Recently, synthesizer manufacturer Moog Music Inc. has denounced the 25% tariffs on Chinese electrical circuit boards and components by U.S. President Trump, which will take effect on July 6th. The company has noted that the tariff will increase the cost of building a synthesizer, putting the company at a disadvantage against other international manufacturers and threatening jobs among U.S. synth makers. With many U.S. companies priding themselves on being made in the U.S., those companies may be forced to relocate outside the country or have the bulk of their production done in China.

As noted by Moog, 50% of all the components with a Moog synthesizer are from China. With such a high percentage of components coming directly from China—and therefore subject to the new tariffs—it’s easy to see why Moog and other U.S. synth companies will struggle to stay competitive with the tariffs enacted. Immediately, the tariffs could cause layoffs and force individual businesses like Moog to fold. In the long term, the tariffs could threaten the viability of production of U.S.-made synthesizers. These tariffs will not affect completed synthesizers that were fully made in China and exported to the U.S.

Recently, the North Carolina-based company posted an open letter on its website, calling for fans and customers to speak out against the tariffs and write to state representatives to convey their opposition. As they explained,

We need your help. A U.S. tariff (import tax) on Chinese circuit boards and associated components is expected to take effect on July 6, 2018.

These tariffs will immediately and drastically increase the cost of building our instruments, and have the very real potential of forcing us to lay off workers and could (in a worst case scenario) require us to move some, if not all, of our manufacturing overseas.

There is one thing all of us can do together to try and stop this: Write to our elected officials.

They also attached a fully written form letter for advocates to use, which notes that Moog synthesizers have been used by Michael Jackson, The Beatles, Radiohead, Stevie Wonder, and many others. You can check out the full form letter below, and head to Moog’s website here for full instructions on how to get involved.

Dear (Congressman or Representative):

I am writing you on behalf of Moog Music, a company of 100 employee-owners, based in Asheville, North Carolina. I am urgently contacting you about the recently announced 25% tariff on Chinese goods.

In case you are not familiar with Moog, they manufacture the world’s leading analog synthesizers used by artists including but not limited to Michael Jackson,The Beatles, Radiohead, Stevie Wonder and many others.

Roughly half of the circuit boards and associated components for Moog’s instruments come from China. This tariff would significantly limit their ability to manufacture synthesizers, and could put many of their employee-owners out of a job.

As an employee-owned company with a 60-year legacy in American manufacturing, Moog constantly strives to keep a balance between domestically- and internationally-sourced parts, so that they can continue employing people from their local community in Asheville, North Carolina.

Moog sources circuit boards from US suppliers whenever possible, paying up to 30% over the price of the same circuit boards made overseas. However, whether they buy circuit boards in the US or overseas, the majority of the raw components still come from China. Therefore, Moog will be unable to avoid this substantial cost increase because of the tariffs.

These tariffs will immediately and drastically increase the cost of building Moog instruments, forcing them to lay off American workers and will require Moog to move some, if not all, of their manufacturing overseas.

I do not want to see the end of Moog’s 60-year legacy in American manufacturing. I do not want  their employee-owners left without jobs. I want American workers to continue have the opportunity to support their families and their community.

I implore you to convince the President that these Chinese tariffs cause serious damage to American workers like those at Moog and to rescind them immediately.

Thank you,

(Your Name)

[H/T Ask Audio]