Will Around-the-Clock Support Come in with the Reshoring Tide? 

Whether you're dealing with millions of dollars' worth of automation equipment or you've had to call customer support for a new laptop, chances are you've had to deal with off-shore support centers. While it may feel like none of these support centers are in the U.S. anymore, one recent study has indicated what may be a desire across the industry to reverse this trend.

The study, conducted by MAVERICK Technologies, sought to measure the overall perception of manufacturing operations support across process control professionals. It found that 60 percent of respondents deemed 24/7 U.S.-based support for process controls important to ongoing work.

It took responses from over 300 process automation professionals, from engineers and plant IT personnel to project and plant managers from over 11 industries, which may suggest that around-the-clock support will be jumping on the reshoring bandwagon.

“These findings prove what MAVERICK has recently observed in the field,” sad Kirk Norris, senior vice president of strategic manufacturing solutions at MAVERICK. “We've seen an increase in calls from manufacturers looking for domestic support. Moreover, we see our current customers inquiring about these support options.”

But the responses have served as more than a litmus test across the industry. According to MAVERICK CEO Paul Galeski, the study has helped to pinpoint who most wants domestic support.

“Having this type of data is invaluable, as it identifies the types of manufacturers most in need of outside support based in the U.S.”

Not only that, but the research found growing demand for 24/7 online support, system backup support and recovery support as well.

The company already bases their remote automation support center in the American Midwest, but in response to these results, MAVERICK has launched a series of technical papers that address remote management practices, staff augmentation models, IT management and data dissemination for environments relying on process control systems. 

But as we examine the results of MAVERICK's research, it's worth noting that language is key. While a majority of respondents admitted to the importance of domestic support, this does not indicate that the trend itself is changing. Nor does it even suggest that manufacturers would actually opt for U.S.-based support if given the option.

And if reshoring support does turn from a desire to a reality, it will be accomplished by the support providers themselves – not by the wishes of their customers alone.