Formally Plunkett's Manufacturing & Robotics Industry Almanac, this book presents a complete analysis of the manufacturing business, including such related areas as research and development (R&D), engineering and design, outsourcing, offshoring, factory automation and supply chain. The almanac also features in-depth coverage of robotics. This market research tool includes our analysis of the major trends affecting the global manufacturing industry, from the developments in firms reshoring their manufacturing operations to the U.S., nearshoring to Mexico and Central America, rising wages in China, China's move to higher value manufacturing, and the movement of lower value manufacturing, such as apparel, to such nations as Pakistan and The Philippines. In addition, we provide major statistical tables covering the industry, from revenues to investment in R&D to employment to wages. No other source provides this book's easy-to-understand comparisons of growth, expenditures, technologies, imports/exports, corporations, research and other vital subjects. You'll find our analysis provides a complete overview of the industry along with market research reports in one superb, value-priced package."Plunkett Research has built a solid reputation providing industry analysis and research in a diverse spectrum of areas-energy and utilities, finance and investment, health care and biotechnology, and engineering and research to name a few."American Reference Books Annual