East or far east? [manufacturing outsourcing]

Price pressure and increased competition in the previous years have forced some companies to review manufacturing costs aggressively. These companies are also under pressure to streamline their operations by divesting themselves of some or all of their manufacturing, leaving them free to concentrate on their core competencies and to develop new ever more complex products. As a result, there has been a steady trend of specific types of manufacturing outsourcing to low-cost regions, with the Far East proving the most popular destination for many global organizations. Eastern Europe and, increasingly, the Baltic States, offer further attractive alternatives that can eliminate some of the challenges of Far Eastern manufacture when it comes to choosing a low-cost manufacturing solution.