“You’re gaining higher quality parts, more automation, improved sustainability, and a partnership with a company that is going to work with you on enhancing your design.” – Megan Tzanoukakis, Sussex IM President and CEO
In 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic wreaked havoc on global supply chains and the manufacturing world. From lockdowns to shortages, the pandemic exposed supply chain vulnerabilities and the consequences of America’s reliance on offshored production. Across the country, the “reshoring renaissance” began: companies started to move production from overseas back home to the United States. Five years later, the reshoring renaissance is still going strong: a 2024 survey found that 69% of manufacturers have started reshoring their supply chains. What’s driving this renaissance? Megan Tzanoukakis, Sussex IM President and CEO, outlined four key reasons that explain why reshoring is on the rise.
- The Pride of Made in America Products
One of the biggest drives for reshoring is the value of products made in the USA. “It’s the return of made in America. There’s a good feeling about products made here,” said Tzanoukakis. Consumers agree: 65% of American consumers claim to sometimes or always intentionally buy “Made in America” products, and 48% are willing to pay higher prices for these products.
- Reshoring Promotes Sustainability
As sustainability and green manufacturing become increasingly imperative, it’s important to recognize how reshoring can support these efforts. For one, reshoring can help limit long-distance shipping and its emissions. Currently, shipping emissions are growing three times as fast as global emissions.
Additionally, Tzanoukakis described, “Here, we have sustainability practices: we’re using the best resins, we’re using regrind, we’re not sending things to landfills. We all care about sustainability.” Collaborating with companies that emphasize green is crucial to ensuring environmentally safe manufacturing.
Sussex IM has been recognized for our sustainability efforts, including earning an EcoVadis 2025 Bronze Medal. Our 2024-2025 Environmental Executive Summary details the steps we have taken and continue to take to improve our operations. From cutting our emissions by 23% since 2020 to continuous improvement with targets aligned to our ISO 14001 certification, we are dedicated to integrating sustainable practices throughout our processes.
- American Automation: Reducing Labor Costs and Improving Quality
In the 1970s, the US saw the start of a wave of offshoring production in order to maximize profits. Overseas, production could be done with lower labor costs in countries with weaker labor protection laws than in the US. But the US has continued to advance in automation, which provides an advantage over offshore production. As Tzanoukakis put it, “Automation reduces labor on the line and increases quality because the quality checks are built into the automation.”
An important consideration for automation is scalability: automation is not an all or nothing decision. At Sussex IM, we collaborate with our customers to help ensure that parts are designed for both manufacturing and automation. Even if automation isn’t necessary now, designing for automation ensures future automation is possible throughout the lifetime of the product.
- The Economic Push for Reshoring
The economic case for reshoring is strong: turbulent tariffs have created uncertainty about the future of the US’s global supply chain costs. Tzanoukakis described, “To mitigate the risk of much higher costs and tariffs that can’t be avoided, doing the majority of the production here is a good idea.” Not only does reshoring mitigate risk for product owners, but it also boosts the local economies of the communities where production is moved.
Jim Naatz, Sussex IM’s Vice President of Sales and Marketing, commented on how the recent tariffs have impacted Sussex IM’s business: “The recent tariffs have had a noticeable and positive impact on our business. We’ve seen a significant increase in quote activity, have been awarded new work, and are seeing growing interest from companies exploring reshoring opportunities. At their current levels, the tariffs are driving real momentum toward U.S.-based manufacturing.”
Supporting Reshoring Efforts
As companies explore moving production back to the United States, Sussex IM is here to support reshoring efforts. What sets us apart? “Our engineering expertise, our ability to scale up automation—and customize it for your volume and need—and our quality,” said Tzanoukakis.
Since 1977, we have provided unmatched expertise to our customers. From designing for manufacturing and automation to enhancing part quality, we’re ready to be your partner in injection molding.
How can we help improve your production? Let us know here!