The 2025 iteration of the ETQ Pulse of Quality in Manufacturing Survey — conducted by ETQ with research firm Censuswide among 752 quality leaders and project managers across the U.S., the U.K., and Germany — highlights enduring problems for manufacturers, even as the industry begins to re-evaluate how central quality control is to business success.
One of the headline findings is that a persistent labor shortage continues to hamper manufacturing operations in 2025. Specifically, 70 % of U.S. respondents said their organizations are affected by labor shortages — and among those, 88 % declared that the shortage has had a negative impact on the quality of their products or services. This underscores how human-capacity constraints can directly erode standards, making quality control more difficult to uphold when there aren’t enough skilled workers to consistently maintain production standards.
This shortage doesn’t only threaten throughput — it undermines product integrity, reliability, and safety. The survey found that many firms have experienced product recalls: around 75 % reported at least one recall over the past five years. Such recalls, along with plant safety incidents, continue to plague manufacturing — showing that even as firms attempt preventive measures, failures in quality control still occur, sometimes with serious consequences like shutdowns, brand damage or costly remediation.
Faced with these challenges, many manufacturers are turning to automation, artificial intelligence (AI), and predictive analytics as key strategies to shore up quality. Virtually all mid-to-large manufacturers surveyed said they rely — or intend to rely — on technology-based quality‑management systems to offset workforce gaps and reinforce their quality infrastructure. Importantly, this reflects a shift: quality is no longer seen merely as a tactical safeguard, but increasingly as a strategic driver of revenue and long-term business growth.
Indeed, 60 % of respondents plan to increase their spending on quality-related initiatives in 2025. Key investment areas include AI-based tools, automated quality‑management software, and predictive analytics solutions — all aimed at strengthening quality control in a leaner workforce context.
The shift is notable: the concept of quality has evolved from a background support process into a strategic asset. Companies are seeing that effective quality control — whether through human oversight or technological systems — can no longer be optional. It must be embedded into core operational strategy if firms are to avoid costly recalls, safety incidents, or production inefficiencies; and also, to drive brand reliability, customer confidence, and ultimately revenue growth.
At the same time, the survey’s findings serve as a warning: despite growing investments, persistent labor shortages and recurring product‑recall issues show that manufacturing remains fragile. Relying on automation and AI may help, but meaningful improvement in quality control will depend on how well these technologies are implemented — and whether they’re complemented by strong strategy, oversight, and human judgement.
In short, the 2025 ETQ survey paints a picture of an industry under pressure — from workforce shortages, from rising recalls, from safety and compliance incidents — but also undergoing transformation. As companies embrace automation, AI, and enhanced quality‑management systems, quality control is being redefined not as a compliance burden, but as a competitive advantage. The road ahead will test whether manufacturers can convert that ambition into real, sustained improvements in product quality, safety, and reliability.
