A Faster Path to North American Suppliers
U.S. manufacturers are reducing dependence on distant supply chains. This trend started in 2018 with the steel and aluminum tariffs, accelerated in 2021 with post-covid supply chain disruptions, and has now become the “new normal” with U.S. tariffs on imported goods averaging nearly 15% – the highest in 90 years.
But finding capable suppliers in North America isn’t easy. Teams often lack the tools, the process, or the network to make progress quickly.
Common Challenges Facing Purchasing Teams
Many purchasing teams struggle when shifting from Asia to North America. Three problems come up again and again:
- Limited knowledge of the regional supply base after years of low-cost country sourcing.
- No upfront consensus on what’s truly needed from suppliers, leading to wasted cycles.
- Supplier overload—North American suppliers are busy and often don’t respond to RFQs from unknown buyers.
That combination can leave even seasoned teams spinning their wheels.
Three Tools to Break Through
Manufacturing purchasing teams are adopting a systematic process to identify, vet, and engage new suppliers with three practical tools:
1. Your network of experts
Industry contacts provide more qualified leads than a web search. In one project, an automotive supplier setting up its first North American plant needed a complex three-layer painting process.
By tapping our network, we identified 15 suppliers, five of which had the right capabilities and capacity.
2. The Ideal Supplier Profile
A structured list supplier attributes like capacity, certifications, technologies, and locations is crucial to building internal consensus. Agreed-upon supplier attributes enable clear, fact-based supplier evaluation that can be rapidly applied to vet potential suppliers.
For example, when a global manufacturer needed turned parts suppliers in Mexico for three business segments, each profile was unique. In the course of 9 weeks, 27 suppliers were interviewed, with 15 meeting the profile for at least one segment.
A mini-business case
Suppliers want to know why your RFQ is worth their time. A short case highlighting your company’s industry reputation, customers, and growth plans shows them the long-term opportunity.
This approach shifts the dynamic from “please quote” to “here’s why this is a win for you”.
Case study: Automotive Supplier
A tier-1 supplier landed new programs for their North American footprint and wanted to reduce reliance on Chinese suppliers. They needed new partners in Mexico for thermoplastics, turned parts, and insert moldings.
We applied the three tools to:- Define Ideal Supplier Profiles (e.g., 400T–500T machines with 100k+ part capacity for thermoplastics)
- Build a mini-business case that sold Mexican suppliers on the long-term opportunity
- Leverage our network to identify potential suppliers and conduct multi-round vetting interviews
The result: 24 suppliers identified, seven vetted and introduced to the company as fully capable partners in a matter of weeks.
Case study: Shower Components Manufacturer
A North American architectural fittings supplier needed cost-competitive, shorter-lead alternatives for six commodities, including stainless castings, aluminum extrusions, and EPDM gaskets.
By applying the Ideal Supplier Profile approach, we vetted 30 suppliers across Mexico and introduced 15 capable partners. Several have since been awarded business, delivering both cost savings and supply resilience.
Case study: Repair Lift Manufacturer
A small division of a large manufacturer needed to source small fabrications and castings in Mexico. Tariffs and freight had made Chinese suppliers uncompetitive.
The challenge: their volumes were too small for many advanced suppliers. By tailoring Ideal Supplier Profiles to this reality, we identified 7 fabrication and 4 casting suppliers that met both capability and capacity needs. The casting search required a broader sweep—four capable suppliers were spread across four different Mexican states.
Why it works
Speed comes from structure. The process described above turns vague supplier searches into targeted sourcing projects with measurable outcomes. Most importantly, it shifts the dynamic from “hoping suppliers respond” to systematically building a shortlist of qualified partners who want the business.
For manufacturers looking to reduce risk, cut costs, and regionalize supply chains, the difference between searching and reshoring is a matter of weeks.
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