Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

To: alien
I know my grandfather always said that manufacturing jobs are absolutely essential to this country and service jobs depend on a healthy manufacturing base. We've let go of that which made us strong in the first place. We want to be a country of waiters and store clerks ---which are fine but you can't have only that.
48 posted on 04/14/2002 5:35:31 PM PDT by FITZ
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 43 | View Replies ]


To: FITZ
I know my grandfather always said that manufacturing jobs are absolutely essential to this country and service jobs depend on a healthy manufacturing base.

Your grandfather was right. In addition, my husband says that the way to create wealth is to take raw materials and add value to them, i.e manufacture a product that you can sell for more than the cost of the raw materials plus the labor. I think he's right on that one too.

Unfortunately our manufacturing base is slipping away. Last month I was in Chicago for a week at National Manufacturing Week (the largest trade show in America -- at least it used to be). It was down about a third in attendance and in number of booths from last year and only half of what it was 3 years ago. But there were more foreign firms represented there than ever, and they were aggressive in their marketing. Mexico brought a booth for every state in their country (about 25 booths, I estimate) and they were filled with bright, young professionals anxious to take our work home.

We are a contract manufacturer doing specialized electronic assemblies for OEMs, but my computer was filled with emails, when I got back from the show, from Asian and SE Asian companies wanting me to subcontract my customers' to them. In fact, one of my competitors had a booth right across the aisle from me, and we were astonished to find that they do not do ANY of their own work. They subcontract it all out.

Gives me an idea for a new marketing piece, "When you let a contract, do you really know who is building your assemblies? Come over to our shop and watch your assembly be built every step of the way! We will never send your precious assembly to Fly-by-nite Contracting in Huey's garage when you are not looking."

87 posted on 04/14/2002 7:26:49 PM PDT by afraidfortherepublic
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 48 | View Replies ]

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article


FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson