One of the most important components in manufacturing strategy is quality, which in fact has become more or less a matter of course. Purchased material is subject to inspection upon reception. At the same time, the degree of outsourcing is steadily increasing in the manufacturing industry, often motivated by reduction of cost. The dimension of interaction, concerning e.g. product design, is often lost on the way, which can cause problems in manufacturing. The company is thus forced to keep a certain competence in manufacturing in order to be able of discussing with the suppliers. One way of getting the advantages of outsourcing and still keeping a climate of continuous learning between the companies is to cooperate in manufacturing networks. This paper elaborates on different views on manufacturing strategies among Swedish manufacturing companies and the suggestion that collaborating networks can give certain competitive advantages.