New industrial data shows that tariff policy has shifted at an unusually fast pace this year, with changes occurring once every four days on average. That frequency is making it difficult for manufacturers and shippers to plan ahead or secure long-term contracts, according to Newmark’s Q3 2025 industrial market report. The issue is gaining more attention as reshoring increases and supply chains grow more domestically focused.
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The rapid pace of tariffs has become a major part of the reshoring conversation. At the NextGen Supply Chain Conference in Nashville, Andrei Quinn-Barabanov, Vice President and Senior Analyst at Moody’s, called the current environment “tariff fog.” He said the problem is not only the tariffs themselves but also the constant uncertainty surrounding them.
“Companies cannot predict what the tariff is going to be in three months,” he said. He noted that this creates hesitation among supply chain leaders who are trying to decide whether to shift suppliers, open new facilities, or invest in training and equipment. Without a clearer policy horizon, those decisions become harder to justify.
The Newmark report makes the challenge clear. It suggests that frequent tariff adjustments are making it difficult to model transportation costs and forecast demand. Many companies are still moving forward with reshoring plans, but often with caution and shorter contract terms. The report notes that many recent industrial site moves involve consolidations rather than major expansions, which indicates that companies are hesitant to take on risk until the trade environment becomes more predictable.
Industry leaders say tariffs are now a core factor in sourcing decisions, mainly when they affect construction materials and components used in manufacturing. Some suppliers are diversifying their sourcing, while others are shifting more production to the United States to avoid volatility. Even so, the report suggests that many companies are still in planning mode, waiting to see how policy will evolve before committing fully to reshoring efforts.
Quinn-Barabanov said the unpredictability is making decision-making more difficult than expected. In his words, “You can make plans for high costs, but you cannot make plans when the rules keep changing.”
