Douglas Barwick Inc.
A longtime Brockville steel pipe plant is fighting to survive after tariffs and cheap imports triggered layoffs and financial strain.
Douglas Barwick Inc., located on California Avenue, has seen its workforce cut from 60–70 employees to about 35. Management says the plant is now below its core staffing level and cannot cut further without risking operations.
The company processes raw steel into piping and fittings, serving only the U.S. and Canadian markets. To avoid initial tariffs, its raw steel is sourced exclusively from the U.S. But cheaper imports from Asia, sold by distributors across North America, are undercutting prices and eroding profits.
The plant has operated in Brockville for more than 50 years and survived the 2008 financial crisis and earlier tariffs, but management says today’s uncertainty is far worse.
Prime Minister Mark Carney announced new measures in July, including a “Buy Canadian” policy and tariff response fund, but the company warns more help is needed.
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