Has King Kutter gone Chinese

[JoeinTX]

I would just like to throw one example of my statements above in as evidence.

Australia.

Australia has very little in the way of domestically owned manufacturing capability when compared to other Western nations. What are the famous Australian car lines? Which Australian aerospace companies are major players? What is Australia's biggest producer of home appliances?

If you're not an Aussie, you won't likely be able to answer any of the questions above. Why? Because there really aren't any. But, the Australian economy is flying along and personal wealth is on the rise.

Economic activity, a buying public, and money exchanging hands is what the publics' economic well-being is based upon.........not whether or not the majority of toasters they buy has a "domestic" name of them. The anti

So, we can decry the loss of "American" brands, but the jobs are still there and being paid higher than ever.

And, buying "domestic" doesn't always mean buying the recognized brand. We have a lot of Hondas and Nissans which are designed in the U.S. and built with a majority of domestically produced components whereas there are also a good number of Fords and RCAs that come straight off of a ship from foreign shores.

 

[roxynoodle]

This is true. Had a Nissan built here but at the same time I was looking at Chevy S10s and they were built in Mexico.

 

[Botabill]

I worked in a GM automobile plant and I left to work for 25 percent less money. If you spent 6 months working in an auto plant I think you'd re-consider the overpaid comment. Also you should remember it was the auto manufacturing bosses who agreed to those wages so they and stockholders can continue with there big pays and profits. That's just business. All workers should get better wages. America is a fantastically rich country however the distibution of wealth is stratified with the lower wage earners being underpaid to fatten the pockets of the industrialists and investors. Don't get me wrong I'm not talking about small business owners under paying their workers. Yes some of that may occur but generally it is because the businesses don't generate enough $ to pay more. When workers are paid more they can buy more and that means they spend more much of it in their own community. The American government is allowing companies to set up off shore which allows those industrialists to exploit foreign workers, then take the money out of the pockets of American worker for products sold in the US to increase their personal wealth. Sorry to get so political but I don't begrudge any workers the money he earns honestly and it stirs me up when someone else does.

 

[bugstruck]

Joe, Australia has a slightly higher percentage of GDP from manufacturing than the US does, not less. Props them up reasonably well.

Ownership may not matter to many but it does to me. If I don't own something, others do. The owners control much of the game. I know in a global ecomomy I can own most anything, that's the argurment put forward anyhow........

I agree with much of what you said, but the current trend to dismiss ownership of manufacturing concerns is not healthy for us in the long run. I guess I'm just greedy but even on a local level I don't want my ownership in real estate aligned with Baltimore City. Likewise, I don't want the US level of ownership (whatever it is) aligned with China. I want them a distant third behind the EU. Most people don't know thier economy is 2/3 as robust as ours (GDP) right now and is poised for 200% more growth in rather short order. We'll be a very distant second before you know it if we don't care.

Finally, back to the thread topic. Am I buying a Chinese products? I just talked the President of our company out of a $35,000.00 savings on a Chinese equipment purchase he was considering. I reminded him I got dusted on an 850K contract in May by a US broker of Chinese millwork. I was second low of 5 bidders. The Chinese concern was over 300K below me. He dismissed Chinese competition too until he saw his way of life slightly impacted. We are all in the same American boat and he sees it now too after 5 years of my badgering that it's coming. He was shocked. The short (modern) vision would be to buy the Chinese equipment, keep costs down, and reap the short term benefits as if no one is impacted. If someone has no commitment to Country and Family, these are easy decisions. While this was not a huge financial decision, he has concerns that competitors will make the other decision and get some competitive advantage. I reminded him we are small, adaptable, capable, growing, expanding facilities, and usually very tough on our competition. Now that we know who the international competition really is and know not to send them money (don't send our regular US business competitors any money either ).... will be a snap to develop a strategy to keep us well positioned. While the others are wondering what happened and laying folks off, we'll have an improved employee applicant pool. Now if I enable them.... I contribute to their success and our downfall. Pretty simple stuff for an old country boy. Once in a great while the narrow view is the clear one.