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50 SMT007 MAGAZINE I APRIL 2022 Feature Article by Zac Elliott SIEMENS DIGITAL INDUSTRIES SOFTWARE Let's face it, in the past, electronics manu- facturing has not been a big business for North America. A majority of electronics are assem- bled in Asia where supply chains and operat- ing costs offer many economic advantages. In North America, the electronics manufacturing industry has been generally focused on lower volume, high-cost devices, while higher vol- ume products are produced elsewhere. How- ever, the COVID pandemic and various legis- lation in the U.S. are changing the situation, making electronics manufacturing in North America a more attractive option. How can factories in North America com- pete for the same type of manufacturing tra- ditionally performed in lower cost regions? e answer is that they will not be compet- ing, because they will not be performing the same type of manufacturing. Manufacturing is changing, and companies in North America are well positioned to work differently and sur- pass their global competitors. What's changing in manufacturing? Con- sumer trends related to the specialization and customization of products are moving the industry toward much smaller lot sizes. With Big Data Can Bring Your Business Back