# 140: Local Manufacturing for a New Hardware Invention Idea

- Show: [Product Startup](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup)
- Published: 2022-09-07
- Length: 22m
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2022-09-07-140-local-manufacturing-for-a-new-hardware-invention-idea
- Listen: https://productstartup.com/

## Summary

Nigel Southway, author of 'Take Back Manufacturing' and former chair of the Society of Manufacturing Engineers, discusses the strategic shift from offshore to local manufacturing for hardware startups. He argues that when factoring in hidden costs like tariffs, inventory, and logistics, the unit cost difference between onshore and offshore production is often only about 10%, making local production increasingly viable. Southway emphasizes the importance of short-run manufacturing to build feedback loops and reduce risk, while advocating for policy, education, and technology integration to rebuild domestic manufacturing capacity.

## Chapters

- [0:00](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2022-09-07-140-local-manufacturing-for-a-new-hardware-invention-idea#t=0) Introduction: Nigel Southway and Take Back Manufacturing
- [2:20](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2022-09-07-140-local-manufacturing-for-a-new-hardware-invention-idea#t=140) Southway's Background: Aerospace, Motorola, and Lean Manufacturing
- [5:14](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2022-09-07-140-local-manufacturing-for-a-new-hardware-invention-idea#t=314) The Case for Local Manufacturing: Running the Numbers
- [8:11](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2022-09-07-140-local-manufacturing-for-a-new-hardware-invention-idea#t=491) Hidden Costs of Offshore Production: Logistics, Tariffs, and Lead Times
- [13:06](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2022-09-07-140-local-manufacturing-for-a-new-hardware-invention-idea#t=786) Short-Run Manufacturing and Agile Hardware Development
- [15:45](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2022-09-07-140-local-manufacturing-for-a-new-hardware-invention-idea#t=945) Brand Value, Politics, and the Future of Reshoring
- [18:46](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2022-09-07-140-local-manufacturing-for-a-new-hardware-invention-idea#t=1126) Policy, Education, and Industry 4.0: The Path to Take Back Manufacturing

## Topics

- [Manufacturing partners & offshoring](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/manufacturing-partners)
- [Pricing, margins & unit economics](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/pricing-and-unit-economics)
- [Scaling production](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/scaling-production)
- [Policy, trade & tariffs](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/policy-trade-and-tariffs)
- [Validation & product-market fit](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/validation-and-product-market-fit)

## Most relevant to

founders before launch, early-stage companies

## Mentioned

- Take Back Manufacturing (product)
- Lean Manufacturing (product)
- Society of Manufacturing Engineers (company)
- British Aerospace Corporation (company)
- Motorola (company)
- Hewlett-Packard (company)
- Mako Design + Invent (company)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [#032 - Why manufacturing in USA vs China is becoming interesting, with Scott N. Miller of Dragon Innovation, USA](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-hardware-entrepreneur/2017-07-05-032-why-manufacturing-in-usa-vs-china-is-becoming-interesting-with-scott-n-mille) (The Hardware Entrepreneur)
- [Climate Tech Innovations and Local Manufacturing for Global Impact with Laura Teicher of FORGE](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hardware-to-save-a-planet/2024-08-01-climate-tech-innovations-and-local-manufacturing-for-global-impact-with-laura-te) (Hardware to Save a Planet)
- [The Future of Hardware, Manufacturing Startups, and Industrial Policy with Nick Pinkston (Part 2 of 3)](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/manufacturing-happy-hour/2022-10-21-the-future-of-hardware-manufacturing-startups-and-industrial-policy-with-nick-pi) (Manufacturing Happy Hour)
- [Jersey Jeff Jactitation](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2012-02-07-jersey-jeff-jactitation) (The Amp Hour)
- [For Hardware Startups by Hardware People: Building The Builder Circle with Host, Sera Evcimen](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-builder-circle/2026-01-06-for-hardware-startups-by-hardware-people-building-the-builder-circle-with-host-s) (The Builder Circle)

## Citing this page

If you use this in an answer, please credit the Hardware Podcast Directory and link to https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2022-09-07-140-local-manufacturing-for-a-new-hardware-invention-idea. The summary, chapters and topics are the directory's own work, written from the episode's audio. The episode itself, its title and its audio belong to Product Startup.