In the past few decades, the US has taken the initiative to move a significant amount of its manufacturing to Asian countries, especially China, for a number of reasons. In addition to decreased labor costs, this relocation provided the US with access to Asian markets, government subsidies and sought-after, Chinese raw materials.
However, firms are realizing that they can maintain these once-novel cost savings by manufacturing in their own backyard and selling locally, a revelation that has only been advanced by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Chief Commercial Officer for ASP Global, Bill Fallon, was recently featured in Industry Today with his article on the need to “reshore” nonwoven manufacturing in order to meet current US demand for personal protective equipment (PPE).
From the article:
“‘Reshoring’ manufacturing to the US is happening as firms realize the cost savings of manufacturing in the US and selling locally. This has only been accelerated during the COVID-19 pandemic, such as with ASP Global’s recent acquisition of Shumsky Therapeutic Pillows in Dayton, Ohio and a partnership to source ASTM-rated facemask production with Benchmark Shield LLC (the manufacturer of EasyShield™) in Columbus, Ohio.
The need for the US to have a local manufacturing-base for key nonwoven textiles has become readily apparent as the supply-chain issues of the COVID-19 pandemic have been brought to light. This has been most visible in the PPE manufacturing and sourcing needs derived from healthcare-system demand but has also come with the increasing difficulty in sourcing other finished products or key component materials from China as shipping and manufacturing are disrupted.”
You can read the full article on Industry Today’s website.
ASP Global is proud to work with hospitals to identify new opportunities for cost-savings and product customization through direct-sourcing while facilitating supplier diversification at the facility level. By doing this, we hope to alleviate any possible shortages during the current crisis and help minimize any impact from future crises.
To learn more, contact Bill Fallon at william.fallon@aspglobal.com.
