Impacts on the End-Markets that We Serve and Demand for Our Products. The COVID-19 pandemic, including governmental and other actions taken or restrictions imposed to contain its spread and impact, subjected our operations, financial performance and financial condition to a number of risks including, but not limited to, those discussed below. The significant macroeconomic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and the measures designed to contain its spread negatively impacted several of the Company’s most significant end markets, and our sales to customers in those markets. The possibility exists that there could be ongoing impacts to our operations and financial results as a result of COVID-19 or a similar future pandemic, and the ultimate breadth and duration of these trends and their impact on our business is difficult to predict.
Impacts to Our Supply Chain. To date, we have not experienced significant disruption to our supply chain as a result of the pandemic. However, it remains possible at some point that, in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic or any future similar event, one or more of our suppliers may not have the materials, capacity, or capability to supply products that we require according to our schedule and specifications. In that case, we may need to seek alternate suppliers, which may be more expensive, may not be available or may result in delays in shipments to us and subsequently to our customers, each of which would affect our business, results of operations, financial condition and/or cash flows.
Risk of Operational Disruption. In general throughout the pandemic, our facilities continued to operate with federal and state government approvals due to the qualification of our facilities as essential and critical. However, we have experienced and may again in the future experience the temporary shut down of facilities in response to employees being impacted by COVID-19, a similar future outbreak or any related changes in government policy. Currently, widespread COVID-19 impacts in China affecting customer supply chains are expected to impact the near-term results of our Chinese STAL joint venture.
Impacts on Financial and Credit Markets. Financial market volatility as a result of any ongoing impact of the COVID-19 pandemic or any future similar event could pose heightened risks to our liquidity, access to capital markets and cost of funds, which could adversely affect our business, financial position, results of operations and/or cash flows.