In central England, the birthplace of the Industrial Revolution, factories are buzzing anew, hammering out parts for cars, planes and medical machines that used to be made in Asia.
After two years of global supply-chain disruption, and with dark clouds on the horizon, manufacturers around Britain's second city of Birmingham say they are inundated with orders, helped by new and old domestic clients bringing some production back home.
For decades, supplier decisions were based largely on price. But the pandemic and mounting geopolitical tensions have undermined the mass outsourcing model, prompting some buyers to build alternative production lines nearer to home, despite it being a lengthy process that can drive costs higher.