by InTrieste
A wave of uncertainty is sweeping through Italian businesses operating in the United States, as new U.S. tariffs begin to take their toll—on both sides of the Atlantic. On Wednesday evening, at a specialty motorcycle gear shop in Denver, Colorado, local entrepreneurs and legal experts gathered to share their mounting concerns and search for clarity in a swiftly changing trade landscape.
The event was hosted by Rev’it USA, a Dutch motorcycle apparel brand whose Denver store is spearheaded by Paolo Bacchiarello, an Italian entrepreneur originally from Alessandria, near Turin. Bacchiarello is among many Italian business owners in the U.S. feeling the pressure from the latest round of trade barriers.
“There’s no roadmap here,” Bacchiarello said. “We’re adjusting every day, just trying to stay afloat.”
Moderating the conversation was Federico Tozzi, Executive Director of the Italy-America Chamber of Commerce in New York, who flew in to Denver specifically for the event. Tozzi emphasized the broader implications for Italian-American trade.
“What we’re seeing is a fundamental shift,” Tozzi said. “The U.S. clearly wants to renegotiate its trade relationships—not just with Italy, but with the world.”
The tariffs, which in some cases are implemented with less than 24 hours’ notice, are rattling companies that long enjoyed duty-free imports. “This is very confusing,” said Arthur W. Bodek, a trade attorney with New York-based law firm Grunfeld, Desiderio, Lebowitz, Silverman & Klestadt LLP. “The consequences are in the hundreds of millions of dollars.”
Bodek, who was part of the panel, explained that many companies are now scrambling to understand classification codes and identify possible exemptions. “There are entire tariff schedules that can spell the difference between staying in business or closing shop,” he said. “We’re being contacted by companies who didn’t even know what a tariff was. They never had to care—until now.”
For many, the pain is already palpable. Importers are selling at cost, simply to maintain their U.S. supply lines. “They’re betting on a need being fulfilled in the near future,” Bodek added.
Trey Richardson, owner of local motorcycle dealership Motorado, echoed those concerns. “It’s not just Italian companies—it’s American retailers too,” he said. “We’re all on the hook.”
Tozzi stressed that the impact of tariffs will vary dramatically across sectors. “Luxury products like Lamborghinis might weather a 20% tariff with little impact. But a mid-priced bottle of wine on a supermarket shelf? That small price increase could be the difference between staying competitive or vanishing from the market.”
He urged Italian exporters to reassess their supply chains and explore legal avenues to minimize damage. “The strategy has to be smarter now. From logistics to labeling to import channels—everything is under scrutiny.”
While some sectors—like food and beverage—may have room to streamline inefficiencies, others like automotive, where margins are already thin, may face harsher consequences.
Bodek, despite offering potential legal remedies, wasn’t optimistic. “I think the worst is behind us,” he said, “but I don’t think these tariffs will go away entirely.”
The meeting underscored a shared sense of urgency. Italian businesses in America are entering a new era—one shaped by unpredictability and adaptation. For Paolo Bacchiarello and his peers, survival will depend not just on resilience, but on navigating a system that has suddenly become much harder to predict.
“Everyone’s working together,” Tozzi concluded. “Because no one can afford to lose competitiveness in this market.”
