P&Q Profile: Superior Industries’ Jason Adams

By |  May 23, 2022

When P&Q caught up with Superior Industries’ Jason Adams near the end of April, he offered insights on the supply chain, labor and the next ConExpo-Con/Agg. Read on for highlights from our conversation with Adams. 

Adams

Adams

What observations can you share of today’s marketplace?

At Superior, our backlog of orders is breaking records. Like everyone else, we’re doing everything we can to reduce lead times and creatively manage our supply chain.

We’re also noticing a trend of overbuying wears and spares. Manufacturers want to protect their production schedule, and aggregate producers need on-demand inventory when something breaks. We’re developing lots of new relationships as we broaden our purchasing efforts.

How has the dynamic between manufacturers and dealers changed through supply challenges?

First, we’re seeing a change in how dealers forecast. They’re trying to predict what the market is going to look like in two to three years. It’s a bit unnerving, but they make a living having stock, so they’re making sure they have it.

Geopolitical events around the world are affecting us more than they have in the past. We’re learning a lot, developing new systems, adjusting them on the fly and making sure there’s constant communication between Superior and our dealers.

It’s been our goal to develop even closer relationships with our dealers during these challenging times as we work together to get customers what they need.

How do you feel like your customers are situated at the moment?

Where I am in the Upper Midwest, we’ve been waiting patiently for spring. At the time of this interview, the long-term forecast finally looks like we’ll get it in the next couple weeks. I’d say we’re at least three weeks behind schedule here in Western Minnesota. Across the rest of the country, we haven’t heard too much else out of the ordinary. Start-ups and production schedules seem to be coming online as they normally would.

Superior Industries' Jason Adams says he doesn't expect supply chain issues to normalize until the first quarter of 2024 at the earliest. Photo: P&Q Staff

Superior Industries’ Jason Adams says he doesn’t expect supply chain issues to normalize until the first quarter of 2024 at the earliest. Photo: P&Q Staff

Do you have a sense of when the supply chain will normalize?

Just when we think there might be a little light at the end of the tunnel, something causes it to dim again. The war in Ukraine caused steel prices to jump, and we’re expecting congestion at the ports again this summer.

We’re not predicting any kind of normalization until the aggregates market cools, and producers are telling us to expect strong demand for aggregates until at least the first quarter of 2024.

What were your impressions of AGG1 2022? What are your expectations for ConExpo-Con/Agg 2023?

AGG1 was buzzing, wasn’t it? We invested cautiously, but definitely felt more and more momentum the closer we got to the event. Once in Nashville, we were very pleased with the attendance and happy to meet with everyone face-to-face. People like buying from people in our industry, and we’re happy about that at Superior.

We’ve got great optimism for ConExpo-Con/Agg 2023 and are expecting awesome attendance. We recently finished off the list of products we’re planning to showcase and can’t wait to share a bunch of new stuff in our booth.

Featured photo: P&Q Staff


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