Manufacturers that want to avoid delays and missteps must treat site selection as a form of risk management, not just opportunity hunting. Advanced manufacturing now accounts for more than half of all manufacturing spending, with the “computer/electronic/electrical” category leading the charge. Site selection based on short-term incentives is a risky move for any project with a 20-year horizon. Are there historical concentrations of the specific skills required — not just general manufacturing labor? Manufacturers that treat site selection as a check-the-box activity are often the ones that end up backtracking.