The lure of 'Made in America' ~ ..... foreign companies are looking anew at U.S.

MarketWatch ^ | Dec. 14, 2007 | Aude Lagorce,

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

Weak dollar, costly crude mean foreign companies are looking anew at U.S.

LONDON (MarketWatch) -- Forget about China, the U.S. is the new hot spot for global firms looking for lower production and transport costs, increased supply-chain flexibility and a crack at wooing the world's most demanding customers.

France's Alstom a maker of high-speed trains and power turbines, this week became the latest European firm to unveil plans for a facility across the Atlantic. The group said it will build a $200 million plant in Chattanooga, Tenn., to mitigate the impact of the weak dollar on its margins and to get closer to some of its biggest customers.

n recent months, companies ranging from car makers Fiat Spa and Volkswagen AG , to German steel behemoth Thyssenkrupp AG and South Korean consumer-electronics maker Samsung Electronics , have either publicly debated or set in motion plans for a U.S. plant.

"They're worried about the movement of the dollar, so moving to a dollar-zone takes a big element of risk out of the equation," said Richard Gane, a director in PricewaterhouseCoopers operational consulting business.

The trend reflects a notable shift in strategy.

"Long-term, a very high euro level is not good news," Chairman Patrick Kron told French radio Europe 1 in an interview. "Let me also add the issue of volatility. We are in a heavy industry and exchange rates that change at the pace they're changing at add to the difficulty," he said.

The dollar has lost roughly 20% against the euro in the last two years. It's also declined about 14% against the British pound.

[mnehring]

You are right that it is all relative, but part of the reason for the deflation of the Dollar and the inflation of the Euro is simply competition. For the longest time, the Dollar was the only real hedge currency. Since the advent of the Euro (and let's face it, a currency backed by the productivity of multiple first world countries is going to be strong) there has been competition for hedge currencies. Considering we were the only good hedge currency for the longest time, it is a natural move that will balance out over time.

I would urge caution about jumping 'in bed' with doomsayers who point to the short term change a some sign of collapse. They are not much different than global warming followers who look at the short term data to try to describe long term issues. They always come out of the woodwork the days the dollar falls and ignore the long term.

This is a long term chart of real world Dollar valuation.

[Ditto]

Well, that's good. Because for the rest of us, it's been a nice little pay cut.

So you buy a lot of European products?

[central_va]

Partly as result of that depreciation, Alstom and other large firms with global exposure are taking a fresh look at the U.S. as an attractive location for new facilities.

French companies, building turbines in the U.S., using illegal Mexican alien labor. What interesting times we live in.

[PGR88]

How many will come to New York State? ZERO.

[mysterio]

No, I buy imported goods and gasoline.

[mnehring]

It sometimes amazes me how so-called ‘Conservatives’ look outward to blame problems on and expect solutions from. If you see deficit spending is going up, buy bonds- that way you are the creditor. Conservatives should be the one who rely on rugged individualism and capitalize on all situations, not look externally and complain...

Go figure...

[Beagle8U]

No. I’m all for taking a meat axe to the budget. But some times borrowing can be a good thing.

[Flash Bazbeaux]

“a maker of high-speed trains and power turbines, this week became the latest European firm to unveil plans for a facility across the Atlantic. The group said it will build a $200 million plant in Chattanooga, Tenn., “

Pardonnez-moi, s’il vous plait, garcon, c’est le choo choo de Chattanooga?

Oui monsiuer, empreintes nombre vignt-neuf. Puis vous donner un lustre de chaussure ?

[Ditto]

French companies, building turbines in the U.S., using illegal Mexican alien labor. What interesting times we live in.

Building turbines requires the precision of a fine Swiss watch in a 100 ton package. Sorry, the folks who build them are very highly paid skilled craftsmen, not illiterate minimum wage wet backs.

If someone wants to invest the billions of dollars necessary to establish such a factory in the US, and hire Americans to do the job, I welcome them with open arms.

Frankly, the knee jerk stuff I see here opposing foreign investment in the US is mystifying.

[central_va]

Building turbines requires the precision of a fine Swiss watch in a 100 ton package. Sorry, the folks who build them are very highly paid skilled craftsmen, not illiterate minimum wage wet backs.

I am sure every single person working in the French factory will be a legal resident. /sarcasm

[Ditto]

No, I buy imported goods and gasoline.

Oil prices are quoted in dollars. The dollar's value relative to the Euro does not impact the price of oil in the US.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

LOL!

[Ditto]

I am sure every single person working in the French factory will be a legal resident. /sarcasm

I'll bet you $1000 right now that every one of them will be. These are not fly-by-night chicken plucking or hedge trimming jobs. All the jobs will be at well above minimum wage, and most will require an educational background and extensive on-the-job training. The aren't going to invest the time and money necessary on someone who can disapear at a moment's notice or take a chance on screwing up and having an ICE storm in their factory. This stuff is not dumbed down sweat shop work.

Now maybe some local landscaping company that hires illegals will be contracted to mow the grass outside the factory, but everyone inside will be legal.

What the hell is your problem with providing high paying jobs?

[untrained skeptic]

Ummm... all the statistics I've seen show wages growing on average quite well, even after inflation is taken into effect.

But don't let reality interfere with your prediction of our impending doom.

[ProCivitas]

Hi Ditto, re your:"If someone wants to invest the billions of dollars necessary to establish such a factory in the US, and hire Americans to do the job, I welcome them with open arms.
Frankly, the knee jerk stuff I see here opposing foreign investment in the US is mystifying."

While I don't see much reason to oppose this kind of foreign investment and am pleased someone wants to employ Americans, comparatively it's less desirable than homegrown companies because of the 1.)offshore drain of profits, 2.)likely foreign sourcing of component materials, 3.)possible compromising of our economically strategic technology 4.) further inordinate influence by foreign interests upon state and federal governments etc. here ...

[Mr. Silverback]

But...but...but all the jobs are going overseas! They have been ever since Dubya took office, even though inexplicably economic data shows the job numbers going up every month! < /FR drama queens>

[sig229]

What comes around, goes around!

[GAB-1955]

If there is one thing Americans excel at in the business world, it’s supply chain management. No wonder companies come here.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

Seems Good to me.

[The Pack Knight]

Why not both foreign and home-grown companies investing in the US? A foreign company opening a factory doesn’t prevent American companies from doing the same.

In fact, it will probably help home grown businesses. Factories need parts, machine tools, and energy. Workers need food, housing, and services. Someone has to provide these things, and American entrepreneurs are in the best position to do so.

The economy isn’t a zero-sum game. Americans don’t lose just because a foreigner might win.