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Zak Ruck (Zak)
| | Posted on Monday, February 03, 2003 - 06:54 pm: | 
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I read today in Fine Home Building that Black & Decker is going to close the US and UK plants for Dewalt products and start producing them in Mexico, China and a few other contries that have very cheap labor. Way to go B&D. Now it makes my choice for power tools even easier.
Seems like our country is gonig to become just a bunch of consumers, and middle management. We seem to forget what made this country great was our manufacturing, and we made GREAT products then.
I'll gladly pay a little more, and most of the time I do for items made here. As long as it's a good product. When i was car shopping, it was a joke. Just about every "American" car I looked at was made elsewere. And most of the Japanese cars are made here now. Yeah I know that the hige corporate offices are still overseas, but I'd rather keep skilled labor working, and not shut the doors on them and make those very hard working people work at Walmart or something.
Sorry for the rant, but this REALLY pisses me off. I hate seeing all our factories close for greedyness. I really hope this changes, because I feel we're going to be in real trouble when the dumb ass Global economy goes south. |
94Rover
| | Posted on Monday, February 03, 2003 - 07:23 pm: |
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It's a Global Environment that we live in.
Go Global-
While earning my M.B.A- the emphasis was on International Business, and Business Ethics- Enron was one of many case studies on PERFECT companies- Go Figure-Now we know the TRUTH! |
Al Oliveira (Offroaddisco)
| | Posted on Monday, February 03, 2003 - 07:24 pm: |
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I have no problems with buying things made in Mexico but I have issues with anything made in China. I will avoid at all costs items made there but sometimes it's very hard. |
John Cinquegrana (Johnc)
| | Posted on Monday, February 03, 2003 - 07:28 pm: |
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FWIW
Zak, I imported items for 10 years from a factory that had a union, offered bonus two times a year to their employees, after 25 years of employment the factory owner would give the employee a piece of land so that they can build a home for their sons/daughters, 1 month vacation during the month of December (so that everyone can enjoy the holidays together), etc etc...
Most employees did not want to retire and would come into the factory 5 days a week.
Our costs to produce weren't as cheap as expected. Most people thought our items should be cheaper because we manufactured overseas but didn't realize that the cost was almost as high as making the stuff here. The only good thing about manufacturing overseas was very little delay in delivery (unions would not go on strike), the quality of the items was excellent (btw, the factory manufacture all products, the had chemists and scientists on board, NO child labor) and they were very pleasant to deal with.
The factory has been around for over 55 years and althought the owners have a lot of money they still drive around in their old VW Beetles.
You are absolutely right about people being greedy and milking their employees.
One more thing, my father was always in the import business and I used to go to trade shows with him since I was 6. He imported into the US for over 25 years.
We stopped importing a few years ago before we got too big (we were in some of the fashion magazines and things were getting crazy).
Just thought I'd share my experience... |
Zak Ruck (Zak)
| | Posted on Monday, February 03, 2003 - 07:41 pm: |
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John,
Thanks for the info. It just makes me really sick that our companies are shutting down and going overseas. For some things I have no problem buy products made in different parts of the world, but I like to keep my fellow Americans in buisness. Hell, I even drive about 10 extra miles to buy my lumber and tools at a local lumberyard. Their prices are pretty close to Home Depot and Lowes, but the services is amazing, and they are great people.
It just really iritates me, that's all. Especially then you drive around Trenton, Bethlahem, and other factory cities that are not the greatest places now. And I've gotten into very big debates about how cleaner the US is now, but we do not know how the other factories are producing the items, and how badly they are polluting the environment, sometimes much worse than what would happen if here i nthe US, so we are hurting ourselves twice.
I'll get off my soap box now. |
94Rover
| | Posted on Monday, February 03, 2003 - 07:52 pm: |
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WHY are you guys having this conversation?- All of you drive Land Rovers- Gee, sometimes I really wonder what makes people tick-
Look at the shoes you are wearing right now, then look at the speakers on your desktop computer. Look at your stereo in your home. Look at your TV- Look at the TIRES on your Rover, car or vehicle. Look at the gas station where you purchase your gas- I could go on and on- But this is a message board right? |
Al Oliveira (Offroaddisco)
| | Posted on Monday, February 03, 2003 - 08:37 pm: |
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None of those things you mentioned are made in China (in my case). Even the computer speakers are not made in China and that's not easy. My TV is made in Mexico (one of the first HDTV's out in 1998). In fact most of what I own is imported and I have no problems with that. My issue is with sending my money to a particular country for political reasons. All three cars I own are imports but one of them is made in the US with German and French components but it's still mostly German. |
perroneford
| | Posted on Tuesday, February 04, 2003 - 12:10 am: |
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Zak,
Getting back to B&D, they haven't make *quality* tools in a long time under their own name, and Dewalt has been in decline for some time. I am VERY partial to the Milwaukee products, and I have some Makita as well. Both are made very well. They cost more, but like you, I don't mind paying the extra.
-P |
Dee
| | Posted on Tuesday, February 04, 2003 - 01:53 am: |
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"All of you drive Land Rovers- Gee, sometimes I really wonder what makes people tick-" LOL
Land Rover is owned by Ford, some food for thought a large percentage of the subassemblies for Land Rover are made in the US and Canada with component cores made in Asia.
Go Global |
Blake Luse (Muddyrover)
| | Posted on Tuesday, February 04, 2003 - 02:13 am: |
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global economy |
Paul D. Morgan (V22guy)
| | Posted on Tuesday, February 04, 2003 - 06:22 am: |
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Ford owns LR now....But that has only happened for a couple of years. None the less, buy an LR today and you are contibuting to the US GNP as opposed to the GDP. Chime in 94Rover if I got it backwards.
Speaking of Global Economy....My kick ass VW Golf was built in Mexico  |
Zak Ruck (Zak)
| | Posted on Tuesday, February 04, 2003 - 07:40 am: |
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Let's see 94, currently I'm wearing New Balance sneakers, made in the USA (only sneakers I'll buy), my computer is made in the USA as well as my HDTV, with some components made in Mexico. Yes some things you can control where they are made and some you can't. I'm not talking about the things we can not control. But I hate seeing the US become a large consumer market. If we go to war with China or another country in Asia, we're screwed. |
Greg P. (Gparrish)
| | Posted on Tuesday, February 04, 2003 - 09:06 am: |
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Well Zachary, speaking of buying US made tools, where do you suppose your new Hitachi miter saw was made? |
Paul D. Morgan (V22guy)
| | Posted on Tuesday, February 04, 2003 - 10:36 am: |
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Hitachi Miter Saw?!!!!
WTF! |
94Rover
| | Posted on Tuesday, February 04, 2003 - 05:16 pm: |
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Paul, my wife called me on my mobile phone while I was in the barbershop (remember the cell phone discussion) and wanted to know what GDP was. I spent 1 minute explaining GDP and listned for another 15 minutes what her reason was for being in the mall-
Then I asked her if she was contributing to GDP or GNP-
Everyone go to http://www.theeconomist.com if you need help with this question. LOL
When you access the site make sure you smile back!
94Rover |
Zak Ruck (Zak)
| | Posted on Tuesday, February 04, 2003 - 05:18 pm: |
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That's a riot 94. Very nice. |
94Rover
| | Posted on Tuesday, February 04, 2003 - 05:22 pm: |
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Zak,
"Let's see 94, currently I'm wearing New Balance sneakers, made in the USA (only sneakers I'll buy)"
I too am wearing a pair of NB's. A pair of 2000's right now, and another pair of 1700's downstairs by the front door, and a gazillion pairs of 1300's, 999's, 998's, 997's and 996's in the basement in a big ass bag that for some reason I can't seem to throwout. One day I will put them up for sale on E-Bay.
I found out 2 years ago that the shoes are assembled in USA, but the materials are all CHINA! And my 2000's are handassembled? I talked to a sales rep @ Road Runner Sports- Don't really know if it was a lie, but he made it sound good. He was talking me into a pair of NIKES- Thats a shoe that I don't purchase.
Anyone wearing LEVI's right now...... |
Paul D. Morgan (V22guy)
| | Posted on Tuesday, February 04, 2003 - 05:24 pm: |
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LOL 94,
If she was in the mall, she was robably contributing your money to Korea, China, or Tawian. |
Mark & Bev Preston (Markp)
| | Posted on Tuesday, February 04, 2003 - 05:28 pm: |
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Economist of the century?! Mmmmm .... don't tell Bill Fleckenstein. He thinks he is the worst Federal Reserve Chairman's we have ever had. Bill blames a majority of the current ecomonic problems on his policies and failures to act.
For those that are interested you can read Bill's daily "Market Rap" on RealMoney.com. He's been painfully accurate.
- Mark |
Mike Rupp (Mike_Rupp)
| | Posted on Tuesday, February 04, 2003 - 05:30 pm: |
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"I'll gladly pay a little more, and most of the time I do for items made here. As long as it's a good product." Zak, you're obviously in the minority. Why blame the companies themselves? Why not just as easily blame the consumers? Face reality. We are in a Wal-Mart consumer economy. Price is the number one factor in most consumer decisions. US companies are forced by competition to have manufacturing done overseas to be competitive in the marketplace. Do you actually think that the selling prices of these items remain constant and these "greedy" manufacturers pocket the savings by relocating a manufacturing plant? Don't be so naive. In many industries, the choice is pretty simple for most companies: move manufacturing overseas or go out of business. |
94Rover
| | Posted on Tuesday, February 04, 2003 - 05:34 pm: |
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Paul it was her money. :-)
Wherever it went(money spent in the mall), I'm sure she couldn't tell me right now where in the house, that consumer good that she purchased is... right now her disposable income is greater than mine.....Our money is spent on bills, bills, bills......My money is spent on ? |
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