How DELMIA Apriso Enables Nearshoring Without Slowing Production

Nearshoring—relocating production closer to end markets—has moved from a cost discussion to a strategic imperative. Factors like geopolitical uncertainty, carbon reduction goals and the need for faster delivery times push manufacturers to build facilities nearer to customers. The promise is greater agility and resilience; the challenge is how to replicate and adapt complex manufacturing processes without extended downtime. A unified MES/MOM platform turns retooling from an operational headache into an opportunity for improvement.

The drag of traditional retooling

Traditional manufacturing systems assume processes are static. Each plant develops its own work instructions, quality checkpoints and machine settings. When production moves, teams spend weeks finding the latest documents, translating them and training operators from printed manuals. Adjustments for local materials or regulations are handled on the fly and rarely recorded centrally. This fragmentation leads to extended ramp‑up periods, inconsistent quality and higher costs—negating some of the benefits of nearshoring.

Unified MES/MOM platforms are designed for change. They allow companies to capture manufacturing knowledge as digital templates, replicate those templates across facilities and adjust parameters without rewriting entire procedures. Recipes, inspection plans and work instructions travel with the product; operators interact with them through a consistent interface regardless of location. Training incorporates visuals, interactive checklists and real‑time feedback, shortening learning curves.

“After DELMIA Apriso was rolled out, we realized paperless office operations, thus reducing our administrative costs.” — William Sun, General Manager, BorgWarner

BorgWarner’s move to paperless workflows illustrates how digital foundations free resources. Eliminating physical paperwork reduces administrative expenses. Those savings can be reinvested in retooling and innovation. More importantly, the digital infrastructure makes it possible to replicate manufacturing templates rapidly when establishing new lines or shifting production closer to customers.

Strategies for agile nearshoring

Achieving nearshoring’s promise requires the ability to retool quickly, maintain quality and synchronize global and local processes. Manufacturing leaders can achieve this by embracing the following strategies:

• Reusable digital templates – Capture recipes, quality checkpoints and work instructions as digital objects. When launching production in a new site, distribute and adjust these templates rather than rebuilding processes from scratch. Version control ensures improvements are shared across the network.
• Integrated training – Provide operators with digital work instructions that include images, videos and step‑by‑step guidance. Use augmented reality to overlay instructions on real equipment. Real‑time validation ensures tasks are completed correctly before the next step is unlocked.
• Real‑time costing and analytics – Link shop‑floor data to cost models. Capture setup times, scrap, rework and labor usage so that costing reflects actual performance. This information supports supplier negotiations and helps decide whether nearshoring delivers the expected return.
• Dynamic scheduling and supply management – Use event‑driven scheduling to adapt to delays in equipment arrival or material changes. Integrate supply chain data so that procurement, logistics and production planning adjust together.
• Change management and skills – Prepare your workforce for digital retooling by offering structured training and clear communication. Emphasize the benefits of modern tools and analytics to improve job satisfaction and encourage adoption.
• Continuous improvement loops – Treat every nearshoring project as an opportunity to refine standard processes. Collect feedback from operators, compare performance across sites and update templates accordingly.

Building a sustainable digital foundation

Certainly, digital operations accelerate future readiness.

Retooling is not only about processes; it is about infrastructure. Digital twins enable manufacturers to simulate production lines virtually, testing different layouts, equipment, staffing levels and material flows before investing in physical equipment. Predictive maintenance algorithms use sensor data to anticipate equipment failures and schedule repairs proactively. Real‑time dashboards aggregate information from the plant floor, suppliers and logistics partners, enabling managers to make informed decisions quickly.

Digital retooling not only improves efficiency but supports sustainability by eliminating paper and empowering operators with modern tools, feedback loops and fostering workforce engagement, driving resilience. When the same platform is used across sites, engineering teams maintain a central library of processes, IT groups manage one system instead of multiple regional implementations and operators share a common interface. Standardization accelerates knowledge transfer and reduces errors when production moves.

Nearshoring is part of a broader strategy to build resilient, customer‑centric supply chains. Organizations that succeed will combine the proximity advantages of nearshoring with the agility of digital operations. A unified MES/MOM platform like DELMIA Apriso enables that agility, allowing companies to retool production without slowing down and to invest saved time and money back into innovation and future growth.