7 Min. Read Time<\/p>\n
The Trump tariffs from March 2026 have upended calculations for DACH SMEs in many sectors. CBAM simultaneously affects steel imports from third countries. Those who still said in 2024, “China works well enough,” are now recalculating. But nearshoring is not a blanket solution: the decision depends on the product, margin, supply competence, and regulatory risk profile. A decision framework that cuts through the buzzwords.<\/strong><\/p>\n Key Takeaways<\/p>\n What is Nearshoring?<\/strong> Nearshoring refers to the relocation of production or procurement processes to geographically nearby countries, typically within Europe or in EU neighboring states. The term differs from reshoring (relocation back to the home country) and offshoring (relocation to distant regions like Asia).<\/p>\n The term “China Shock” describes what is now a third wave. The first was China’s WTO accession in 2001, bringing massive price pressure on Western industry. The second was Covid: supply chains collapsed, and everyone spoke of resilience. The third wave has been ongoing since 2025 \u2013 and it is both regulatory and geopolitical.<\/p>\n Trump tariffs on Chinese goods from March 2026 range from 60 to 145 percent in certain categories. CBAM makes material imports from third countries without comparable CO2 pricing more expensive. The EU Supply Chain Act requires documentation and due diligence obligations along the entire value chain. Anyone with three of these regulatory points simultaneously in their supply chain must recalculate \u2013 not because nearshoring sounds better, but because previous calculations were based on different assumptions.<\/p>\n Numbers for Context<\/p>\n 145%<\/p>\n US tariffs on Chinese goods (certain categories, as of May 2026)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n 38%<\/p>\n DACH SMEs are considering active supplier diversification according to a DIHK survey<\/a>, March 2026<\/p>\n<\/div>\n +12-27%<\/p>\n Cost increase for typical nearshoring transfer in the electronics industry (McKinsey 2025)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n Three strategies exist side-by-side in practice. Not every one suits every product, nor every company. What I’ve seen in projects: The worst decisions arise when someone chooses a strategy instinctively because it simply makes for a better press release.<\/p>\n\n
Reshoring vs. Nearshoring vs. Resilient China Diversification – The Comparison<\/h2>\n