How Manufacturers Are Managing Risk in an Era of Global Volatility (Plant Services)

From Great Question: A Manufacturing Podcast by Endeavor Business Media’s Manufacturing Group

May 12, 2026 · 24 min · Episode 398

About this episode

Thomas Wilk discusses with Rosemary Coates how global events are affecting manufacturers and reshoring strategies.

In this episode of Great Question: A Manufacturing Podcast, Thomas Wilk meets up with Rosemary Coates of the Reshoring Institute to catch up on how current events are impacting manufacturers who were already shifting their reshoring strategies. Despite geopolitical conflict and energy shortages, Coates identifies are few sectors that are thriving (semiconductors, pharmaceuticals, and plastics) and emphasizes the importance of community colleges in preparing workers for a new, more volatile manufacturing normal.

People in this episode

Host: Thomas Wilk

Guest: Rosemary Coates

Topics covered

risk management
reshoring strategies
global volatility
manufacturing sectors
workforce development

Keywords

manufacturers
risk management
global volatility
reshoring
community colleges

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Reshoring Institute

Products: semiconductors, pharmaceuticals, plastics

Places: geopolitical conflict, community colleges