WüRZBURG, GERMANY—  Koenig & Bauer has warned that President Trump’s planned trade tariffs “pose a challenge for the entire industry”, but despite the geopolitical situation the group is optimistic about its prospects for 2025. Trump’s plans to apply tariffs of 25% on goods made in the EU, K&B stated: “The imposition of import tariffs on selected products, which is currently being discussed in the United States, will not only affect Koenig & Bauer but also its main competitors, which are predominantly based in Europe.”  Higher tariffs could exert pressure on demand in the US market “and thus pose a challenge for the entire industry”, and the extent to which any decline could be offset “cannot be conclusively assessed at this stage”. Last year Koenig & Bauer generated around 29% of sales in North America and said it continued to view this market as strategically important. The potential tariffs pose a dual challenge for printing companies: absorbing the additional tax, reducing their profits, or passing the cost along to consumers. Some businesses claim a 25 percent tariff would wipe out their profit margins entirely. Both options threaten the stability of the printing industry.