Lishen received millions in subsidies and hundreds of acres of low-cost land to build a factory.

NEWYORKER: Green Giant

Don't just benchmark European companies' supply chains--look at what Renault is doing in India, where its new factory has opened the door to many new low-cost suppliers.

FORBES: Magazine Article

First Solar, long the king of low-cost manufacturing, decided to gradually shut down its big factory in Germany and put on hold its plans to build new factories in Vietnam and Arizona.

FORBES: Report: 180 Solar Panel Makers Will Disappear By 2015

Different sorts of low-cost robots are also emerging that do not look at all like the bulky beams of factory robots.

ECONOMIST: Robots: Nothing to lose but their chains | The