Hershey Closes US plants

[RoyJackson]

that is because we Americans just want to buy cheap stuff.
If we did not buy Chinese stuff the companies would not be able to sell it.
We consumers rule this kind of thing.
2/3 of our economy is based on what consumers spend.

Yep, and a heck of a lot of debt!

 

[randy41]

debt to the chinese

 

[JoeR]

America is the largest consumer in the world. Henry Ford created a consumer market by paying his employees well enough that they too could buy a car. If companies keep leaving the US and try to sell it back to us, eventually, we will not be able to consume products due to loss of employment. Suddenly, these companies will wake up and realize that low wages do not create consumers. Most people in China still do not make enough money to even eat at KFC. That is why the US can't seem to sell to other countries since their wages are not up to par with the rest of the 1st world. I personally believe that the CEO's are taking too much profit from their company's to make them competitive without leaving the US for lower wages.

Joe

 

[DocHeb]

For a contrarian view of lost manufacturing jobs, see The Skeptical Optimist -"Bar Chart of Where the Jobs Went" Today's article describes the lost manufacturing jobs in the US, and the better paying new jobs that took their place. Of course, those jobs aren't going to high school grads.

 

[Tom_H]

The following Op-Ed writer describes himself as a free trader, yet says that even he himself considers China's economic practices and trade policy "predatory", a time bomb capable of crippling the system of trade in the free world.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dy.../05/08/AR2007050801580.html?hpid=opinionsbox1

 

[scott_vt]

For a contrarian view of lost manufacturing jobs, see The Skeptical Optimist -"Bar Chart of Where the Jobs Went" Today's article describes the lost manufacturing jobs in the US, and the better paying new jobs that took their place. Of course, those jobs aren't going to high school grads.

Afternoon Doc,
Dont think for a minute that all manufacturing jobs are low paying, and or the " High Tech Jobs " that are replacing these manufacturing jobs pay more than jobs we have lost. Yep, your right Im only a high school grad, but I served a 4 year 8000 hr apprenticeship to become a modelmaker/toolmaker and I have been able to lead a fairly comfortable lifestyle since entering my trade over 35 years ago ! I do R&D work in the mailing industry, paper handling etc. IMHO I feel its a mistake for the US to be losing all our manufacturing base to overseas competition ! God forbid we should ever get involved in a large scale conflict somewhere else on our globe, who would we go to to cast and machine parts ?

 

[Dozernut]

Hershey is not closing all U.S. plants, in fact the one in our area is teaming up with a Swiss chocolate maker who will locate operations in this local plant. Here is a local newspaper article about it.

Swiss firm to make chocolate here

 

[pennwalk]

The local paper says Hershey is laying off 80 to 100 people at the local Twizzlers plant. I'm afraid we are cutting out own throats. Its weird when I am hearing about "food miles" and buying local. It is funny that so many companies seem to be moving production offshore. My brother in law was telling me about what a pain it is managing production in Mexico. A lot of problems. He says it is hard to find people from here who want to live there to manage the plants. He found flying back and forth wore him down. It seems like it will be expensive if they change their minds and have to come back. I would have thought that the know how of all those people they lay off would be worth something... guess not. I have got to say I'm mistrustful of food from out of the country.


Chris

 

[Knight9]

It was just announced that the last Hershey plant in Canada will be closing. 600 people out of work. Sad.

 

[kenmac]

Think I'll move my HVAC / Plumbing business to China.