One industrial controls manufacturer is doing something unusual with tariff costs.
It is giving the money back.
Florida based ProMation Engineering says it is issuing more than $100,000 in credits to customers for tariff charges previously applied to some actuator purchases. WUSF report on the refunds
Individual Charges Reached $400 Per Actuator
The company said tariff amounts varied depending on the order.
Charges could range from around $22 to $400 per actuator.
ProMation had tracked the tariff separately rather than burying it inside the base product price.
That made it possible to identify exactly how much individual customers had paid.
The Tariffs Were Later Struck Down
The charges related to tariffs imposed under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act.
The U.S. Supreme Court ruled those measures unlawful earlier in 2026.
Businesses that had paid duties became eligible for refunds from the government.
Consumers and downstream buyers generally did not automatically receive the same money back when the original importer had passed the cost onward.
ProMation chose to return its portion through customer credits.
Why HVAC Should Pay Attention
Actuators are used throughout:
valves,
dampers,
controls,
industrial systems,
and building automation.
The broader issue is much bigger than one manufacturer.
HVAC manufacturers and suppliers have repeatedly cited tariffs when announcing price increases.
If tariff rules later change, contractors may begin asking whether those price increases will also reverse.
The Takeaway
Tariffs are usually discussed when prices go up.
This story asks what happens when the tariff disappears.
If suppliers pass government costs directly to customers, should they also pass the refund back when those costs are reversed?
ProMation has answered yes.
Other manufacturers may eventually face the same question.
