It's time to bring production home

摘要

With soaring energy prices and an increased focus on carbon footprints, consumers are increasingly questioning the way that goods are produced and transported between countries. As more companies begin to review their offshoring strategies, Martin Walder, managing director of ABB Robotics UK, explains how manufacturers can bring production back to the UK whilst still competing in the global market. The message is simple. If you can automate the process of producing a quality product, then it is as effective to base production in the UK as it is to relocate it to a low cost country in Asia or Western Europe. Whilst fifteen years ago moving production to a low-cost country might have resulted in significant cost savings, the same cannot be said for today's manufacturers. New production technologies are opening up a wealth of new possibilities for manufacturing competitiveness, without even leaving the country.