Location strategy and Location & site selection

One of your key strategic decisions is selecting the right location for your operations. You are making new investments in land, buildings, equipment and talent for the long term. As the global business environment in which you need to make a location decision is becoming more uncertain every day, it is crucial to make a robust and future proof selection of a location.

News
Søstrene Grene selects Venlo, The Netherlands as location for their new distribution center

Danish home decoration retailer Søstrene Grene has selected Venlo, the logistics hotspot location in The Netherlands, as the location for their new distribution center of 45.000 sqm

View full article
Coping with Rising Trade Tariffs

Trade restrictions are on the rise all over the world. President Trump will probably give a push to higher import tariffs, provoking retaliation measures of other trading blocs like Europe and Japan.

View full article
Proposition

Our team of experts has extensive experience in this field, with a deep understanding of global markets and local situations. 

We provide you with comprehensive location analyses and data and experience driven recommendations to help you identify the best locations for your business. We do this around the globe, including EMEA, North America and LATAM, China and Asia-Pacific.

Our vision on location strategy and location & site selection

In the current global environment, uncertainty is a given. Geopolitical turmoil, technological developments, labor market challenges, tax climate changes to name a few, are having a huge impact on cost effectiveness, quality of the business environment and the risk profile of your current locations. We support you with a thorough fact-based location strategy and site selection analytics, no matter whether your project has a global scope or is focused on EMEA, North America, LATAM, China or Asia-Pacific.

We can support in two phases of your location selection process: 

Scenario analysis

In this strategic phase we support you with defining and analyzing meaningful location scenarios in order to answer questions such as: can we expand at our current locations or should be set up a new location? How many new locations do we need? In what geographical area should we start selecting a new location and site?  In the scenario definition and analyses we take amongst others the following factors into account:

  • Your company’s overall business strategy
  • Future business projections
  • External factors (e.g. economy, geopolitical, legal and regulatory, climate, technology)

Based on a well-based quantitative and qualitative comparison of the different location scenarios the preferred scenario is selected and the next steps for your company are defined. These next steps may include a detailed location & site selection process.

Location & Site Selection

In order to select the optimal location for your company’s new manufacturing site, distribution center, headquarters or support office, we execute a step-wise filtering process. The filtering from longlist to shortlist and final optimal location is very much fact-based and focuses on comparing locations from a Cost, Quality of the Business Environment and Risk perspective.

Once the shortlist of candidate locations is defined we start the fieldwork activities: conducting fieldwork visits to the top locations in order to validate and enrich all desk research findings with actual insights from the field. In addition to our location strategy and site selection projects we also help companies in:

  • detailed labor market analyses, applying our proven IDEAL methodology (In-Depth Assessment of Labor Markets) to answer your questions regarding the feasibility of recruiting and retaining your staff in current and / or new locations.
  • detailed location risk assessments, using our in-house developed IRAM risk framework (Integral Risk Assessment Method), to assess the risk level of your company’s current (and potential future) locations on 46 different location risk elements.

If you want to know more about the specifics of our location selection approach and experience for manufacturing plants, distribution centers and / or headquarters and support centers, click below for more options.

Media
Presentation
Locating New Manufacturing and Distribution Operations in North America

26 March 2025

Locating New Manufacturing and Distribution Operations in North America
Global trade barriers (including substantial US import tariffs), supply chain disruptions and high production costs are on the rise, under uncertain economic conditions. What are successful strategic  initiatives to cope with these challenges?
More information
Presentation
How to De-Risk Your Global Value Chain with Manufacturing Footprint Optimization?

26 March 2025

How to De-Risk Your Global Value Chain with Manufacturing Footprint Optimization?
Global trade barriers (including substantial US import tariffs), supply chain disruptions and high production costs are on the rise, under uncertain economic conditions. What are successful strategic  initiatives to cope with these challenges?
More information
Presentation
De-Risking Global Value Chains & Locational Opportunities in Europe and the US

13 January 2025

De-Risking Global Value Chains & Locational Opportunities in Europe and the US
In the current environment of global trade uncertainty and rapid changes, are you feeling confused and anxious? The challenges in crucial overseas markets seem endless, but also the opportunities. Do you wish to find effective solutions to address trade restrictions in the U.S. (i.e. import tariffs) and Europe? Don’t miss this practical webinar
More information
Presentation
Where are the Best Semicon Manufacturing Opportunities in the US and Europe?

22 December 2024

Where are the Best Semicon Manufacturing Opportunities in the US and Europe?
The semicon value chain is a highly diverse global industry, with for many companies the same challenge: what is the business case for regionalized production (production is the US for the North American market; Europe for Europe; etc.) and what is the best location in the US or Europe to set-up a new manufacturing plant, assembly operations or ...
More information
Presentation
How to De-Risk Your Global Value Chain in an Uncertain, Geopolitically Risky and Trade Restricting World

18 December 2024

How to De-Risk Your Global Value Chain in an Uncertain, Geopolitically Risky and Trade Restricting World
With President Trump taking office on January 20th, 2025 one can expect that global trade barriers will rise...
More information
Presentation
Southeast Asia: the next manufacturing powerhouse ?

17 October 2024

Southeast Asia: the next manufacturing powerhouse ?
Southeast Asia is the highest economic growth regions of the world the next years. But how to organize your manufacturing & distribution set-up to take advantage of this large market from a manufacturing and distribution perspective?
More information
Presentation
Expanding your manufacturing and distribution network in India: the next biggest manufacturing destination and largest consumer market?

15 October 2024

Expanding your manufacturing and distribution network in India: the next biggest manufacturing destination and largest consumer market?
India is one of the highest economic growth regions of the world the next years. But how to organize your manufacturing & distribution set-up to take advantage of this large market from a manufacturing and distribution perspective?
More information
Video
Geopolitical Issues Facing Manufacturers Today

23 April 2024

Geopolitical Issues Facing Manufacturers Today
Learn from René Buck what geopolitical issues internationally active manufacturers face every day
More information
Video
Reshoring: The Who, What, Where, When, and Why of What's New

16 April 2023

Reshoring: The Who, What, Where, When, and Why of What's New
Learn from Johan Beukema about the new business realities that are breathing fresh life and immediacy into Reshoring
More information