Is Cat making all of their own motors now? I know the have the "new" building just south of St. Cloud MN off of 94 and I believe this is where they are building the motors but I am not sure if it is for sleds or wheelers.
Sad day for Polaris
- Thread starter elf
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Is Cat making all of their own motors now? I know the have the "new" building just south of St. Cloud MN off of 94 and I believe this is where they are building the motors but I am not sure if it is for sleds or wheelers.
So the suzuki engines in Cats are made in MN? Are they still suzuki engines? I didn't know this.
sucks
I live and work in osceola, this is going to hit our businesses hard, Polaris was the biggest employer in polk cty. I have been through moving a company to Mexico lets say it didnt quite work out as planned we had more inventory walking out the front,side and back doors. I know some people that work at the plant please keep them in your thoughts.
Bartski
I live and work in osceola, this is going to hit our businesses hard, Polaris was the biggest employer in polk cty. I have been through moving a company to Mexico lets say it didnt quite work out as planned we had more inventory walking out the front,side and back doors. I know some people that work at the plant please keep them in your thoughts.
Bartski
cats sled engines are still suzuki, japanese built. most of their atv engines are built in house in mn. they keep adding cat made engines to the line up. can am is building a assembly plant in mexico too. thank you nafta, screwed us and the canadians. the mexicans love it though. pretty soon they will be jumping over the fence again going back since that is where the work is.
fusionfool
New member
Oldguy,
I agree, at least they will keep the design and headquarters here. But my situation is the same. Our company moved 3 of my product manufacturing to Mexico starting four years ago. I am a design engineer, and still work up here. The profits are not what companies think they are when they set out to move production down to Mexico, or to China. There will be numerous quality spills, I would bank on that. The cost of travel for support eats away at the big savings as well. I was traveling to Mexico ever other week for 2 year straight. Each week long trip is about $2,400 per person.
I have experienced having product in Japan, Graz Austria, China, Thailand, Germany, and Canada. By far the worst for quality is China, then Mexico comes in next with the second worst quality. I would take Japan, Canada, and Germany any day over Mexico.
Fusionfool- you are right on the money. My company has sent parts of manufacturing to Mexico and it has been a huge pain. The quality is horrible. With already a short sled season now add horrible quality customers will turn to other brands quick. Better get your US motors while you can!
Difference is, Yamaha and SkiDoo never had U.S. plants that they moved to Mexico. As far as I know, they've always been foreign-made.
Did ski doo and yamaha have plants in the US then shut them down to move to mexico? Did they ever claim there products where "Made In the USA" ? You would expect it from a foreign company to begin with but not one that has prided themselves in being A US company
No way to deny it, Polaris sold out the american worker to please the stock holders. And quality will suffer at a time when Polars is struggling in that dept
No way to deny it, Polaris sold out the american worker to please the stock holders. And quality will suffer at a time when Polars is struggling in that dept
Elf,
I'm not trying to be an azz here but, just think about what you are saying. If they are not struggling, then why move? It's NOT for cheaper labor, it's because of outragous taxes!! They may not come out ahead with inventory and shipping costs but, it's about principal. They don't want to pay Doyle's bullcrap taxes on business. Look at Harley, Mercury, The Janesville plant for GM. Kohler and John Deer are hurting. It SUCKS!!!These companies can't make it in Wisconsin. Something needs to change. The wholestate voted against Miller park but it happened anyway. They are now talking about high speed rail, which most people don't want to have to pay for but, will happen anyway. While they want to cut 700 teaching jobs in Milwaukee. What sense does that make?
I could go on for hours, so I'll stop now before I offend anyone but, it is on Doyle.
Sorry if I offended you.
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polarisrider1
New member
They were using the "Made in USA" way back with fugi (subaru Heavy Industries) motors in their sleds. It did not slow down anyone from buying the best value sled around. The Indy 500. Like a chevy truck. Hugh money maker. Cry, cry, and stand in line for a new 2010 RMK. Really who cares where it comes from? $12,000 for a sled needs to be dealt with. The sled manufacturers lost me at $7500 per unit. As far as pride and survival, I will take survival.
Firecatguy
New member
John Deer cant be hurting to much!!they support Cap and Trade....that will kill a company way before taxes will...
http://www.nationalcenter.org/PR-John_Deere_022510.html
fusionfool
New member
It is hard not to be prejudicial when my entire life has been affected by the Mexican people taking our jobs.
1984: I came out of the service and started working in the Meat Packing Ind. While I went to college. The wage was OK for a young man at that time, $10.69 / hr. Within a few weeks we were told that our wages were being cut to $5.25 / hr or they were closing the plant and moving to Mexico. We kept our jobs but at less than half the pay.
1995: I am working as an engineer, the economy was in a slump. I come into work to find 3 or the people that I worked with have been let go. With in a year the company was ready to hire back some staff. I see they had hired 5 Mexican people that I knew were not native to the US, of the people let go, two wanted to come back but were not even interviewed. I ask why wouldn't we take the people already trained in the job. The company called it affirmative action.
2005: I am working as an engineer where I currently work. We are told that our best show place plant, is moving to Mexico. They were closed by May 2006, and moved the product to Reynosa Mexico.
2009: Same company notified us that one of our WI based plants was closing. Tricky this time they did not move the product to Mexico, but instead moved most of the product from a MN plant to Mexico, and moved most of the WI product to MN.
Seems to be a 10 year cycle here
I have many Mexican friends, some that I work with down in Reynosa when I have to go down to the plant. Some from the town that I grew up in. But still hard not to be prejudicial. I try to remind my self they are only people, and are like us looking for a way to make an honest living. It is not there fault the Mexican government has kept them in such poverty that it keeps the working wage so low, and the Mexican top officials live hi on the hog.
1984: I came out of the service and started working in the Meat Packing Ind. While I went to college. The wage was OK for a young man at that time, $10.69 / hr. Within a few weeks we were told that our wages were being cut to $5.25 / hr or they were closing the plant and moving to Mexico. We kept our jobs but at less than half the pay.
1995: I am working as an engineer, the economy was in a slump. I come into work to find 3 or the people that I worked with have been let go. With in a year the company was ready to hire back some staff. I see they had hired 5 Mexican people that I knew were not native to the US, of the people let go, two wanted to come back but were not even interviewed. I ask why wouldn't we take the people already trained in the job. The company called it affirmative action.
2005: I am working as an engineer where I currently work. We are told that our best show place plant, is moving to Mexico. They were closed by May 2006, and moved the product to Reynosa Mexico.
2009: Same company notified us that one of our WI based plants was closing. Tricky this time they did not move the product to Mexico, but instead moved most of the product from a MN plant to Mexico, and moved most of the WI product to MN.
Seems to be a 10 year cycle here
I have many Mexican friends, some that I work with down in Reynosa when I have to go down to the plant. Some from the town that I grew up in. But still hard not to be prejudicial. I try to remind my self they are only people, and are like us looking for a way to make an honest living. It is not there fault the Mexican government has kept them in such poverty that it keeps the working wage so low, and the Mexican top officials live hi on the hog.They're all in the USA except in AZ now.
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It will be interesting to see what the Poo snomo prices are compared to Doo, AC & Yam. Poo should have huge price advantage over others. Poo sleds in early 90s were best bang for the buck price wise. If Poo sled prices stay where Doo, AC & Yam are now Poo profits will be huge per unit sale. Does Poo use this price advantage to buy up lost market share or take a whatever the market will bear approach & just increase corp profits? It is up to Poo as they do have a price advantage moving to Mexico. This could be interesting & worth watching. If Poo keeps prices high, whatever the market will bear approach, I don't see the benefit to the sled buying USA public.
Not sure, but I think sled assembly remains in Roseau MN. I think ATV's move to Mexico.
This is what happens when Americans sit back with an appathetic attitude and let politicians run ruffshod over us. It starts at the local level all the way up to the federal.
Its a shame...and I feel sorry for the people of the community that will be losing these jobs.
EFFECT a change....make you voice and VOTE count. Let your loacal, state and federal blowhards know how you feel.
I am not taking sides on red/blue votes....they all have contributed in some way. Next will be our sport, our hobby.
I don't want to be a resident of a 'nanny' state!
We have been Polaris owners for many years, and this doesn't make me very happy at all.
'POWER TO THE ME-POPLE'
Dog
Its a shame...and I feel sorry for the people of the community that will be losing these jobs.
EFFECT a change....make you voice and VOTE count. Let your loacal, state and federal blowhards know how you feel.
I am not taking sides on red/blue votes....they all have contributed in some way. Next will be our sport, our hobby.
I don't want to be a resident of a 'nanny' state!
We have been Polaris owners for many years, and this doesn't make me very happy at all.
'POWER TO THE ME-POPLE'
Dog
G
G
Guest
The sleds are staying in Roseau.
the politicians play a huge part but you also have to look at the unions with all the dead weight they support on the job. then the unreasonable benefits allot of the members get. top it off with crazy pension plans where a guy puts in 100k in his life and collects close to a million over his retirement .cant understand why some one would want to avoid that when trying to run a profitable biz.