The Journal. A Chinese Manufacturer Came to Ohio. Its Rivals Are Struggling to Compete.
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Feb 24, 2026 
Gavin Bade, a Wall Street Journal reporter who investigated a Chinese automotive glass plant in Ohio, walks through the clash between a fast-growing foreign firm and American suppliers. He recounts how the plant undercut rivals, triggered federal probes over labor and sourcing, and raised national-security and policy questions. Short scenes hit local pride, political reactions, and the broader implications for U.S. industry.
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Old-School Vitro Plant Anchored Crestline
- Vitro's Crestline, Ohio plant felt like a 20th-century factory with unionized workers doing hands-on glass work.
- Gavin Bade describes old assembly lines, inspections by hand, UAW pay and benefits that anchored the small town of Crestline.
Fuyao Reused Old GM Plant To Rapidly Hire
- Fuyao opened a North American plant in Moraine in 2016 by retrofitting a former GM site and promised about 800 jobs in five years.
- The community and politicians embraced the factory as immediate local investment and employment.
Fuyao's Entry Halved Vitro's Volume
- After Fuyao arrived, Vitro's Crestline volume fell roughly 50% over seven years as Fuyao sold at much lower prices.
- Gavin Bade links that pressure to concerns about Fuyao's labor practices and an ensuing DHS investigation into housing and staffing.