Reshoring is not a new topic. China’s accession to the WTO in 2004 was a major, but not the earliest, significant example. Yet, the elections of 2024, rising trade protectionism and vagaries of logistics network disruptions (see Are supply chains fixed or broken? Outlook for 2024 and beyond) require a continual reassessment of whether yesterday’s winners can maintain their competitive position.

Four examples illustrate the varying challenges - ranging from jealous neighbours to a loss of cost advantage and domestic political upheaval which can cause disruption to ...