Digital manufacturing platform Fictiv on Monday announced the results of its “10th Annual State of Manufacturing & Supply Chain Report.”
The company surveyed 254 senior manufacturing and supply chain leaders to glean insight into mounting concerns regarding evolving U.S. trade policies, preventing supply chain disruptions and scaling innovation, AI and sustainability.
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According to the report, some 96% of respondents have concerns over the impact that President Donald Trump’s trade policies will have on supply chains. Chief among them is the potential toll tariffs will have on costs and profitability (57% of respondents), followed by the administration’s renewed emphasis on bringing manufacturing back to the U.S. (53%).
Manufacturing leaders are also fearful that tariffs will drive business uncertainty (48%), impact efforts to prioritize nearshoring (37%) and create a China+1 strategy (32%). Only 4% of professionals surveyed said they had no concerns about Trump’s policies, and 93% think trade wars will likely escalate in the next few years.
About 68% of leaders are prioritizing onshoring as a key supply chain strategy in 2025, especially in markets that require complex parts at scale, like medical technology, electric vehicles and clean energy. Still, 77% of manufacturing and supply chain pros say a lack of resources, namely labor and money, is severely limiting their ability to manage supply chains effectively.
Sustainability remains top of mind as 95% of professionals say weather and extreme climate events are impacting their 2025 supply chain strategy. Some 91% have sustainability initiatives and the governance in place to drive those goals forward.
Finally, the tech topic on top of everybody’s minds: AI. Nearly 95% of industry pros say they use AI for manufacturing and supply chain operations, including inventory management and product design. More than half (56%) say AI is the leading trend shaping the company’s 2025 strategy. Economic headwinds came in second at 53%. Increasing competition and labor costs/shortages tied for a distant third place at 41%.
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