Area Development
Although the number of manufacturing jobs in the United States has trended down for the last 40 years, productivity is at an all-time high and output remains extremely healthy. The myth that America doesn't "make" anything anymore, obscures the real truth and significance of what the United States produces as a nation, says the report. In fact, 21 percent of all goods produced around the globe are made in the United States.

Globalization has created both challenges and opportunities for manufacturers, with recent events such as the earthquake and tsunami in Japan and unrest in the Middle East showing that disruptions in supply chains can reverberate around the world and erode profits long after the initial shock.

This white paper explores the complexity of site selection for manufacturing operations in the United States, focusing on factors such as total delivered costs, supply chain infrastructure, work force characteristics, proximity to customers and suppliers, business tax climates, economic incentives, and risk mitigation.

Additionally, three companies that have made the decision to manufacture in the states explain their reasons for doing so: Hytrol, a leading manufacturer of conveyor equipment; German automaker Volkswagen; and appliance maker Whirlpool.