Final answer:
The statement is true; manufacturing firms looking to reduce time-to-market often seek locations with good transportation access to minimize costs and improve logistics, as highlighted by models like Weber's Least Cost Location Model and practices such as just in time delivery.
Step-by-step explanation:
The statement that manufacturing firms wanting to minimize time-to-market are likely to choose facility sites with easy access to their preferred modes of transportation is true. When considering where to locate a factory, manufacturers often use models like Alfred Weber's Least Cost Location Model, which suggests that the best places for factories are near the input or output with the highest transport costs. Furthermore, the nature of the manufacturing process also affects location choices. Bulk reducing industries, where the finished product is less expensive to ship than the raw materials, typically locate near the source of the raw materials. Moreover, locations with such transport conveniences often flourish into larger cities as they can attract more workers and industries due to their transportation advantages. For instance, in the 1980s, American car manufacturers introduced 'just in time delivery,' requiring suppliers to be within a day's drive of the main assembly plants to ensure quality control and minimize warehousing costs.