When U.S. tariffs on EU goods spiked, Spanish small businesses like Madrid-based Técnica del Decoletaje found themselves caught in the crossfire. 🎯 The 60-year-old machine tools producer, whose parts end up in cars exported to the U.S., saw 35% of its products hit by new trade barriers. 💸
"It\'s like dominoes falling," said Managing Director Mario Lobato, describing how tariffs disrupted the automotive supply chain. "Multinationals and SMEs alike are feeling the squeeze." 🔧 Workers like Rafael Rosa echoed the sentiment: "Prices for materials keep rising—this isn\'t helping anyone."
With the U.S. as a key market, Spanish SMEs are now exploring workarounds—from cost-cutting to diversifying exports. 🌐 But as trade tensions simmer, the road ahead remains bumpy. 🛣️💡
