青青草视频

In a world defined by volatility, shifting trade听flows and availability, as well as economic uncertainty, 青青草视频 Engineered Products continues听to focus on long-term resilience and customer partnership. We sat down with听John Vasuta, President of 青青草视频 Engineered Products, to discuss the听current market environment, how global forces are shaping our industry, and how听JM is supporting customers through these complex times.

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Q: John, how would you describe the current global and regional market environment?

John Vasuta:听I would describe today鈥檚 environment in a single word: unprecedented. We听are experiencing a combination of global factors that usually occur听regionally or听one at a time听- trade wars, regional conflicts, recessionary trends in major economies,听and political instability. But today, they are happening simultaneously听across a global economy.听

This creates a level of complexity businesses have听rarely faced before. Europe, in particular, is navigating a challenging mix of听shrinking end markets, high energy costs, and a rapid influx of low鈥憄riced听imports - especially from Asia. At the same time, North America is听transitioning from several years of strong post鈥慍OVID demand to a more听uncertain period marked by slower construction, shipping disruptions, tariff fluctuations, and听evolving customer structures.听Across all regions, we see markets reshaping faster听than at any point in the last decade.

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Q: What external forces are having the biggest impact on our industry today?

John Vasuta:听Several forces are converging. In Europe, the most visible is the surge of听Chinese imports, accelerated by U.S. tariffs that redirected material to听the EU. In automotive, for example, China has grown from a negligible presence听to 20% of the European market, while overall European auto production听has dropped from around 15鈥�16 million units to roughly 9 million. That shift听affects OEMs, parts manufacturers, and every supplier in the value chain - including听ours.听

We also continue to face structurally high energy听prices, especially since the Russia鈥揢kraine war. Even after the initial听spike tapered off, European energy costs remain two to three times above听historical norms, putting glass fiber, chemicals, automotive, and other energy鈥慽ntensive听industries at a disadvantage.

Finally, global logistics disruptions - whether听the Suez Canal closures, Red Sea tensions, Persian Gulf blockages, or tariff uncertainties - have听meaningfully reduced as well as redirected available shipping capacity. All of this adds volatility听to demand patterns in construction, automotive, and filtration, the markets we听serve every day.

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Q: Given all these challenges, what matters most to our customers right now - and how is JM responding?

John Vasuta:听More than ever, customers need reliability, transparency, and partnership.听Our industry is not easy to run - glass fiber furnaces, spunbond lines, shingle听plants, compounding lines - none of them turn on a dime. So, when the market听shifts rapidly, being nimble becomes very difficult for everyone.听

That鈥檚 why close communication, tight forecasting,听and agility are absolutely essential. We work as closely as possible with听customers and vendors, sharing information, aligning goals, and adapting听together when conditions change. Resiliency is a shared effort and key to听all of听our success.

At JM, we focus on what we can control:

• Operational excellence听
• Cost discipline听
• Innovation and new business development听
• World鈥慶lass customer and technical service

And importantly, customers know they can count on us听for the long term. With more than 165 years in business and the听stability of Berkshire Hathaway behind us, we are committed to being a听reliable partner through cycles - good and bad.

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Q: What trends in materials and technology are likely to shape the future for our customers?

John Vasuta:听We are at a crossroads, where sustainability ambitions, regulatory听expectations, and end鈥憁arket dynamics intersect - and the direction isn't听always clear. Electrification, for example, continues to advance, but the pace听varies by region: China is 鈥渁ll in,鈥� Europe is strongly committed, and North听America sees it as one option among many.

Across industries, though, several trends are听undeniable:

• Lightweighting - leading to greater use of听plastics and composites听
• Higher performance requirements,听including tear resistance, water resistance, mold resistance, and fire听performance听
• Materials efficiency, such as lighter听shingles that improve logistics and installation听
• Growing demand for filtration solutions, driven听by data centers, AI infrastructure, and clean air initiatives

We work closely with customers to track these shifts听and innovate toward what their markets will require - not just today, but five,听ten, and twenty years ahead.

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Q: What message would you like to share with customers about the road ahead?

John Vasuta:听The most important message is simple: JM is here for the long haul.听

We remain firmly committed to our business, our customers, and the markets we听serve - today and for the future.听We don鈥檛 manage quarter鈥憈o鈥憅uarter. We manage with a听long鈥憈erm perspective, built on our values and guided by a consistent mission.听Our goal is to be the partner of choice - trusted, resilient, and ready to grow听together.

Even in difficult times, we focus on what we can听control: quality, reliability, innovation, and service. That鈥檚 what has kept us听strong for more than 165 years, and that鈥檚 what will drive our success for the听next 165.