--- title: Bring Back Manufacturing … But Not the Old Way description: Manufacturing as we knew it must fall to the wayside. It's inefficient, costly, and wasteful – it's time for a new type of manufacturing. image: https://www.teamacuity.biz/hubfs/Images/picture%20of%20the%20American%20flag%20with%20wavy%20texture.jpeg --- Learn more about how to choose the right ERP with our ERP Evaluations Series. [Learn More.](https://www.teamacuity.biz/blog) [![logo-top](https://www.teamacuity.biz/hs-fs/hub/420229/file-1511926966.png?width=166&height=89&name=file-1511926966.png "logo-top")](https://www.teamacuity.biz) - [Home](https://www.teamacuity.biz/) - Software - [SAP Business One](https://www.teamacuity.biz/sap-business-one) - [SAP Business One and AWS](https://www.teamacuity.biz/sap-business-one-and-aws) - [Wisys Supply Chain Management](https://www.teamacuity.biz/wisys) - Services - [Success Methodology](https://www.teamacuity.biz/success-methodology) - [Consulting](https://www.teamacuity.biz/consulting) - [On-Going Support](https://www.teamacuity.biz/ongoing-support) - About - [About Acuity](https://www.teamacuity.biz/about-acuity) - [Careers](https://www.teamacuity.biz/careers) - [Resources](https://www.teamacuity.biz/resources-section) - [Resources](https://www.teamacuity.biz/resources-section) - [Blog](https://www.teamacuity.biz/blog) - [Contact](https://www.teamacuity.biz/contact-us) [![logo-top](https://www.teamacuity.biz/hs-fs/hub/420229/file-1511926966.png?width=166&height=89&name=file-1511926966.png "logo-top")](https://www.teamacuity.biz) [![logo-top](https://www.teamacuity.biz/hs-fs/hub/420229/file-1511926966.png?width=166&height=89&name=file-1511926966.png "logo-top")](https://www.teamacuity.biz) - [Home](https://www.teamacuity.biz/) - Software - [SAP Business One](https://www.teamacuity.biz/sap-business-one) - [SAP Business One and AWS](https://www.teamacuity.biz/sap-business-one-and-aws) - [Wisys Supply Chain Management](https://www.teamacuity.biz/wisys) - Services - [Success Methodology](https://www.teamacuity.biz/success-methodology) - [Consulting](https://www.teamacuity.biz/consulting) - [On-Going Support](https://www.teamacuity.biz/ongoing-support) - About - [About Acuity](https://www.teamacuity.biz/about-acuity) - [Careers](https://www.teamacuity.biz/careers) - [Resources](https://www.teamacuity.biz/resources-section) - [Resources](https://www.teamacuity.biz/resources-section) - [Blog](https://www.teamacuity.biz/blog) - [Contact](https://www.teamacuity.biz/contact-us) [![logo-top](https://www.teamacuity.biz/hs-fs/hub/420229/file-1511926966.png?width=166&height=89&name=file-1511926966.png "logo-top")](https://www.teamacuity.biz) [manufacturing](https://www.teamacuity.biz/blog/topic/manufacturing) [lean](https://www.teamacuity.biz/blog/topic/lean) # Bring Back Manufacturing … But Not the Old Way By [Joseph Timmins](https://www.teamacuity.biz/blog/author/joseph-timmins) May 17, 2017 2 Minute Read Manufacturing changed our country and the world, but the height of that was nearly a century ago. Today our society is driven by consumers purchasing the manufactured goods – cars, textiles, furniture – to name just a few. Unfortunately, most things are no longer manufactured in the U.S., even though Americans still do the most purchasing. Loss of our manufacturing jobs and economy has come at a great cost to local communities and individual consumers. Some have argued that it's simply not feasible for manufacturing jobs and companies to remain here. That it's more practical to send these vital jobs – and the tax revenues they generate – elsewhere. ![picture of the American flag with wavy texture.jpeg](https://www.teamacuity.biz/hs-fs/hubfs/social-suggested-images/picture%20of%20the%20American%20flag%20with%20wavy%20texture.jpeg?width=370&name=picture%20of%20the%20American%20flag%20with%20wavy%20texture.jpeg)The truth is somewhere in the middle. High volume, low price consumer goods manufacturing has pretty much fallen by the wayside, and thinking this will come back is unrealistic. Between competitive labor and automation, it’s a different manufacturing world that's too costly for domestic use. But a new kind of manufacturing can arise from its ashes – back home. You might argue that companies hoping to return manufacturing to the USA face insurmountable challenges, but that isn’t necessarily the case. **Here’s what companies must do to bring manufacturing home.** ## The Right Product Complicated decision – but consider the on-shore advantages of low volume, sophisticated, higher quality, larger (shipping) MTO products versus off-shore high volume, low cost, low margin, small MTS products, etc. Many manufacturers have already figured this out – and it’s not likely to change. ## Work Smarter Working smarter means you need to closely examine your methods and come up with lean ways of manufacturing. Examine your current procedures, processes, and costs to eliminate redundancy, automate, and reduce waste. When you can do this without sacrificing quality, you can consider in-house manufacturing or domestic subcontracting. ## Make Data-driven Decisions Look at the raw data before making changes or deciding to go with the status quo. Consult available data before making a decision based on intuition or insufficient data. If you don’t have the data, get a better ERP system. [![30 minute challenge CTA](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/420229/9c5e79cd-aae6-4c96-9733-f5cf13a85460.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/420229/9c5e79cd-aae6-4c96-9733-f5cf13a85460) ## Never Stop Seeking New Tools to Improve Improvement can be revolutionary, but more commonly it’s evolutionary. Take maximum advantage of people’s knowledge and involvement to improve and clarify your manufacturing processes. Do this over time. When people understand roles and responsibilities, your business will run more smoothly. Finally, choose an ERP system that's intuitive, easy-to-use, and fits seamlessly into your organization. This will help manage resources, disseminate information, and clarify your business performance. It may even make you a competitive domestic manufacturer! Have questions about how this can work for you, or how you can go about getting an ERP system for your business? Please [contact](https://www.teamacuity.biz/contact) the experts at Acuity for more information. #### Joseph Timmins Author ## Recommended For You [![](https://www.teamacuity.biz/hubfs/Canva%20images/Canva%20Design%20DAFxiSumyuo.png)](https://www.teamacuity.biz/blog/lean-processes-em10-erp-software) [lean manufacturing](https://www.teamacuity.biz/blog/topic/lean-manufacturing) 1 Min Read ### [Lean Processes and EM10 ERP Software](https://www.teamacuity.biz/blog/lean-processes-em10-erp-software) [Joseph Timmins June 30, 2016](https://www.teamacuity.biz/blog/author/joseph-timmins) [![](https://www.teamacuity.biz/hubfs/Canva%20images/Canva%20Design%20DAFxiKXDW08.png)](https://www.teamacuity.biz/blog/kanban) [lean manufacturing](https://www.teamacuity.biz/blog/topic/lean-manufacturing) 1 Min Read ### [Kanban](https://www.teamacuity.biz/blog/kanban) [Joseph Timmins August 3, 2016](https://www.teamacuity.biz/blog/author/joseph-timmins) [![](https://www.teamacuity.biz/hubfs/Canva%20Design%20DAFxiY3X-d8.png)](https://www.teamacuity.biz/blog/hope-global-rhode-island-manufacturing-and-erp) [manufacturing](https://www.teamacuity.biz/blog/topic/manufacturing) [ERP](https://www.teamacuity.biz/blog/topic/erp) [Rhode Island](https://www.teamacuity.biz/blog/topic/rhode-island) 1 Min Read ### [Hope Global, Rhode Island Manufacturing, and ERP.](https://www.teamacuity.biz/blog/hope-global-rhode-island-manufacturing-and-erp) [Joseph Timmins August 25, 2017](https://www.teamacuity.biz/blog/author/joseph-timmins) ![logo-top](https://www.teamacuity.biz/hs-fs/hub/420229/file-1511926966.png) 125 Whipple Street Providence, Rhode Island 02908 [401.243.8480](tel:401-243-8480) 877.361.6534 [Follow us on Facebook](https://www.facebook.com) [Follow us on LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com) [Follow us on Twitter](https://www.twitter.com) [Follow us on Instagram](https://www.instagram.com) - [Home](https://www.teamacuity.biz/) - Software - [SAP Business One](https://www.teamacuity.biz/sap-business-one) - [SAP Business One and AWS](https://www.teamacuity.biz/sap-business-one-and-aws) - [Wisys Supply Chain Management](https://www.teamacuity.biz/wisys) - Services - [Success Methodology](https://www.teamacuity.biz/success-methodology) - [Consulting](https://www.teamacuity.biz/consulting) - [On-Going Support](https://www.teamacuity.biz/ongoing-support) - About - [About Acuity](https://www.teamacuity.biz/about-acuity) - [Careers](https://www.teamacuity.biz/careers) - [Resources](https://www.teamacuity.biz/resources-section) - [Resources](https://www.teamacuity.biz/resources-section) - [Blog](https://www.teamacuity.biz/blog) - [Contact](https://www.teamacuity.biz/contact-us)