Ready to reshore? Surveys show hurdles to returning more manufacturing to U.S.

What you’ll learn:

The tariffs already in place are diverting almost 5% of manufacturing revenue to tariff expenses.
Only 26% of manufacturing workers say their company’s technology is even “somewhat advanced.”
57% of manufacturing managers and execs cited cost as their biggest barrier to investing in IT modernization and cybersecurity.

Two new reports, one by IT managed service provider Integris and another from the Reshoring Initiative and Regions Recruiting, reveal the significant hurdles companies must overcome to base more of their manufacturing capabilities in America—the declared aim of the Trump regimen of tariffs, both the ones currently in force and those paused or threatened by the U.S. president.

The first, the Integris 2025 U.S. Manufacturing Technology Readiness Report, spotlights a technology gap it sees threatening industry in the U.S., noting that domestic factories may not be technologically ready to capitalize on the momentum to reshore because of outdated systems, weak cybersecurity, and delayed IT investment.

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The current tariffs—10% on all goods imported into the U.S., a 25% levy on imported cars and auto parts, a 30% tax on Chinese imports, and a 25% levy on certain goods from Canada and Mexico not covered under the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement that Trump himself signed in 2018—are already, five months into his second administration, diverting almost 5% of manufacturing revenue, which might go toward strategic investments, according to the Integris report.

The Integris survey gathered responses from 700 U.S. consumers as well as 300 manufacturing employees, ranging from plant managers and senior execs to frontline factory workers.

The results “reveal a disconnect between the desire to support American manufacturing and the readiness of many manufacturers to meet consumer expectations,” according to an Integris release that accompanied its 2025 report.

What is your company doing about cybersecurity?

Key findings from the Integris report include:

Only 26% of manufacturing workers say their company’s technology is even “somewhat advanced”—with an equal number calling it “very” or “somewhat” outdated.
20% of employees say they’ve seen colleagues leave due to outdated systems.
57% of manufacturing managers and executives cited cost as their biggest barrier to investing in IT modernization and cybersecurity.
51% of manufacturing employees believe U.S. factories are falling behind global competitors in technology modernization and automation.
75% of U.S. consumers have a preference for U.S-made goods—one that has increased as a result of global supply-chain disruptions since the COVID era.
62% of consumers said other factors, such as quality and price, ultimately matter more in their purchase decisions.
91% of consumers said they are concerned about cybersecurity threats to U.S. manufacturers, with 30% saying they are “very” or “extremely” concerned.
47% of those expressing concern about cyberattacks pointed to potential threats from foreign countries such as Russia and China as a cause for anxiety.

The Reshoring Initiative/Regions Recruiting report, which attracted more than 500 respondents, revealed what government, OEMs and contract manufacturers must do to accelerate reap the benefits of reshoring.

“As the Trump administration implements tariffs and contemplates new economic policy for U.S. manufacturing, manufacturers are navigating complex decisions about costs and planning for potential supply chain disruptions and workforce shortages,” the pair say in a joint release.

Also featured in the Reshoring Initiative/Regions Recruiting report:

Alternative paths to reindustrialization if Trump’s tariffs are permanently blocked by the courts.
The possible impact each of Trump’s reindustrialization policies would have on future reshoring.
Rankings of the reasons why OEMs have already reshored.
Pinpoints factors that OEMs should prioritize more highly, geopolitical risk and use of total cost of ownership among them.