Many past decisions to offshore manufacturing were based on price alone. Today, manufacturers are looking at more than just price when considering sourcing decisions and production locations.

Analyst Insight: Industrial manufacturing includes a broad range of sub-verticals. Given the current global uncertainties, these companies are focusing on manufacturing and supply chain excellence while trying to grow their top lines. This will not stop the leaders from looking at many exciting new technologies that are emerging. The "manufacturing renaissance" going on is as likely to be around new technologies adopted as around where the manufacturing takes place. - Robert Eastman, Senior Analyst, Technology Evaluation Centers

GE Intelligent Platforms says updates to its suite of Proficy Manufacturing software are designed specifically to meet the strategic objectives of today's manufacturers as they transform their operations to meet the new realities of business potential enabled by the so-called Industrial Internet.

According to the December 2013 national report of the Institute of Supply Management (ISM), the manufacturing industry is continuing to experience healthy growth.

Over the past five years we have experienced a dramatic change in the role that manufacturing has played as part of the fabric that ties together our global economies. No longer seen as simply "black boxes" in the supply network that simply consumed materials and produced products "” manufacturing has experienced a renaissance whereby investment has returned with an expectation of continued growth into the future. In today's demand-driven reality, the role of the factory has evolved to necessitate greater flexibility and an ability to adapt to real-time sales information, resulting in better customer satisfaction, efficiency and profits.