Ed Dowling: How Tariffs Are Reshaping Industrial Supply Chains

Ayna’s Mohit Jaju interviews Ed Dowling, CEO of Compass Minerals, on how 2025 tariff regimes are reshaping industrial supply chains. Ed notes that while Compass achieved USMCA compliance exemptions, secondary effects disrupted inbound supply chains, prompting a shift from sole- to multi-source strategies. He highlights market differentiation—high-value industrial products allowed tariff pass-through, while bulk municipal contracts resisted price changes, creating millions in opportunity costs. Ed calls for policy consistency, arguing that volatility deters investment while known risks can be managed—underscoring the need for constructive CEO–policymaker engagement and resilient supply chains.

Ed Dowling, CEO of Compass Minerals, brings 30+ years of global mining and minerals leadership, including CEO roles at SSR Mining and Meridian Gold, senior positions at De Beers and Cleveland-Cliffs, and board chair roles at Polyus and Copper Mountain Mining. He currently serves on Teck Resources’ board. A former U.S. Navy Petty Officer, Dowling holds bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees in mineral processing from Penn State, grounding his leadership in deep technical expertise across salt, lithium, magnesium, and plant nutrition markets.

Discussion Points:
(00:00) Compass Minerals Overview – Ed Dowling leads Compass Minerals, producing salt, lithium, magnesium, and plant nutrition critical to infrastructure.
(01:39) 2025 Tariff Impact – Tariff uncertainty delayed expansion, though USMCA compliance exempted core products from direct exposure.
(04:32) Supply Chain Restructuring – Shifted from sole-source to multi-source networks to manage tariff-driven inbound disruptions.
(08:33) Cost Pass-Through Dynamics – High-value industrial products absorbed tariff costs; bulk municipal contracts resisted price changes.
(15:57) Policy and Leadership Insight – CEOs should engage policymakers for trade clarity; policy consistency enables investment and risk management.

Ayna is a premier advisory and implementation firm in the industrial technology space, leveraging a team of experienced leaders to help companies and investors drive performance improvement and value creation. The host of this episode Mohit Jaju is a President at Ayna.

For More Information:

Compass Minerals Ed Dowling: https://www.compassminerals.com/peopl...

Titanium Economy: https://www.titaniumeconomy.com/

Ayna.AI Website: https://ayna.ai/

Mohit Jaju:   / mohitjaju