When the Washington Commanders¡¯ quarterback Marcus Mariota landed a last-second touchdown pass to clinch victory against the Dallas Cowboys in January, it¡¯s unlikely devastated Cowboys fans were thinking about turf underlay, or the small Dutch town where it¡¯s made.
Privately-owned TenCate Grass, based in Nijverdal, about two hours drive east of Amsterdam, engineers artificial grass for gardens, schools and sports grounds, from municipal facilities to the Cowboys¡¯ AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.
The firm manufactures in 11 countries and distributes turf to customers in more than 60, but around 75% of its sales come from the United States. That means it¡¯s exposed to American trade policy, which, since U.S. President Donald Trump took office in January, has been erratic. On so-called ¡°Liberation Day,¡± April 2, Trump announced a blanket 20% tariff on EU goods coming into the United States. That was dropped to 10% while the parties negotiated ¡ª during which time, Trump threatened higher rates of 30% and 50%.
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