The Tompkins Ventures ReGlobalization Process

Our Xshoring Methodology Helps You Rethink Global Operations Amidst Tariffs and Uncertainty

Uncertainty is inevitable in today’s global environment. But failing to plan for uncertainty is a plan to fail. That’s why Tompkins Ventures has developed a structured ReGlobalization process designed to help executive teams address global sourcing, manufacturing and logistics challenges – including tariffs – with confidence and clarity.

Tompkins Ventures built the process around five integrated steps: ideation, strategic self-assessment, strategic feasibility analysis, sourcing and operating and implementation. Combined, this Xshoring methodology drives ReGlobalization.

Our expert ReGlobalization coaches guide you all the way through. And unlike other advisors, Tompkins Ventures does not throw a report over the wall and go away. We’re with you every step of the way. We help you find the boots on the ground in your new locations to implement and execute. With preferred partners, we help coordinate sourcing, manufacturing, transportation and distribution to and from your new locations. This includes technology, dashboards and systems for full oversight.

Your company’s results? Partnerships with best-in-class operators, fully developed supply chains using vetted supply sources and boots on the ground to ensure top performance.

Why Not Wait? The Xshoring Methodology Will Be There

If you wait to start your ReGlobalization process, expect to get left behind. Companies the world over are scrambling for the best suppliers, the best 3PLs, the best transportation networks, the best sourcing and the best procurement.

Revamping your supply chains to deliver during an age of perpetual disruption will require optionality: multiple alternate production, logistics and transportation solutions. However, each country and geography offers a finite number of “the best” in anything. That goes for everything in manufacturing and supply chain as well.

So, by the time you decide to replace Country A with Country B and Country C, you might have to settle for second or third best.

That’s just part of what Tompkins Ventures Business Partner Steve Robinson calls the “the hidden tariff of doing nothing. I mean, we know that tariffs are going to be there. We don’t know when they’re going to finalize. But they’ll probably be higher, both inbound and outbound.”

The other “hidden tariff” is the estimated 10%-15% of waste that flows through all supply chains, waste that Tompkins Ventures can help drive out. Getting rid of that waste squeezes more flexibility out of your working capital. And the Xshoring methodology is a great place to start.

It’s possible, just possible, that your organization can absorb tariff impacts without passing them down to your customers.

That’s true competitive advantage.

Step 0: Ideation

To begin with, ideation is the essential starting point in the ReGlobalization process, laying the groundwork for all strategic decisions that follow. As Step 0 in the Xshoring methodology – ReGlobalization’s operational engine – it sparks internal dialogue, encourages cross-functional innovation and secures early executive buy-in.

At this stage, organizations begin exploring the strategic possibilities of supply chain diversification or relocation, examining how such moves might align with their long-term goals. Executive briefings, brainstorming workshops and early-stage concept development help companies uncover high-level opportunities and assess preliminary feasibility.

Do changing markets, geopolitical conflict and tariffs alone make the case for you to relocate manufacturing? Maybe. Maybe not. But this process starts building alignment across leadership and stakeholders, identifies internal champions and accelerates decision-making by clarifying intent from the outset.

Ideation transforms curiosity into momentum, positioning the organization for future action.

Step 1: Strategic Feasibility Self-Assessment

Tompkins Ventures designed our strategic feasibility self-assessment as a structured, early-stage process to help organizations evaluate the viability of relocating or diversifying their supply chains. The results help businesses decide whether such changes align with their strategic goals, resources and long-term vision. By examining internal capabilities, immediate needs, market opportunities and potential risks, companies can assess whether ReGlobalization truly addresses their operational pain points.

You can’t just up and decide to move manufacturing from Point A to Points B and C because somebody slaps a tariff on part or parts of your supply chains. In other words, you must assess risk and examine, at a high level, geopolitical, economic, regulatory and operational concerns. That’s the kind of analysis that can support informed decision-making, reduce uncertainty by identifying risks early and properly allocate resources.

Ultimately, this lays the foundation for more detailed feasibility studies and confident, data-driven execution.

Of course, starting is the hardest part. Luckily, Tompkins Ventures has developed our exclusive ShoreFinder strategic self-assessment tool. This tool simplifies a complex process and provides strategic-level guidance. Furthermore, this user-friendly platform helps organizations evaluate options without being overwhelmed by granular data. The ShoreFinder tool serves as a sandbox for searching the globe to discover the best options to move your manufacturing and start providing optionality for your supply chains.

ShoreFinder is composed of three distinct tools: a country assessment, an on/off/nearshoring cost analyzer and a tariff rater.

ShoreFinder, the Initial Tool for Analyzing Locations and Tariffs

Tool 1: Country Assessment

This tool compares:

• The current manufacturing country
• A potential target country
• A benchmark country familiar to the organization

It evaluates countries across a wide range of performance metrics and scores them on a 0–10 scale to highlight relative strengths. It also assesses economic activity and export data relevant to the product or component being considered. The goal is to steer companies away from countries lacking capacity and toward those with proven capabilities, while also exposing potential supply chain risks.

Tool 2: On/Off/Nearshoring Cost Analyzer

Once the list of target countries is narrowed, this tool dives deeper into cost factors, including:

• Transportation (ocean and domestic)
• Space
• Labor
• Raw material transition
• Finished goods flows

It determines whether moving would enhance or hurt economic value and helps filter out choices that are not viable.

Tool 3: Tariff Rater

This tool provides a three-legged tariff comparison:

1. From the current manufacturing country to the country of consumption.
2. From the raw material’s country of origin to the new manufacturing country.
3. From the new manufacturing country to the country of consumption.

Users can run and compare multiple scenarios to assess tariff impacts under various configurations.

Key Benefits of ShoreFinder:

• Keeps analysis strategic, not overly detailed.
• Unlimited use via annual subscription.
• Provides insight without modeling every SKU.
• Highlights capability-rich countries and flags unsuitable ones.
• Ideal for early-stage decision-making and executive discussion.

Step 2: Detailed Feasibility Analysis with Tompkins Ventures ReGlobalization Coaches

After using ShoreFinder, companies need to go deeper. This is where Tompkins Ventures’ expert coaches really shine, guiding your organization through a detailed feasibility analysis.

The detailed feasibility analysis phase combines expert guidance and proprietary knowledge from over 227 global partners across more than 55 countries. Beyond ShoreFinder, we have a suite of tools to help drive value.

Building on the foundation laid by the strategic feasibility self-assessment, this step dives deep into the operational, financial, regulatory and market variables that determine the true viability of supply chain relocation or diversification. Through comprehensive analyses of potential locations, the process evaluates everything from infrastructure, transportation networks and workforce to local manufacturing capabilities and scalability. As a result, companies gain a clearer picture of each site’s true potential.

Meanwhile, cost modeling plays a central role. This assessment must quantify labor, logistics, regulatory compliance and taxes to compare scenarios and reveal potential savings and efficiencies. In parallel, we examine the regulatory landscape, including incentives, tariffs and geopolitical risks, while market analysis uncovers demand patterns, customer preferences and competitive dynamics.

This step creates a detailed report that outlines location-specific opportunities and challenges, backed by clear, data-supported recommendations. The analysis defines optimal sourcing and manufacturing strategies. Executive leadership receives vetted supply chain scenarios, a detailed roadmap for implementation and a strong economic rationale for change.

Ultimately, this phase ensures that strategically aligned decisions are also operationally sound, justified by finances and poised for successful execution.

This step helps build confidence that the move is a viable business case, not just a theoretical opportunity.

Step 3: Sourcing and Operating Plan

The sourcing and operating plan serves as a strategic blueprint for executing global supply chain operations with precision and agility. This Xshoring methodology step transforms insights and strategies into day-to-day operations by outlining how an organization will source materials, manage production and secure logistics from strategic global locations.

At its core, the plan defines detailed operations and workflows for manufacturing and logistics while establishing clear inventory strategies – such as EOQs, MOQs and buffer stock levels – to maintain service levels and minimize costs. It also includes supplier identification, contract negotiation and ongoing relationship management to ensure reliable sourcing partnerships.

The plan further addresses the full logistics lifecycle, including warehousing, transportation, routing and even reverse logistics for returns and sustainability. Ultimately, the sourcing and operating plan bridges strategic intent with tactical execution, turning plans into performance.

This phase includes:

• Data scrubbing & mapping: Clean and unify data from all sources to accurately represent the current supply chain.
• Demand & margin mapping: Attribute demand by SKU and customer location and analyze contribution margin by product.
• AI-driven forecasting: Identify demand anomalies, seasonal effects and volatility. Build a realistic demand forecast based on top-down, bottom-up and middle-out perspectives.
• Inventory optimization: Simulate inventory levels based on variability in supply and demand. Focus on the SKUs with the most impact.
• Rapid decision support: Prioritize areas where small changes yield significant returns.
• Scenario modeling: Model tariffs, transportation, warehousing and global/local sourcing options dynamically.

This phase delivers “optionality built on truth” – grounded in real-time, clean and actionable data. The result is a comprehensive and adaptive supply chain strategy designed to meet the real-world questions posed by boards, CEOs and CFOs.

Step 4: Implementation Provides Support and Oversight

Finally, the implementation step ensures execution of international relocation plans. Our seasoned supply chain operators provide expert support tailored to the scope and scale of your needs – ranging from regular progress reviews to full-time, embedded resources driving execution from within.

In step 4 of the Xshoring methodology, your teams will have access to our exclusive Dynamic Supply Chain Optionality (DSCO) tool. The DSCO tool helps you evaluate in real time, analyzing disruptions to quickly explore alternative supply chain configurations. Make data-driven decisions, adapt to change and stay agile in response to tariffs, geopolitical shifts … whatever disruption is coming next.

At the core of this step is a clear objective: Execute your relocation efficiently, on time and within budget. Through a structured series of readiness tasks – from executive approval of the business case to designing pilot tests and managing the go-live – our experts ensure every element of your global transition is aligned and operationally sound.

Depending upon your needs, the Tompkins Ventures ecosystem can set up program management offices, oversee contract manufacturer relationships, finalize logistics service provider agreements and implement performance metrics and dashboards that provide real-time visibility.

Clients can choose from three levels of support based on your company’s needs, plans and budget.

• Level one includes monitoring and periodic check-ins for regular progress results.
• Level two delivers part-time support by setting up a program management office and includes part-time coaching and support.
• Level three establishes full-time equivalent support – comprehensive support and guidance with full-time resources.

Why Tompkins Ventures Is Your ReGlobalization Process Partner

In an era defined by disruption, complexity, tariffs and relentless change, traditional solutions won’t work. Your company doesn’t need an advisory report. You need a complete ReGlobalization process. Our Xshoring methodology combines cutting-edge tools, expert guidance and real-world execution to help you turn global supply chain volatility into strategic opportunity

With more than 1,000 years of collective supply chain experience and a global network of boots-on-the-ground partners, we stand beside you from ideation to implementation. We align every step with your strategy, all supported by data and executed with precision.

A ReGlobalization process isn’t a luxury – it’s a necessity. Whether you’re navigating tariffs, diversifying sourcing or future-proofing operations, Tompkins Ventures is your end-to-end partner for building resilient, high-performing global supply chains.

Let’s build your competitive advantage — together. Reach out to Tompkins Ventures today and start your ReGlobalization journey with confidence.

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