If you are an engineer, procurement officer, manufacturer, or just a businessman, it might be time for you to consider coming back to your roots in the United States. With the re-establishment of the 25% tariffs on such processes and the concurrent encouragement of domestic production of injection molds, this might be the perfect time for reshoring. More so, since the COVID-19 pandemic has brought unprecedented changes to the supply chains, your plastic injection molding tooling and product are set to thrive in the U.S. Consumers tend to trust products more if they are made domestically. According to a report by Standard Textile – 80% percent of U.S. consumers prefer products “Made in America” and 60% are willing to pay 10% more for a product that was made in America. Below are five reasons to think about reshoring your injection molded product.
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Safety of Injection Molded Products and Intellectual Property
American manufacturers have specific regulations and laws in place to ensure employee safety, which translates to the products themselves. You can feel confident the plastic components produced are not toxic or unsafe. ISO certifications require proper legal documentation. Also, signed nondisclosure agreements have legal significance, therefore ensuring the protection of intellectual property.
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Supply Chain Simplicity for Injection Molded Parts
U.S. injection molders focus on the value of collaboration among all project contributors, including part designers, project managers, and purchasing. Typically, this doesn't happen with offshore suppliers, where production is the main focus.
The distance the products ship from offshore locations plus having to go through customs make delivery schedules and communication harder. Moreover, U.S. molders can quickly get materials from local sources and keep to timely delivery schedules.
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Design for Manufacturability
Because of the value injection molders provide in the early design phase of a project, flaws are apt to be missed. The design for manufacturability collaboration on part design considerations, production processes, and mold design might get overlooked. As a result, the final product might not be what you want or need.
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Automation and Technology Advancements for Injection Molding
The incorporation of Industry 4.0 on production floors, provides real-time data about each molding machine and allows for informed data-driven decision making on the floor. Ultimately providing better processing and increased quality components.
To keep up, more and more manufacturers incorporate automation in their manufacturing processes. Using end-of-arm-tooling, collaborative robots, and automated work cells with highly skilled labor increases production rates and quality products.
The outlook for reshoring for injection molding
As the industry continues to evolve, many things might truly be uncertain, but there is a lot to look forward to. For instance, industry trends show that:
- The current business climate in the country now favors the building of digital muscle.
- Manufacturers are seeking domestic partnerships to bolster their production competence.
These are some of the reasons to show that both the current trend and the outlook of plastic injection molding seem to favor reshoring.
Crescent Industries: Your one-stop-shop for employee-owned local injection molding and mold building
Our professionals at Crescent Industries understand the current challenges with offshoring. Thus, we provide a systematic approach for you to transfer tools and reshoring without any hassle.
Do you think it is time to consider reshoring your plastic injection molding? Get in touch with us today!
Resources
https://www.pharmaceutical-technology.com/features/which-regions-will-benefit-from-a-post-covid-19-reshoring-trend/