This article reports the results of a study of operational practice and performance in 663 manufacturing sites in Finland, Germany, the Netherlands and the UK. It reviews the competitiveness of manufacturing in each country against a “world class”scale. The results are examined in more detail examining differences between countries, factors influencing competitiveness such as site size and origin of parent, and agendas for individual countries. Overall a broad spread is found in Northern Europe with disappointingly few world class sites but many reasons for cautious optimism. The best companies are realistic about their position, but the worst are dangerously over‐optim