Marty Davis, CEO of $500 million Minnesota quartz manufacturer Cambria and Trump donor, has weaponized federal tariffs to squeeze out competitors who rely on imported materials. Industry rivals say the billionaire's government lobbying destroys American jobs and forces higher prices on middle-class homeowners.
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Davis runs Cambria, a private company that produces quartz for kitchen and bathroom countertops and employs 1,800 people. The company represents one piece of his family's business empire that previously included Sun Country Airlines and a regional dairy operation. Davis has repeatedly petitioned the U.S. government for tariffs on imported quartz — and won every time.
Small Businesses Face Job Cuts
The tariff campaign hits competitors who import quartz slabs, particularly smaller fabricators who cut imported materials to order. Kyle Keck, general manager of Marble Uniques in Indiana, says his 30-employee family business cannot absorb the tariff costs.
I don't believe that our customers will absorb the full cost … so I could potentially see loss of jobs overall.
Keck's company has joined an industry coalition fighting Cambria's latest tariff request. The coalition includes large importers, small fabrication businesses, and home builders who purchase quartz materials. They argue Davis is using government policy to eliminate competition rather than compete on merit.
Davis frames his tariff push as defending American manufacturing against unfair foreign competition. He invokes Main Street rhetoric and warns that without trade protection, manufacturing jobs will disappear overseas.
Free and fair trade has to prevail, or the American manufacturer will be gone, and these jobs will leave. And they are jobs that really promote a healthy middle class.
Tariff Wars Hit Homeowners
The dispute exposes how tariff policy creates winners and losers across the economy. While Cambria benefits from reduced import competition, businesses that rely on imported quartz face higher costs they must pass to consumers. Homeowners ultimately pay more for kitchen and bathroom renovations.
Davis built his fortune in part through his family's connections to President Trump's trade agenda, which has emphasized protecting domestic manufacturers through tariffs and import restrictions. Critics say this represents crony capitalism that benefits connected insiders at the expense of smaller businesses and consumers.
The quartz industry battle reflects broader tensions in Trump's trade policy as companies lobby for protection while their competitors demand market access. The administration faces growing pressure to balance competing business interests as more sectors seek tariff relief or protection.
The Commerce Department has not yet ruled on Cambria's latest tariff petition, leaving competitors uncertain about future costs and employment levels.
