Minister urges firms to bring manufacturing back to the Netherlands

Ministers are urging Dutch companies to bring manufacturing back to the Netherlands, social affairs minister Lodewijk Asscher has told MPs in a briefing.

Asscher says between 1% and 2% of companies which have moved manufacturing and other labour intensive services abroad are now bringing them back to the Netherlands – a process known as reshoring.

Some 14% of Dutch firms have shifted work abroad, the minister said, quoting a TNS Nipo survey.

Wages

Reasons to return to the Netherlands include rising wage costs in other countries, cultural differences, quality issues and the difficulty of managing processes from a distance, the survey showed.

In his briefing, the minister stresses the advantages of locating in the Netherlands, including the well-educated workforce, good infrastructure and health service. There are also numerous incentives and sector-specific campaigns.

The government has made boosting employment levels one of its key priorities for next year.

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