japan, they start cleaning up five minutes later,” he told BNR. “In the U.S., there are mostly obstacles that work against your business.”
Tako Vermeulen, co-owner of the Stroopclub in Texas, which has produced plant-based and organic stroopwafels since 2015, also spoke to BNR about the volatility of tariff changes. “You buy products, you agree on a price with your customers. Then the president says a 25 percent tariff applies tomorrow,” he said.
Vermeulen described a recent shipment from Canada that was caught in the middle of a sudden tariff announcement. “Two days later there was a deal, but during those two days, our product crossed the border,” he told BNR. “It took a lot of effort to figure out whether we had to pay.”
Ultimately, they avoided the extra fee—but the uncertainty took a toll. “It costs a lot of extra time and creates huge uncertainty,” he said.
Vermeulen also warned that trade terms and currency fluctuations remain volatile. “Currently, there are no tariffs between the U.S. and Canada for our products, but that can change anytime,” he told BNR.
He said moving production to the U.S. isn't straightforward either. “You might set something up here, but a few weeks later, the policy could change drastically,” he said. “That uncertainty makes it very difficult to invest here.”
