Waypoint: Global Industrial Dynamics 2025

Comparing global labour rates helps to reveal the attractiveness of locations that have emerged as major production locations for export to other markets for consumption. The low cost of labour in APAC, LATAM, CEE and Southern European locations in particular helps in part to explain the rationale for manufacturing and production investment in these locations. Interestingly, while a shift to automation is often seen as a response to labour shortages and higher labour costs, even in lower-cost markets, there is increasing adoption of automation. In part, this reflects lower entry costs to adoption but also increased speed to market, and greater quality and accuracy in production.

Average Warehouse & Production Wage Position* (Global Sample Median = 100)

Region Americas

Top Third

Middle Third

Lower Third

160

138

70

APAC

106

57

22

EMEA

131

91

48

All

146

102

41

Source: Economic Research Institute, Cushman & Wakefield Research

*This analysis is based on 11 different warehousing and production roles across each location, including operators, labourers, managers, supervisors, mechanics, and truck and forklift drivers.

Waypoint: Global Industrial Dynamics 23