In the extensive exhibition center in Hanover, Germany, thousands of companies, including 250 from Canada, take part in one of the world's largest trade fairs focusing on industrial technologies and innovations.
The governments of cabins and flashy displays are aimed at calling the conversation, but most of the discussions concerned American tariffs, which had markets, exposed relations and forced some companies to accelerate their emphasis on new trading partners.
“I was afraid, I was very nervous, but it was absolutely overwhelming to see the answers and the party we receive from European markets,” said Brad Sparkman, president of innovative solutions about finishes at Ontario.
Because both Canada and the European Union (EU) summarize the tariffs imposed by the US, their most important trading partner, companies try to thoroughly assess how it will affect – and whether they can relieve the economic part, strengthening other trade relations.
On Wednesday, Trump's administration introduced 20 percent of the entire tariff on the EU, and and Thursday morning the 25 % import duty on foreign cars entered into force, including those produced in Canada.
Relations with cooling with clients
Although it seems that Canada has been saved in Wednesday's announcement, it is already struggling with 25 percent tariff for some Canadian goods and 10 percent of energy.
Prime Minister Mark Carney called the tariffs a tragedy for global trade. At Hanover, business people say they have been confused, stunned – and even wounded.
Sparkman, whose business focuses mainly on the use of robotic technology for painting cars, tears fought when CBC News said that some of his American contacts are not so open to cooperate with the current climate.
“I feel that we are losing a really good family member,” he said. “The fact that we cannot continue to do business as it used to be sad.”
Brad Sparkman, the owner of Ontario, who specializes in robotic painting of cars, claims that his company will venture to the European market “and accepted us.”
Sparkman said that a few years ago he began to venture to the European market because he suspected that trade from the US could become more burdensome.
Now, to try to alleviate the effects of tariffs, it considers greater production in the US and branching further to Europe.
His operation based in Orangeville and Peterborough established cooperation with the Japanese FANUC automatic company and performs work in Germany, where cars and brands such as Volkswagen, Audi and Mercedes-Benz are the greatest export.
More trade with the third largest economy in the world
Over 4,000 companies are involved in Hanover, and about a quarter of them come from Germany, the third largest economy in the world. Canada is this year's partnership for the annual Expo, and Canadian companies take part with representatives of the province, some municipalities and universities.
In recent weeks, the interest of Canadian companies wanting to take part in the fair.
Jayson Myers, the CEO of NGGE, Non-Profit organizations based in Ottawa, focused on technological development in advanced production, said that in the last two months 80 Canadian companies have been enrolled in the last two months, while tariff problems have become more dramatic.
“I do not think that we have ever replaced our economic relations in the United States, but problems in the last few months have really shown urgency … Find new markets, find new customers, “he said in an interview with CBC News in Hanover.
The EU is the second largest trade partner of Canada, after the USA in 2024, 27-person exported block $ 84 billion in goods to Canada, while Canada exported $ 34 billion to the EU.
A comprehensive economic and commercial agreement in the EU-Kanada (CETA), which temporarily entered into force in 2017, regulates trade between two partners-but the contract has not yet been ratified by 10 EU nations due to EU nations due to EU nations due to a number of fears They have some around food security and access to public procurement contracts.
The Germans, which ratified CETA in 2022, led export to Canada, reached almost $ 25 billion in 2023. Canadian export reached just over a third of this.
Chris Wyatt, head of sales and marketing Kubes Steel, a metal manufacturer based in Stoney Creek, Ont., Often exports products to the USA, and said that he believes that countries will probably remain a key customer despite the tariffs. He decided to set up a stand at Hanover because he hoped that there may be a European demand for the products of his company.
Wyatt admits that there is no greater opportunity now, but he said that in the future it may be in the future when Europe is moving to increase defense expenses.
How protectionism can go back
Hartmut Rauen, deputy executive director of VDMA, a German association of over 3,000 engineering companies, believes that Canada and Germany can cooperate in terms of green technology, automation and artificial intelligence.
Although he understands that the US has lost a high percentage of work in production, he said that he did not understand the Trump administration strategy of increasing investment through protectionism.
He said that in a short period the United States would still have to import highly specialized German technology, because its factories cannot produce it now.
But in the case of tariffs it will cost more – and Rauen said that he thinks that consumers will have a noticeable impact.
“This may end with a disaster for the American economy, as well as for the world economy,” he said.
When the German Chancellor Olaf Scholz visited the fair on Sunday, he warned of the “erroneous path of protectionism”, he praised Canada and said that the Germans were standing in the “Independent Sovereign Country.”
The visit of the German leader and part of the reaction of the German business community was encouraging for participants, and industry experts hope that it can translate into actual trade.
“There is no single panel, not a single event in which I participated this week in which there was no strong sign in stock with (Canada),” said Yvonne Denz, general director at Canadian German Izber of Industry and Commerce.
“I hope that my phone will start calling next week, and my inbox … Pawned with questions about what we can do in Canada.”