One of Ford Motor Company's South American Plants

[mjkaliszak]

I wish we could stop this ,,,, for my childrens sake. I tried to do a search for snowmobile gear on 1 of these links. It said "0" matches found. A couple of seasons ago when I tried to buy American gear for my kids I found nothing made here. I settled for Klim & FXR both made in China. So just for the heck of it I searched for my next purchase a weed wacker ( aka line trimmer ) I found 1 match for a " Whipper Clipper " from Texas but they only had edgers and those looked like they had a HONDA motor on them ????? Our stores are filled with products that we buy on a daily basis that are made some where else. The BIG boat from China arrives here loaded to the teeth and goes home empty. There are so many american companies in Mexico that when I made my 1st trip down .... I was shocked.
When I posted a thread complaining about having to help move my company down to mexico on this forum I believe the response was " get over it and move on " ??? I can hardly wait for foreign country labor to effect that guy's job. What happens in the auto industry ( from what I have seen in the last 10 years ) has a trickle down effect. It seems to be in the fore-front of economic trends. We are currently owned by a Equity company ( #$%&@ ) that appears to be a " pump & dump " organization. They are moving all sort of jobs out of the US , putting up a new building, painting mold presses that are old so that they look newer and then will sell the company. What you could only know from working on the inside is that they cut corners at every turn to make the organization look good . The 3 cranes are mono rail cranes, cheaper than the cost of 1.5 H frame cranes, the Eqiuty group was given the company by Alcoa and paid 65 million to take it. There is a financial disclosure in Alcoa's quarterly report about this. So it seems like the game is to get paid again before the 65 million runs out ???? That way it won't cut into the owners $25,000 hair cut money. Some people call that " business " I call that selling out America.

 

[Hoosier]

There are a few things on RU Outside's website that say made in USA, but these items are the exceptions (most of them do not). I wonder how much Klim gear would cost if it was made here?

 

[booondocker]

I wish we could stop this ,,,, for my childrens sake. I tried to do a search for snowmobile gear on 1 of these links. It said "0" matches found. A couple of seasons ago when I tried to buy American gear for my kids I found nothing made here. I settled for Klim & FXR both made in China. So just for the heck of it I searched for my next purchase a weed wacker ( aka line trimmer ) I found 1 match for a " Whipper Clipper " from Texas but they only had edgers and those looked like they had a HONDA motor on them ????? Our stores are filled with products that we buy on a daily basis that are made some where else. The BIG boat from China arrives here loaded to the teeth and goes home empty. There are so many american companies in Mexico that when I made my 1st trip down .... I was shocked.
When I posted a thread complaining about having to help move my company down to mexico on this forum I believe the response was " get over it and move on " ??? I can hardly wait for foreign country labor to effect that guy's job. What happens in the auto industry ( from what I have seen in the last 10 years ) has a trickle down effect. It seems to be in the fore-front of economic trends. We are currently owned by a Equity company ( #$%&@ ) that appears to be a " pump & dump " organization. They are moving all sort of jobs out of the US , putting up a new building, painting mold presses that are old so that they look newer and then will sell the company. What you could only know from working on the inside is that they cut corners at every turn to make the organization look good . The 3 cranes are mono rail cranes, cheaper than the cost of 1.5 H frame cranes, the Eqiuty group was given the company by Alcoa and paid 65 million to take it. There is a financial disclosure in Alcoa's quarterly report about this. So it seems like the game is to get paid again before the 65 million runs out ???? That way it won't cut into the owners $25,000 hair cut money. Some people call that " business " I call that selling out America.

I could NOT agree more. Of all factors related to the huge but steady downturn of our economy of building in the USA, there is NO factor that comes close to the greed that is prevailent in Corporate America. Long ago a corporation stood by their employee's because they realized that the employee was the heart of their organization.

Not anymore! They walk you to your desk and say..."it's been nice, but...here is the door and where is your door key?"

This has evolved in MY lifetime. And it has NOT stopped. It aligns with all that talk about excessive wages paid to CEO's who has basically "hit the lottery" as there are 30 people below this smuck who could do the job as well if not better. But he got the ear, or the purse of the board of directors and you might as well just take as much as you can....no more Iacoca's in this world.

I wish it weren't so, but it sure seems that we are doomed unless we change this some how, and that starts with someone guts to say "enough".

 

[mxz_chris]

I am going to refrain from a union or anti-democrat rant, because it is so much deeper.
I will chime in with some positive news. I am in manufacturing (CNC Milling/Turning, and laser cutting and fabricating). We have started seeing more quotes than ever from companies that are bringing back manufacturing. Just this week, I quoted 5 job packages of 10 parts or more in each, that are coming home from China and Mexico. I have direct contact with the buyers, and they said the higher ups have issued a directive that they want parts that can be competitively made here to come back. Maybe the tide is turning, in politics and business.

 

[booondocker]

While this isn't bad news at all...we need a flood of new orders to turn the tide for those that are just now packing it up and heading abroad.

The key statement is that they want prices to be "as" competitive as those from mexico and china. Course I doubt that they will tell you what that needs to be, and only internal departments will be able to compare. The quality and performance is the area that the USA should be superior performers and I suspect that THAT is why some are drifting back over the border.

 

[mxz_chris]

Believe it or not, we got pricing, and we were within 5% or so. We have some good equipment, and are pretty efficient, so I belive we will get the work.

 

[Skylar]

Sounds like we are "in the door" with a large health care company. We will be making shower bases, shower surround sheets, soap/shampoo holders, corner moulding etc etc. If we do get this business we will be unbelievably busy. Which is a good thing for sure, but to be honest, after working here for almost 19 years now, to start having to work 15-20 OT hours a week in 4-5 days, does not excite me one bit. LOL.

 

[lvr1000]

Sounds like we are "in the door" with a large health care company. We will be making shower bases, shower surround sheets, soap/shampoo holders, corner moulding etc etc. If we do get this business we will be unbelievably busy. Which is a good thing for sure, but to be honest, after working here for almost 19 years now, to start having to work 15-20 OT hours a week in 4-5 days, does not excite me one bit. LOL.

That OT could pay for another new sled, truck...............

 

[polarisrider1]

Sounds like we are "in the door" with a large health care company. We will be making shower bases, shower surround sheets, soap/shampoo holders, corner moulding etc etc. If we do get this business we will be unbelievably busy. Which is a good thing for sure, but to be honest, after working here for almost 19 years now, to start having to work 15-20 OT hours a week in 4-5 days, does not excite me one bit. LOL.

Nothing sells a house like a "Real" tile shower! Now I know why you rag me from time to time. Still gotta luv you man!!!!

 

[mxz_chris]

My daughter Shauna is doing her best to help.

 

[Skylar]

Nothing sells a house like a "Real" tile shower! Now I know why you rag me from time to time. Still gotta luv you man!!!!

I just saw pictures Monday of a hospital remodel that we got, the contractor will be ripping out all the tile, and putting in solid surface sheets.

I still would like the tile in my house Wayne!

 

[mjkaliszak]

My daughter Shauna is doing her best to help.

Love the pic. No disrespect intented.... Unfortunately you better fess up and tell her that this is what " She doesn't want to do for a living ". That's what I have told my kids. They will need a superior education to maintain the fortunate lifestyle of living they are accustomed to. It is almost scarry what we are leaving the next generation. We need a revolution in this country !!!! And yes ....I'm sick of paying taxes. Here is another pic from Mexico, looks like the corp has their interests protected. This is the building's perimeter. It looks like a jail but it actually is to protect their assets from the outside enviroment getting in .

 

[mxz_chris]

Thanks. I know. I have told my son every time he says he wants to be like me and work at the shop, that he needs to be better than me, not just like me. Don't get me wrong, I actually like what I do, and I think I'm pretty successful at it, but I just don't know where this country is going to end up, and he better have options.

 

[booondocker]

Chris, you are smart well before your time! If you don't think as a father that you have a whole bunch of influence on what where and how your kid will live his life someday you would be mistaken. The day of just letting the kid pick out whatever his strongly influenced aptitude test indicates is long gone.

You must use YOUR head to see into the future and move him/her toward a career in that field. We can assume that manufacturing might not be the strong suit in the future, so it also makes sense that perhaps pushing him to be an engineer might not be a good direction to go.

Name of the game is to stay ahead of the curve. Anyone with a teen knows that this is more than a full time job..and one that can put gray hair on your head much faster than would happen otherwise.

It is good to see that not everyone throws this job up to the schools...which have their own plate full these days.

 

[mjkaliszak]

Thanks. I know. I have told my son every time he says he wants to be like me and work at the shop, that he needs to be better than me, not just like me. Don't get me wrong, I actually like what I do, and I think I'm pretty successful at it, but I just don't know where this country is going to end up, and he better have options.

I'm glad you didn't take that the wrong way.I want the same thing for my kids.

 

[spedboat]

U.S. Plants

How can Honda, Toyota, Kia, Volksvagon, etc set up plants in the U.S. and make a healthy profit while american auto makers can not?

 

[anonomoose]

How can Honda, Toyota, KIA, Volks(w)vagon, etc set up plants in the U.S. and make a healthy profit while American auto makers can not?

Except for the last few months, NONE of them did. Prior to that, these companies BACKED BY THEIR GOVERNMENTS, and without legacy costs that the D-3 had, did make money but much of their parts were on a percentage basis made outside the USA. Putting the machine together is the smaller end of the cost. Also these transplants did a better job of refining product lines rather than start all over re-inventing the wheel. (how many times can you redesign a v-8 engine?? These were bad decisions made by the D-3)

These were/are walk-thru-the-door type plants and the wages paid were near but sub union scale. All 4 of the transplants import as many cars and trucks as they build here, particularly Toyota....something that increased exponentially in 2005. If you import product lines, you have none of the associated costs normally involved, pollution control, pensions, health care, and a list too long to name here.

 

[spedboat]

Autos

Honda has been making cars in Marysville Ohio for over 20 years.I went and looked at Volkswagons the other day and 80% of the parts were made in North America as opposed to 30% on a ford. The wages paid by these companies are high with benefits. Their workers have voted against Unionizing every time.

 

[blkhwkbob]

AllI know is that there is no way you can tell me that anything made in South America is going to have the same quality/fit and finish as something made here. You can teach these people how to do things quickly, like robots, but there is a certain finesse and pride that they just don't have. Go out and take a look at some of the Nissans made in Mexico and you will be appalled at simple things like the lineup of the body panels. You can only imagine what goes in to the rest of the car.

 

[toolmaker]

Manufacturing has been leaving this country for 3 decades now. We have been turning into a service business country. The touble with this is, a countries wealth is based on gross national product. If we don't produce and sell to other countries, all we are doing is trading money with each other.
'09 was a down year for our plastics company, but orders and new projects are picking up. We do make some parts for the auto industry, but our biggest new customers are suppliers to the military. Go figure, they have the money. '10 is off to a very busy year for us. I know the more technical manufacturing is slowly growing in the USA. Simple and putting products together is gone for good.
I read a story in a trade magazine last week. Government jobs (federal, state, local, schools, goverment health, etc.) now out number manufacturing jobs in every state, except Delaware and Hawaii. There's no manufacturing in Hawaii to speak of, even the cane and pineapple farms are almost gone. This growth in government is not good for any of us. They do nothing to earn revenue, but they know where to find it. Remember back in '92 when someone warned us about a big sucking sound. (cough, NAFTA, cough)
My oldest daughter is a junior in college and plans to get her PHD in genetics research. she's headed in the right direction. Not sure what my youngest wants yet. She's a junior in high school.