Written By Jeffrey Cartwright, Managing Partner – 5 min read The Promise of Nearshoring and the Persistent Struggles The U.S.-China trade war has upended global trade, with American tariffs on Chinese goods ranging from 30% to 55%. These tariffs have caused U.S. imports from China to fall by over 30%, prompting companies to look [...]
Written By Francis Bassolino, Managing Partner of Alaris – 5 min read Pity the sourcing director caught between a board demanding diversification away from China, a finance team obsessed with cost-cutting, and a volatile geopolitical landscape. Solving for this trilemma often leads to a seemingly safe, but ultimately dangerous, strategy known as “China Plus Wait.” It’s like [...]
Written By Jeffrey Cartwright, Managing Partner – 5 min read As tensions around geopolitical risks, tariffs, and supply chain disruptions rise, many U.S. businesses are looking at nearshoring to Mexico as a strategic solution. While the approach offers benefits like proximity, reduced lead times, and cost savings, the complexities of transitioning manufacturing to Mexico often [...]
Written By Jeffrey Cartwright, Managing Partner – 5 min read As companies exit China and explore nearshoring solutions, many unknowingly make critical errors that undermine their efforts. These mistakes, while appearing logical on the surface, often doom the transition process and lead to costly setbacks. Below, we outline the most common pitfalls and misconceptions—and how [...]
Written By Jeffrey Cartwright | 6 min read Decisions on sourcing, whether through relocating manufacturing operations or establishing new supply chains, are among the most critical and strategic choices a business can make. These decisions carry long-term implications and must account for financial, operational, and geopolitical factors. While MSSA is reluctant to draw conclusions or [...]
Written By Jeffrey Cartwright | 8 min read Re-sourcing manufacturing from China to a partner in Mexico (or another location) offers enormous benefits. However, one of the most significant challenges companies face is the lack of complete and accurate documentation—such as up-to-date drawings, specifications, and bills of materials (BOM). Without this information, businesses encounter roadblocks, [...]
