Fictiv adds automations to tariff documentation and a team of experts to help manufacturers avoid expensive delays.
While the Trump Administration’s long-term goal of imposing tariffs on other countries is to bring manufacturing back to the U.S., for manufacturers currently producing goods outside the U.S., the latest levies could create new supply chain problems around sourcing, producing and shipping products.
To help manufacturers mitigate the latest tariff challenges, Fictiv, a global manufacturing and digital supply chain services company, recently rolled out its Manufacturing & Supply Chain Solutions platform with artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities that will help organizations scale globally — or locally — without the barriers of cost, resources or risk.
According to the company, this new AI-driven supply chain platform integrates intelligence, automation and quality control throughout the lifecycle, dynamically routing production, optimizing Design for Manufacturability (DFM) and proactively addressing tariff risks.
Tariffs are top of mind for manufacturing executives, as shown in Fictiv’s recently released 2025 State of Manufacturing and Supply Chain report, which reveals a growing sense of uncertainty driven by tariffs, trade wars and geopolitical instability.
Of the 254 senior manufacturing and supply chain leaders surveyed, 96% are concerned about the impact of the current trade policies and 93% believe trade wars will escalate in 2025. To navigate the new reality, onshoring, nearshoring and diversifying sourcing regions are becoming increasingly important, as are embracing technologies that can streamline operations.
“Exporting goods out of China has never been more challenging,” said Dave Evans, Fictiv co-founder and CEO, in an interview with Control Engineering. “So, we’ve developed a bunch of proprietary technology that does all the document automations for how documents get produced. But then we actually have our people that are working with the 3PLs and carriers in China to help expedite that work as well.”
While this approach is not going to change having to pay the tariffs, it does make the process easier to avoid expensive delays, such as having goods stuck in customs because the paperwork was wrong.
“So does it help you mitigate tariffs? In some cases yes, because we are helping develop a tariff mitigation strategy. But in other ways, it’s really a risk mitigation,” Evans said.
Next-gen contract manufacturing
Evans describes the Fictiv business model as a combination of contract manufacturer and fulfillment center to fill a gap that they see in the market. Even though they are working with many different suppliers and subcontractors, Fictiv is the manufacturer of record for its clients.
The company combines global engineering expertise across four manufacturing centers in the U.S., Mexico, India, and China with its supply chain platform to deliver end-to-end solutions, including design guidance, supplier selection, rapid prototyping, strategic sourcing, manufacturing planning, production, assembly, quality assurance and logistics, allowing enterprises to seamlessly scale from prototype to production.
“Rather than having to build up all of the relationships with all of these different factories all over the world, these factories are pre-vetted and onboarded with our technology,” said Evans. “So, when people are ordering or looking at demand planning or trying to forecast, and let’s say they want to shift from China to India, they can plug in with our technology plus our boots on the ground to that entire supply network that we have in India.”
Or even if a manufacturer wants to reshore its manufacturing, Fictiv’s U.S.-based network can simplify the process.
Fictiv offers an end-to-end digital infrastructure for sourcing custom mechanical components across aerospace, robotics, clean energy, consumer, and automotive sectors, streamlining the entire product and manufacturing lifecycle. With IP protection measures, including secure digital infrastructure and vetted manufacturing partners, Fictiv safeguards sensitive designs and proprietary information at every stage.
According to Fictiv, its global supply chain solutions include the following key capabilities:
- Global Manufacturing Centers – Fictiv provides seamless access to high-quality production facilities in the U.S., Mexico, India, and China. This global reach enables businesses to scale efficiently while maintaining production consistency and quality.
- End-to-End Supply Chain Management – From ideation to full-scale production, Fictiv manages every stage of the supply chain, including supplier qualification, sourcing and manufacturing. This includes:
- Ideation Service – Offers instant quotes, free DFM analysis, and access to hundreds of material and finish options.
- Engineering and Supply Chain Expertise – Provides expert guidance to navigate the complexities of global supply chains and engineering challenges.
- Global Project Management – Fictiv’s regional experts manage suppliers, quality assurance and logistics to ensure timely and successful project execution.
- Manufacturing Services – Optimizes production workflows by providing DFM engineering support, supply chain design and ramp-up strategies to improve efficiency.
- Supplier and Logistics Management – Provides qualified supplier selection and agile logistics management to changing market conditions, ensuring uninterrupted production and delivery.
- Assembly & Integration – Offer full assembly and integration services to streamline production and reduce complexity for customers and deliver consistency, quality and faster time to market.
- Logistics and Tariff Optimization Services – Reduce costs through leveraged shipping contracts and on-ground coordinators for seamless execution. Fictiv provides end-to-end customs clearance and inland transportation, ensuring timely deliveries. Fictiv also minimizes tariff and duty costs through various expert mitigation strategies.
- First sale method – Lowering import costs via customs declarations.
- Country of Origin considerations – Optimizing manufacturing locations for favorable tariff rates.
- FTZ/Bonded Warehouse solutions – Storing or modifying parts to qualify for lower duties.
- Duty Drawback – Recovering costs when re-exporting products.
- Tariff Engineering – Adjusting product design to reduce tariff expenses while ensuring compliance.
- Quality Assurance – Stringent inspection processes and end-to-end traceability maintain consistent quality across all manufacturing stages. Fictiv verifies supplier compliance and applies risk mitigation strategies to uphold high reliability.
- Compliance – End-to-end traceability, rigorous inspections and risk mitigation uphold production standards, backed by ISO 9001:2015 quality certification and manufacturing partners certified to AS9100 Rev D, ISO 13485:2016 and IATF 16949:2016 for consistency and reliability.
