As manufacturing shifts from China, the rest of Asia sees new opportunity

Often dubbed the worlds factory, China has recently been experiencing a shifting of manufacturing investment out of the country. A combination of the steady rise in wage costs in the industrial hubs of Southern China, and the ongoing trade war with the US are causes of it. Major manufacturing corporations have begun restructuring their supply chains to give more prominence to South East Asian countries than before. This article explores the shifts taking place, which countries are gaining from it, and what Sri Lanka must do to latch on. The electronics industry has been the most prominent among the industries with plans to locate to new destinations, amidst these trends. The world’s number one and number three personal computer makers, HP and Dell, are already in the process of shifting 30% of their notebook production out of Chinai. HP has plans to build an alternate supply chain in Thailand or Taiwan, while Dell has been eyeing Vietnam. Other computer manufacturers evaluating plans to shift include Acer, Lenovo and Asustek Computer.