As procurement teams across healthcare systems, group purchasing organizations (GPOs), and OEM networks begin planning for 2026, one reality is becoming increasingly clear: American-made matters more than ever.

But here’s the disconnect for medical device manufacturers: while many companies have invested heavily in reshoring, nearshoring, or regionalizing production, far fewer are leveraging those investments as a strategic advantage in sales, marketing, and brand positioning. In an industry defined by trust, reliability, compliance, and patient impact, domestic manufacturing is no longer just an operational decision. It is a brand differentiator, and one that speaks directly to the pressures procurement leaders face today.

With tariff uncertainty, supply chain disruption, regulatory complexity, and heightened scrutiny around resilience and transparency, medtech buyers are not just asking what you make. They’re asking where it’s made, how reliably it can be delivered, and how confidently it can withstand disruption. Manufacturers that can answer those questions clearly and prove it will be better positioned to win in 2026 and beyond.

Reshoring: A Strategic Imperative

Healthcare has long been considered insulated from macroeconomic volatility. Demand is relatively predictable, products are essential, and innovation cycles are continuous. Yet recent trade policies, particularly the Trump administration’s tariff strategy, have exposed vulnerabilities even in this “safe haven” sector.

Medical devices are among the most exposed. Approximately 40% of medical devices sold in the U.S. are imported, with Mexico, Germany, Ireland, Costa Rica, and China among the top suppliers. While some USMCA-compliant manufacturers may avoid the worst tariff impacts, uncertainty remains, especially for suppliers and sub-suppliers whose compliance status is unclear.

For device developers and OEMs, this creates cascading risk:

• Increased input costs
• Delays tied to customs and documentation
• Vendor requalification requirements
• FDA compliance complications when materials or processes change

In orthopedics and other high-risk device categories, even a seemingly minor supplier change can trigger months of regulatory review. Against this backdrop, reshoring, or at least regionalizing critical production, has become a risk-mitigation strategy. But risk mitigation alone does not justify the investment unless it also drives growth. That’s where brand strategy comes in.

Reshoring: A Brand Story

Too often, domestic manufacturing lives in the operations deck, the investor update, or the annual report, never making its way into the sales narrative. That’s a missed opportunity. In medtech, buyers are not purely price-driven. They are balancing:

• Clinical outcomes
• Reliability of supply
• Regulatory confidence
• Long-term vendor viability
• Reputation and accountability

Domestic production supports all of these if you articulate it correctly. “Made in America” on its own is not enough. Buyers are skeptical of slogans. What they want is evidence, relevance, and alignment with their own pressures. The manufacturers winning right now are not saying, “We manufacture in the U.S.” They are saying, “Here’s how our domestic manufacturing protects your patients, your timelines, and your compliance requirements.” That distinction matters.

Aligning Reshoring with Procurement Cycles and Buyer Psychology

Timing is everything in B2B healthcare sales. Q4 and early Q1 are when supplier shortlists are refined, contracts are negotiated, and risk assessments are revisited. Procurement leaders are under pressure to justify decisions not just financially, but operationally and ethically. This is when domestic manufacturing messaging resonates most if it’s framed around buyer outcomes.

Consider what procurement teams are navigating:

• Concerns about tariff-driven price volatility
• Fear of backorders or allocation shortages
• Pressure to ensure continuity of care
• Increased documentation and compliance scrutiny

Reshoring speaks directly to these concerns, but only when manufacturers connect the dots. Messaging should answer questions like:

• How does domestic production reduce lead-time risk?
• How does it simplify regulatory documentation?
• How does it ensure faster response during recalls or quality events?
• How does it protect against geopolitical disruption?

If your sales team can’t answer those questions clearly, your reshoring investment isn’t doing its job.

“American-Made”: A Measurable Value Proposition

One of the biggest mistakes I see is treating reshoring as a vague positioning statement rather than a provable advantage. To make domestic manufacturing meaningful to buyers, manufacturers need to translate it into specific proof points. The following presents three ways to do that.

1. Conduct a messaging audit

Start by evaluating where and how domestic production appears across your:

• Website
• Product literature
• Sales decks
• RFP responses
• Distributor materials

Is it buried in an “About Us” paragraph? Or clearly tied to benefits like delivery reliability, quality control, and compliance speed? If buyers have to infer why it matters, you’ve already lost ground.

2. Quantify the impact

Where possible, support reshoring with metrics:

• Reduced average lead times
• Faster change-order turnaround
• Lower recall response times
• Increased on-time delivery percentages

These numbers don’t need to be flashy. They need to be credible. In a regulated industry, clarity beats hype every time.

3. Tell the operational story

Brand storytelling in medtech doesn’t mean glossy visuals and emotional slogans. It means controlled transparency. Show buyers:

• How your facilities are structured
• How quality systems are managed
• How cross-functional teams collaborate on compliance

This builds confidence, not just in your product, but in your organization.

Connecting Reshoring to Buyer Values

Domestic manufacturing resonates most when it aligns with broader buyer values, particularly in healthcare.

Reliability and continuity of care

Supply chain disruptions don’t just impact margins; they impact patients. Hospitals and providers are acutely aware of this. Position domestic manufacturing as a safeguard against disruption, not a political statement.

Regulatory confidence

In medtech, compliance is not optional. Buyers want partners who understand the downstream impact of supplier changes. Domestic production often allows for:

• Faster FDA engagement
• Easier audits and inspections
• More direct oversight

That matters deeply to device developers and healthcare providers alike.

Sustainability and accountability

While reshoring is sometimes viewed as more resource-intensive, it can also reduce:

• Transportation emissions
• Packaging waste
• Emergency shipping needs

When framed correctly, domestic manufacturing supports sustainability goals without greenwashing.

Workforce and economic stability

Healthcare organizations are increasingly aware of their role in supporting resilient ecosystems. Manufacturers that invest in skilled domestic labor, especially in regulated, technical roles, signal long-term commitment and stability.

Tariffs, Risk, and the New Reality

Tariffs have reintroduced volatility into an industry that depends on precision and predictability. For many medtech companies, particularly small to mid-sized manufacturers, absorbing new costs simply isn’t feasible. Passing them on risks competitiveness. Changing suppliers introduces regulatory risk.

Reshoring is not a cure-all, but it reduces exposure. More importantly, it provides a narrative of control and preparedness at a time when buyers are wary of fragility. Manufacturers that proactively communicate how they’re managing tariff risk, rather than reacting to it, build trust. Silence, on the other hand, creates uncertainty.

The Role of Digital Transformation

Domestic manufacturing doesn’t exist in isolation. It is most effective when paired with digital infrastructure that supports quality, compliance, and scalability. Automation, AI-driven quality systems and additive manufacturing are helping manufacturers:

• Reduce human error
• Accelerate development cycles
• Improve documentation accuracy

For medical device developers, these tools also make it easier to adapt without compromising compliance, a critical advantage when responding to policy or market shifts. From a branding perspective, digital maturity reinforces the reshoring story. It shows buyers that domestic production isn’t about nostalgia; it’s about modern capability.

What Marketing Leaders Should Be Doing Right Now

During 2026 planning, manufacturers should be asking:

• Does our sales team know how to talk about domestic production beyond “Made in America”?
• Are we equipping procurement-facing teams with proof points?
• Is reshoring reflected consistently across marketing, sales, and investor communications?
• Are we aligning this message with real buyer concerns like cost, compliance, and reliability?

Reshoring without storytelling is an internal win. Reshoring with strategy is a market advantage.

Turning Investment into Influence

The medtech industry is at an inflection point. Tariffs, regulations, and supply chain complexity are forcing difficult decisions, but they are also creating differentiation for manufacturers willing to think beyond operations. Reshoring is not just about where products are made. It’s about how confidently you can stand behind them.

Manufacturers who treat domestic production as a core part of their value proposition, supported by proof, clarity, and relevance, will weather uncertainty and emerge stronger. In healthcare, trust is everything. Reshoring, when positioned correctly, earns it.

Michelle Abdow is president and CEO of Market Mentors, an integrated marketing agency specializing in B2B, manufacturing, healthcare, and highly regulated industries. She has spent decades helping complex organizations translate operational strengths into market-leading brand positions.