What will the typical factory look like five years from now? Manufacturers today are undergoing a major evolution in their global sourcing strategies. No longer is it sufficient to build product in a single country that offers the benefits of low-cost labor, then distribute worldwide. At the same time, manufacturers are laboring to juggle the need for optimal plant efficiency with buyers' demands for customized product sourced close to end markets. On this episode, we hear from Pierfrancesco Manenti, vice president of research with SCM World, which recently surveyed more than 150 leaders in the manufacturing sector. They underscored the importance of flexibility, responsiveness, cost control and the hiring of workers who can perform tasks that require a whole new set of skills. In the discussion, we get a glimpse of what the factory of the future might look like, where it will be located, and how technology will revolutionize production techniques.

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