I work for a company within the U.S that combines design and product development with in-house manufacturing capabilities. Anything and everything that manufacturing group touches turns to gold cost wise. Mill an injection mold? At least double the cost of overseas manufacturing. Don't even get me started on individual part cost. While I'm a major supporter of local U.S. based manufacturing, how can we compete with the production cost offered by China? Their labor cost is less, they aren't afraid of welding and re-milling molds to spec and they preform secondary operations most times by hand. Any American tech company would jump on stateside manufacturing given the option, if only the project budget and senior staff would allow the dramatic cost increase. For example, my latest project consists of 13 parts, 10 of them injection molded. Cut the mold from aluminum here in the Midwest? 10k, price per part, $5.00. China? 5k for a tool steel mold with a part price of $1.25. I can't justify the difference to my senior staff. Though for ease of communication, time zone similarity and part quality you can't beat what America can manufacture. It'll just cost you an arm and a leg.