ID IN-DEPTH Convening a Tariff ‘War Room’ I How Optimas put all hands on deck to navigate an unprecedented environment. By Andy Szal What resulted from those efforts, he says, is an emphasis on communication, partnership and providing solutions — from making sure parts are coded properly, to shifting parts sourcing altogether, to bolstering the company’s domestic manufacturing. Harms recently spoke with Industrial Distribution about some of the challenges posed by tariffs — and how the current landscape also Daniel Harms provides Optimas with an opportunity to “do what we do best.” This interview has been edited for length and clarity. Industrial Distribution: How have tariffs – or, at least, the prospect of them – affected Optimas as a whole so far? Daniel Harms: I think the easiest way to summarize the impact so far is it’s been a fair amount of uncertainty and a whole lot of work trying to bring clarity. The tariff landscape that we nd ourselves in today has really enabled Optimas to do what we think we do best: manage risk and unite suppliers and customers to try to ensure production continuity across the globe. One of the things that I love most about our logo is its design, symbolizing the bringing together of our customers, our suppliers and our people, and that concentric overlap in the center is really where value gets created, and that’s where we are focused today. It’s a complex problem, as we know, with a variety of mitigating solutions. ID: Are there any particular areas or product lines that are more affected than others that you’re seeing? DH: We’re seeing customer uncertainty with forward-looking projections across most of our verticals carrying on throughout the remainder of the year. I think what was once projected to be a strong half two [of the year] leading to a booming ‘26 is now bathed in uncertainty. We’re working with both our customers and our suppliers to use the best information available to make the best balanced decisions May/June 2025 | INDUSTRIAL DISTRIBUTION 9 t’s dif cult enough for any company – let alone distributor – to try to navigate a new and endlessly shifting world of tariffs in just a few short weeks. But for Optimas Solutions, things get even more complicated: the suburban Chicago-based fastener and Class-C components distributor also has manufacturing facilities and engineering services — not to mention a footprint of 29 locations spanning nine countries across the globe. Those challenges meant that the company had to try to get ahead of any number of potential scenarios and pitfalls. Daniel Harms, the company’s Americas CEO, says a “cross-functional team” began meeting every day starting in February in what has become Optimas’ de facto “tariff war room.” Optimas Solutions facility, Wood Dale, Ill. (Photo courtesy of Optimas Solutions) www.inddist.com
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