KION's moves to consolidate its European manufacturing are a good indicator of global trends. The giant is reducing the number of European plants while spreading production to Brazil, China and India. The moves are a reflection not only of relative production costs, but also of market growth, with KION identifying the BRIC (Brazil, Russia, India and China) markets as hot prospects. And no doubt other manufacturers will be heading in the same directions, if they are not already doing so.