John Pfeifer on tariffs
From Oshkosh Corp Unveils AI-Driven Industrial Machinery · · Bloomberg Podcasts
“We saw an environment with a lot of geopolitical changes and tariff actions, so as a global company we put many engineers and supply‑chain professionals on 'tariff engineering' to keep pace, and we've had a lot of success doing that.”
On , John Pfeifer, President, Chief Executive Officer & Director at OSHKOSH CORP, spoke about tariffs during Oshkosh Corp Unveils AI-Driven Industrial Machinery on Bloomberg Podcasts.
About John Pfeifer
John Pfeifer, president and CEO of Oshkosh Corporation, has emphasized the company's focus on integrating artificial intelligence, autonomous functionality, and electrification into its purpose-built vehicles for sectors including fire and emergency services, construction, airports, and refuse collection. At CES 2026, Pfeifer described Oshkosh's theme as "technology for the everyday hero," showcasing autonomous vehicles for airport ground operations and AI-driven refuse collection vehicles that can learn to distinguish between objects like a garbage can and a mailbox. He stated that the company is applying "moments of autonomy" across its product lines to improve safety and productivity, and predicted that full autonomy may first appear in airport markets. Regarding the business environment, Pfeifer noted that Oshkosh has been engaging in what he called "tariff engineering" to mitigate the effects of trade policy changes, moving supply chains and reshoring production where possible. He stated that defense revenue accounts for about 10% of the company's total revenue. Pfeifer also highlighted the economic benefits of electrification for route-based fleets, citing the U.S. Postal Service's new delivery vehicles as an example, and said the company is "all systems go" on that contract. He expressed that Oshkosh is "underrecognized for the technological lead" it holds in the industry.