Has King Kutter gone Chinese

[Dargo]

I've always viewed KK items as an economy line like Leinbach, so it wouldn't surprise me if they went to Chinese made stuff to keep competitive in the economy line.

 

[jmc]

Its funny that when labor is cheap, it doesn't cost much more to spend a little extra time to do it right. And it doesn't even take more time to shear a piece of steel at the proper angle, although I suppose unskilled welders are always cheaper than skilled ones. Of course their price advantage is from more than labor-where do those solvents and cutting fluids end up, for example? And their raw materials and supplies are cheaper as well, coming from the same low cost system.

Personally, I think fortunes are being made by the importers, not the 3rd world factory owners. We're used to paying $500 for something that cost $350 to make. A large importer of knock-offs can pit these factories against each other, beats them down to $75 and we gladly pay $400. It would be interesting to see what walmart actually pays for some of their imported merchandise. Doubt if it would enhance their image of how they treat their people.

John

 

[neverenough]

As for the Chinese, they are getting better fast, watch out for them.
As for Building stuff here. It can't be the american worker because Honda just anounced plans to build a major plant a few miles from me and they are paying very competitive wages.

There is a HUGE difference between Honda building a plant and paying thier workers $XX, than the UAW contract with the "big" 2.5 American makers.

Honda will pay the wage, throw in a couple thousand per year for health care, and toss in a little for retirement.

Now take GM for example, they have to pay above average wages, plus full health care for life, plus pension, plus strike fund, plus all the UAW employee wages and benifits. All told, it cost's GM about $151,000 per year to pay thier contract employees, where as it maybe costs American Honda $80-90,000.

BTW, Honda raised the price on their entire vehicle line an average of $1500 for the 2006 MY.

The great American hypocrisy, "We want big wages and lot's of jobs, but we want to pay next to nothing for the products and services we buy.".

Personally, I buy American where I can, but when it comes to long term (10+ years) use, American cars just don't stack up to Japanees auto's.

 

[Lucky1]

When you are talking about over paid, are you including the Ken Lays and other CEO's? Big business has become so crooked in this country. I would still put the workmanship of the old Deers, Fords and Farmall aganist any of the imports.

 

[roxynoodle]

I have a Chinese finish mower of unnamed brand and have been very happy with it. I got it cheap when I bought the tractor. I even cut my long, weedy pasture with it and it did fine.

I had been considering a KK rotary cutter and box blade but I think I'm going to buy different implements from my closest Yanmar dealer. After reading this thread I think that is the right decision for me.

By the way, as for American vehicles holding up, I have had amazing luck with Chrysler products. I have had a Dodge Ram, Plymouth Acclaim and Plymouth Laser (this is perhaps more a Mitsubishi though as it was the same vehicle as the Eclipse) go over 200,000 miles with relatively few problems. My Ram worked it's tailgate off too. In fact the only reason I sold that Ram was because of gas prices and decided it was not in my best interest to own 2 trucks. Had to replace it with an econo car. Other people have told me that Chryslers were the worst cars they ever owned though. For me that has been GM. I have had 3 GMs that all lost their tranny at 130,000 miles like they were programmed to do it. At least that is how I feel since it happened at the same exact mileage on all of them. But, I think American cars are at least close these days on quality to their Japenese counterparts. But, as some have pointed out, the cost to make them has gotten too high and the Big 3 (or 2.5) are in danger now and just have never been able to compete with Honda on how the factory is run. I personally think a lot of the unskilled labor is paid too highly. It is one thing for a mechanic to be paid what he/she is, these people have skills. It is another for someone who just turns bolts to be paid that highly.

 

[joerocker]

Alan,

You act like all this will happen overnight. It will take a generation or longer.

The number of poor IS rising in America. No, they don't live like people in 3rd world countries. We won't let that happen. We guarantee a certain standard. The "rich" are supporting the poor just as American national debt has and is supporting poorer countries. We're going slowly bankrupt helping our now and future competitors. EVERY man woman and child's piece of the national debt is almost $30,000.

Wait for the boomers to retire! Now THAT is going to put a strain on things. You know it's going to be REALLY bad when the government mentions it several years in advance. Where the hell is the money going to come from to pay people thousands a month to do nothing? It's like adding a few MILLION new POOR every year. More and more mouths to feed and nothing (no work) in return. At least they will actually pay taxes. That's ANOTHER reason the illegals are here and the government doesn't want to do anything about them. Immigrants have TONS of kids! We NEED their kids to pay for our retirement.

Governments NEED growth. Without growth their pyramid schemes (and that is EXACTLY what all there economic plans and programs are) fall apart. You need to keep expanding that bottom base of taxpayers to finance the people and programs at the top.

Of course you don't see it. You have a tractor, internet access, most likely a house, some land, investments, and a good job too.

But for how long? Are you doing something that can be done cheaper overseas? If you work for a big company...watch out.

Of course there are still jobs. People are doing things to be done/used LOCALLY. Our people are pricing themselves out of business overseas.

You have to look at the bigger picture. America isn't a self sufficient entity living alone. We are living in a world where we are outnumbered almost 20:1. There are a lot of people out there itching for a better life and willing to do the work for a LOT less. India and China have their OWN "MITs" now. We educated them over the last 20 years and now they're using that education against us. We taught them HOW to beat us. America has too many laws and regulations that stifle business...these countries don't. People are free to do whatever it takes to make it cheap and outbid you and I.

As for Honda, Toyota, and the other Japanese auto makers...The government is FORCING them to create jobs here. The auto industry...IS...the American industry, it drives SO MUCH business here. Think about how much is affected by the auto industry. Suppliers, advertizing, insurance, gasoline, repair shops, hell...motels, restaurants, attractions, ALL rely on the auto industry and having people buying cars.

The government is trying to protect Americans jobs and keep some money here instead of going to Japan.

Of course this is only MY opinion...

 

[curt1]

As far as King Cutter having Chinese part's, the other day I stopped by my local John Deere dealer and looked at their John Deere MX6 rotary cutter's. Guess what? The gear box had Made in China stamped all over it. Look's like Deere is going Chinese too.

Curt

 

[Soundguy]

While this may or may not effect domestic products.. I do remember reading about Deere teaming with a chinese company to make some 'rice' deers.. For the chinese market.. etc..

Soundguy

 

[ccsial]

Globilization is here boys, and it's just going to keep growing. We are heading into a one world economy and American life will change.

 

[neverenough]

While this may or may not effect domestic products.. I do remember reading about Deere teaming with a chinese company to make some 'rice' deers.. For the chinese market.. etc..

Soundguy

The Deere 2210's are Yanmars....not sure what other tractors are. The garden tractors are made in Wisconsin, a lot of the big ag products come from Canada and Germany. I forget what all comes from where, but Deere does a lot of R&D in Europe, and builds the tractors there too. I think it has more to do with wanting to be a "global" company, than labor costs.