The reshoring trend is picking up steam. A new report provides several examples of manufacturers that are moving assembly lines back to the States.

No matter what type of product they make, all manufacturers walk the same fine line and face many of the same burdens. For example, when the path to profitability reaches a T or a Y, management often must make a critical decision: go left and invest in assembly automation technology, or go right and outsource production.

Most people who purchase a BMW X3 have no idea that it's not built by the company from Munich, Germany, that claims to provide "the ultimate driving machine." The $36,000 sport utility vehicle is actually assembled by Magna Steyr, a contract manufacturer that builds cars for several other automakers, including DaimlerChrysler (Auburn Hills, MI) and General Motors Corp. (Detroit).

What works in one industry may not always work in another.

While focusing on the short-term benefits of moving production overseas, many companies overlook numerous long-term risks.

As outsourcing continues to evolve, it’s becoming more complicated. Indeed, depending on what acronym you use, outsourcing can mean different things to different people.