Reflecting a reality that could have a big impact on retailers seeking to keep their shelved stocks as President Trump’s tariffs kick in, imports from 14 Asian low-cost countries and regions (LCCRs) grew faster than U.S. domestic manufacturing gross output. That situation was reported in management consultant Kearney’s just-released Reshoring Index for 2025.
“This year’s Reshoring Index report reveals a hard truth,” said Kearney partner and study co-author Patrick Van den Bossche. “While CEOs are more committed than ever to reshoring, the U.S. domestic manufacturing ecosystem is still playing catch-up. The next phase will require not just capital, but coordination.”
Launched in 2013, the Kearney Reshoring Index tracks the extent to which America is bringing manufacturing back from the LCCRs that have benefitted for decades from the offshoring of U.S. manufacturing operations.
Some other findings from the index:
- America’s manufacturing/import ratio increased by 9%, back to pre-COVID levels, as imports from the Asian LCCRs grew faster than U.S. domestic manufacturing gross output. That caused the index to decline by 311 basis points.
- U.S. manufacturing output expanded by just 1%, despite continued capital investment in recent years. This modest growth reflects the longer-than-expected lag between investment announcements and operational capacity coming online.
- Canada and Mexico also struggled to keep pace with their recent historical performances. U.S imports growth from Mexico trailed the boom of the previous two years, while Canada recorded a year-over-year contraction in its exports to the US.
The Reshoring Index is determined by dividing the import of manufactured goods from the Asian LCCRs by the U.S. domestic gross manufacturing output to calculate a manufacturing import ratio (MIR). The Reshoring Index reflects the year-on-year change in the MIR.
Click here for more from the latest index.
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Four Decades of Excellence: How Wilkerson Transformed a Jeweler's Retirement into Celebration
After 45 years serving the Milwaukee community, Treiber & Straub Jewelers owner Michael Straub faced a significant life transition. At 75, the veteran jeweler made a personal decision many business owners understand: "I think it's time. I want to enjoy my wife with my grandchildren for the next 10, 15 years."
Wilkerson's expertise transformed this major business transition into an extraordinary success. Their comprehensive approach to managing the going-out-of-business sale created unprecedented customer response—with lines forming outside the store and limits on how many shoppers could enter at once due to fire safety regulations.
The results exceeded all expectations. "Wilkerson did a phenomenal job," Straub enthuses. "They were there for you through the whole thing, helped you with promoting it, helping you on day-to-day business. I can't speak enough for how well they did." The partnership didn't just facilitate a business closing; it created a celebratory finale to decades of service while allowing Straub to confidently step into his well-earned retirement.
