This move goes against a decades-long trend of U.S. companies outsourcing production to Asia. But for Guardian, reshoring is more than a patriotic gesture—it's a calculated business strategy.
Why Guardian Left China
Founded in 2013, Guardian Bikes initially focused on innovative safety brake systems. Later, the company pivoted to building complete bikes, relying on Chinese OEMs (original equipment manufacturers) to meet demand.
But as demand grew, so did the problems: long lead times, limited inventory control, and a lack of quality visibility. Shipping delays from overseas meant orders took six to eight months, making it difficult to stay stocked with the right sizes, colors, and components.
“We wanted more control,” said Brian Riley, Guardian’s co-founder. By 2022, they opened their own production facility in the Midwest.
Building Bikes at Home—and Fast
Guardian’s reshoring success didn’t come easy. Finding U.S.-made bike parts was an uphill climb—most of that infrastructure no longer exists. But the company innovated by leaning into automation.
“We weld a bike in about three minutes,” explained co-founder Sam Markel. High-speed, precise machinery now completes many component processes in under 10 seconds. One of their machines has produced over 442,000 hubs in just two years.
Despite the robotics, human workers still play a crucial role. Guardian tapped into a local talent pool—many were previously employed at nearby auto plants. By sourcing from nearby suppliers and training a flexible workforce, they’ve cut logistics costs and built a responsive, just-in-time production system.
Can the U.S. Manufacturing Dream Return?
Guardian’s story unfolds against a larger backdrop: the steady decline of U.S. manufacturing. Since the late 1970s, manufacturing jobs have dropped from 20 million to just 12.7 million. Lower wages abroad—$4/hour in China versus $35/hour in the U.S.—have made overseas production the default.
Globalization, trade deals, and China's rise as an industrial powerhouse shifted the balance even further. By 2019, China was spending over $248 billion on industrial policy—three times more than the U.S. And lax environmental regulations there gave Chinese manufacturers another advantage.
Still, recent tariff policies are beginning to level the playing field. “We’re starting to see cost parity,” said Riley. “In some cases, domestic parts are cheaper.”
Challenges That Persist
Reshoring remains a steep climb. Many U.S. firms still struggle to find domestic suppliers or skilled labor. As of today, there are over 400,000 unfilled manufacturing jobs in the U.S. Automation helps, but it doesn’t replace everything.
And even where automation and tariffs help, environmental regulations, high labor costs, and lack of infrastructure pose challenges. As some economists argue, the U.S. service sector now dominates, and bringing back manufacturing may be more symbolic than sustainable.
Others, like former Labor Secretary Robert Reich, believe tariffs alone won’t revive U.S. factories. “Most of the jobs were lost not to trade—but to automation,” he argues.
Why Guardian Still Believes
Despite all this, Guardian Bikes remains optimistic. The company expects 70% of its bike parts to be U.S.-made by the end of 2025, and potentially 100% by 2026.
“We think it ends up being a competitive advantage,” Riley says. “It’s exciting to prove it’s possible and do something that hasn’t been done here in decades.”
As global trade dynamics continue to shift, Guardian’s model may not work for every company—but it shows that American manufacturing isn’t dead. It just needed a reboot.