B&W Hitches and Joe Works--True American Ethics

[TxDoc]

I guess I forgot to make a point of it, other than being an American product...but, the video discussed how they were the largest employer in the small town, 167 employees IIRC. When times were lean, they did not fire, did not lay off, but rather kept those employees on and let them do things for the community to improve, to restore to maintain and generally give back at no cost to the local area.

A local, family-owned, business here will pay your tuition/fees to attend college to learn welding (which can be used at the business), mathematics, British literature, or any kind of classes you may be interested in....the catch is...you must give back to the local community. Give back money? No. Give back in personal time. Things like coaching local amateur sports with youth, or one of many other things that improve the quality of life for others.

I just thought it was nice for B&W to try and keep and maintain those valued employees and their skills and knowledge in tough times. That is very rare to hear about or see, nowadays.

 

[wmonroe]

I had mine freeze in place a couple years ago and now keep it wrapped up in rags in one of the storage spots under my trucks rear seat. It makes it easier that way too when I need to grab it to move the trailer with one of the tractors.

I guess I forgot to make a point of it, other than being an American product...but, the video discussed how they were the largest employer in the small town, 167 employees IIRC. When times were lean, they did not fire, did not lay off, but rather kept those employees on and let them do things for the community to improve, to restore to maintain and generally give back at no cost to the local area. A local, family-owned, business here will pay your tuition/fees to attend college to learn welding (which can be used at the business), mathematics, British literature, or any kind of classes you may be interested in....the catch is...you must give back to the local community. Give back money? No. Give back in personal time. Things like coaching local amateur sports with youth, or one of many other things that improve the quality of life for others. I just thought it was nice for B&W to try and keep and maintain those valued employees and their skills and knowledge in tough times. That is very rare to hear about or see, nowadays.

It's hard to imagine businesses like that today. Just think what a different place it would be if that was the norm instead of a rare exception.

 

[ZAR2USA]

I too have three of there products. I go out of my way to find American Made products, and not "Assembled in the USA" which seems to be the new compromise of poor quality but still made in Taiwan, China, Thailand or ..........

With a compromise like that, it just erodes the confidence in value place in American Made products. Keep it pure and 100% genuine.

Support your local community when and wherever you can. The rewards are long and lasting.

 

[JJZ 109]

Went to the website and discovered the Biker Bar. Seems pricey for what it is, but I think I'm going to give one a try for a spring trip to Florida. Any mentions that I've seen online of their customer service has been positive. If I like it I'll get a second one.

 

[farmer2009]

It seems like the paint may have changed at some point. I've seen some with the paint peeling as mentioned and others with good looking paint. My truck has the plastic inner fenders so all I see is the release lever sticking out so I don't know what the paint looks like on it. Anyone else ever left their ball down for too long and it won't come back out? Even though I try to grease it when I flip it over it has happened to me more than once. It's fun laying on your back under the truck beating the ball with a hammer, while trying to keep the dirt and cow poo that falls off the truck out of your eyes and mouth.

Mine is currently seized in the up position. When I need a level bed I'll worry about it. Might happen once or twice a year. I keep mine up as its used atleast weekly.

 

[Xfaxman]

Went to the website and discovered the Biker Bar. Seems pricey for what it is, but I think I'm going to give one a try for a spring trip to Florida. Any mentions that I've seen online of their customer service has been positive. If I like it I'll get a second one.

Very clever, had not seen one: Biker Bar

 

[JJZ 109]

Very clever, had not seen one: Biker Bar

View attachment 403402

If it works as advertised, I have no problem buying a couple. One of my least favorite jobs is tying a bike down for a long trailer trip.

 

[wmonroe]

Mine is currently seized in the up position. When I need a level bed I'll worry about it. Might happen once or twice a year. I keep mine up as its used atleast weekly.

Spray it with some good penetrating oil, let it soak for a day or so, spray it again before you tow your trailer and then when you go to unhook pull the pin in the wheel well for the ball and crank the trailer up. The combination of the penetrating oil, bouncing around of the trailer, and the force the trailer jack can lift might just break it free with little hassle on your part.

 

[Happy Gilmore]

I guess I forgot to make a point of it, other than being an American product...but, the video discussed how they were the largest employer in the small town, 167 employees IIRC. When times were lean, they did not fire, did not lay off, but rather kept those employees on and let them do things for the community to improve, to restore to maintain and generally give back at no cost to the local area. A local, family-owned, business here will pay your tuition/fees to attend college to learn welding (which can be used at the business), mathematics, British literature, or any kind of classes you may be interested in....the catch is...you must give back to the local community. Give back money? No. Give back in personal time. Things like coaching local amateur sports with youth, or one of many other things that improve the quality of life for others. I just thought it was nice for B&W to try and keep and maintain those valued employees and their skills and knowledge in tough times. That is very rare to hear about or see, nowadays.

TxDoc, very well said! It's a reminder of a bygone era, which unfortunately I wasn't around for as I'm only 40. To me it's what America should strive to become. I think nowadays everything is based on the mighty dollar. How much money one can make, yet how little can one spend on a barely adequate product. Greed is a terrible thing. Greed has many faces, yet no moral values. I was fortunate enough to preserve my family farm through a nasty 3 year divorce. It's been in my family 190 years and 7 generations. My children will be the 8th. The farm to me has zero monetary significance, yet others constantly reference how much it must be worth if houses were to go up. I heard an old timer once say "you only get one crop of houses." As long as I have a say, those seeds will never be sewn.

 

[two_bit_score]

(Was not 100% sure where to post this. If it needs to be be moved feel free to do so)

He supports his community thru good times and bad. Watch the video below.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=9bcdGr94xxc#t=142

At B&W Trailer Hitches, we stand for the future of American manufacturing. The U.S. has lost 1.9 million manufacturing jobs to China alone over the last decade.¹ “Made in the USA” can succeed, but only if we rely on the principles that work in our own neighborhoods. We grow by earning trust and improving customer value, not by cutting costs. We treat each other as family, not as “labor” exportable to the lowest bidder. We let people use cutting-edge technology to make things safer, easier, and higher quality, rather than let technology use us. We respond to customers and changing markets by being right-sized and flexible, not just bigger.

That’s why B&W Trailer Hitches is still in Humboldt, Kansas, a half-mile from the garage where Roger Baker and Joe Works changed the towing industry with the first Turnoverball™ gooseneck hitch 25 years ago. We enjoy being able to get the brightest talent in the industry around a single table within five minutes. Above all, we love being employee-owned, spreading responsibility for innovation and quality across all 200+ of us, but also spreading the rewards of success across the community.

Focus on bottom-line profits, and they will come at a price. American manufacturing has suffered from focusing on the wrong “bottom-line”. We stand—with our neighbors—for a deeper bottom-line.
¹Scott, Robert E. September 20, 2011. Growing U.S. trade deficit with China cost 2.8 million jobs between 2001 and 2010. Economic Policy Instutute, Briefing Paper #323. Washington, D.C.: EPI.

Thanks for posting!