Nearshoring, the relocation of manufacturing or supplier networks closer to end markets, has become a strategic imperative for global businesses navigating trade volatility, supply chain shocks, and shifting customer demands. As companies recalibrate away from China-centric production, they’re uncovering both challenges and significant benefits, including faster delivery cycles, lower transport costs, and more responsive supplier ecosystems.
From Ford to Lenovo, here’s a look at 10 global firms that have successfully embraced nearshoring, and how they’re adapting supply chains to secure future growth.
Top 10 Nearshoring Success Stories
1. Ford Motor Co.
Ford has made significant strides in nearshoring by investing in BlueOval City, a $5.6 billion electric vehicle and battery manufacturing complex in Tennessee. Set to begin production in 2025, this facility is expected to create approximately 6,000 jobs and produce electric trucks and batteries, reducing reliance on overseas suppliers .
Ford’s approach reflects the critical role of long-term supplier and ecosystem alignment in nearshoring strategies. By investing heavily in regional manufacturing capacity and securing substantial government financing, Ford illustrates how collaboration with local partners and public sector stakeholders can mitigate tariff and logistics risks.
2. HP Inc.
In response to global trade tensions, HP announced plans to manufacture nearly all of its North American products outside of China by October 2025. The company is expanding its manufacturing footprint in Mexico, leveraging the USMCA agreement to mitigate tariff impacts and improve supply chain resilience. This strategic shift allows HP to better serve the North American market with reduced lead times and increased flexibility in its supply chain operations.
By aligning its manufacturing footprint with the USMCA framework, HP illustrates how procurement can integrate trade policy considerations into sourcing decisions, not just as a compliance exercise but as a proactive strategy to optimize costs and strengthen supply chain agility.
3. Adidas
Adidas has been actively nearshoring its apparel production to Central America to reduce dependency on Asian manufacturing hubs. By leveraging trade agreements like CAFTA-DR, the company aims to shorten lead times and respond more swiftly to market demands.
By pivoting production to Central America under the CAFTA-DR framework, Adidas illustrates how procurement can use trade agreements to secure competitive pricing while simultaneously boosting supply chain agility. This approach also encourages procurement to explore sourcing partners in emerging regions, fostering supplier diversity and reducing over-reliance on Asia-centric networks.
4. Samsung Electronics
Samsung is considering relocating some of its home appliance manufacturing from Mexico to the United States in response to potential 25% tariffs on imports from Mexico. The company is evaluating shifting dryer production to its facility in South Carolina to mitigate tariff impacts and maintain competitiveness in the U.S. market.
Samsung’s exploration of domestic production due to tariff threats highlights the need for advanced “what-if” scenario modeling in procurement planning. Procurement teams should be developing total landed cost models that can be toggled in real time to test how different trade and tariff scenarios would impact cost structures, enabling them to recommend site switches or volume shifts before regulatory risks materialize.
5. Stanley Black & Decker
Stanley Black & Decker has been restructuring its manufacturing operations by consolidating facilities and investing in U.S. sites. The company announced plans to close plants in South Carolina and Texas while transforming other U.S. sites into manufacturing centers of excellence.
This restructuring effort shows procurement leaders must be deeply involved in footprint consolidation decisions, beyond supplier transitions alone. As manufacturing footprints evolve, procurement can play a vital role in co-developing a new supplier qualification pipeline that aligns with shifting operational footprints—avoiding the typical lag that occurs when sourcing trails restructuring.
6. Flex Ltd.
Flex Ltd., a global electronics manufacturer, has significantly expanded its presence in Mexico, operating approximately nine million square feet of advanced manufacturing space across the country. In early 2025, Flex announced a $500 million investment to further expand its Mexican operations, citing tariff uncertainties as a key motivator.
Flex’s expansion in Mexico points to the necessity of coordinating with external partners, like customs brokers, trade advisors, and port authorities, to design nearshoring strategies that won’t stall at the border. Procurement leaders should push for visibility not just in direct suppliers but also in the logistics and trade compliance ecosystem, ensuring that nearshoring moves are operationally viable, not just theoretically appealing.
7. General Motors
General Motors has reaffirmed its commitment to manufacturing electric vehicles in Mexico, specifically at its Ramos Arizpe plant. Despite potential tariff concerns, GM plans to continue producing models like the Chevrolet Equinox EV and Honda Prologue at this facility, which has created approximately 5,000 new jobs in the region.
GM’s steady Mexican EV production, despite tariff concerns, highlights that procurement should evaluate “regional trade bubbles” holistically, understanding that tariffs may be a long-term risk but regional labor pools, infrastructure, and supplier networks can offer advantages that offset regulatory volatility. Procurement’s role is to quantify these tradeoffs systematically for leadership decision-making.
8. Lenovo
Lenovo has announced plans to manufacture all PC models for the Indian market locally within the next three years. The company also intends to produce AI GPU servers in Pondicherry, India, aiming to reduce dependency on imports and enhance supply chain resilience.
Lenovo’s local manufacturing plan for India is a reminder that procurement’s role in localization is not just about cost—it’s about ensuring local supplier readiness. This means procurement leaders must be active in supplier capability assessments and, if needed, investing in supplier development programs to build the capacity of local partners to meet global standards.
9. Caterpillar Inc.
Caterpillar has been expanding its manufacturing footprint in Texas to reduce exposure to tariff risks and shorten delivery timelines for U.S. customers. This nearshoring initiative supports Caterpillar’s efforts to maintain competitiveness and responsiveness in the North American market.
Caterpillar’s Texas expansion suggests procurement should be prepared to drive supplier onboarding programs rapidly for new sites, ensuring that as manufacturing expands domestically, procurement can accelerate local supplier qualification rather than relying on legacy suppliers who may not be regionally optimal.
10. Nike Inc.
Nike has been diversifying its manufacturing base by increasing production in Central America and Mexico. This strategy aims to mitigate risks associated with Asian supply chains and respond more swiftly to North American market demands .
Nike’s nearshoring push is a signal that procurement teams can also use nearshoring as a driver for sustainability metrics, by shortening supply chains and working with regional partners who share environmental or labor practices goals. Procurement should measure and communicate these co-benefits clearly to internal stakeholders, ensuring that sustainability isn’t sidelined during nearshoring moves.
Building Resilient Supply Chains
Nearshoring has moved beyond a tactical response to disruptions and become a deliberate pillar of supply chain strategy. These examples highlight how leading companies are using it not just to offset tariffs or cut transit times, but to build networks that can withstand the unpredictable shocks of a global economy.
Success in nearshoring depends on a disciplined approach: balancing cost with risk, and forging supplier relationships that offer flexibility without compromising quality. It’s a reminder that while nearshoring can unlock regional advantages, it also requires rethinking governance, data flows, and contingency planning to ensure these networks are as resilient as they are responsive.
