We have lots of smaller specialty manufacters, like Hamer guitars (woodworking content), Kaman music (Ovation), Peter Paul (as in Mounds), Cannondale, Horton Brasses (woodworking content), etc...
You're right that we don't do so well with large scale, non-military stuff.
dayvo wrote: ...
That is, of course, the purpose of _any_ company that isn't a government or other monopolistic entity that doesn't require a profit to remain in business. And, of course, you left off a major portion of where those profits go, even for importers--employees of the distribution and retail chain, etc., and the stockholders which include a major fraction of the US population either directly or indirectly thru retirement plans.
The problem is, the US buying public has amply demonstrated they're more interested in price than any other single factor. The fraction that isn't is too small to be more than a niche market at best.
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I'm sure that's why they're here. Bring a plant into an area where the average fully benefit loaded manufacturing wage is about $20/hour, finding labor is not going to be a problem.
The Unisaw never left. Built in Jackson, TN, but with a higher foreign content in components. The sheet metal is fabricated in Jackson and the unit is assembled and painted there, components come from the far east, Mexico and Brazil.
Regarding any others, I don't know. Of the 6-700 fine, knowledgable, people who worked for Delta prior to the consolidation in 2000 there are approximately 10 left with the company. Mostly field sales. I have no contacts left to stay up with what is happening.
Frank
B A R R Y wrote: ...
Deere, Caterpillar, etc., are doing just fine, thank you.
As are Boeing (commercial as well as military), Cessna, Hawker/Beechcraft, ...
Selective "name that tune" here plays a part, too...
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I meant in Connecticut. Sorry. Pretty much all of our large-scale non-military manufacturing is long gone. Most of the big stuff that's left is United Technologies family and still tied back to military stuff, like Pratt & Whitney, Sikorsky, etc...
Zip file compression and ESPN are Connecticut grown, though!
FWIW, Cessna is building it's newest aircraft in China.
B A R R Y wrote: ...
Only partially and that's as much strategic as otherwise to gain market access. Plus, they're in the process of a $$multi-million expansion of facilities in Wichita.
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Yep, when I go to IWF, I go to the Steel City booth to visit with all my old friends.
Frank
Illinois, Iowa, and Kansas come to mind, but Connecticut?
Lew
Many of the management, design and sales people moved to an outfit called Steel City Toolworks. I very much like the tools they're currently offering, even though the units all seem to be offshore...but, then, very little isn't these days.
And Independence (KS) and Columbus (GA).
Also, both the Wichita Airbus facility is expanding (independent of the tanker contract foo-fa; they do Axxx design work in Wichita) as well as Spirit (former Boeing commercial facility, now they do the former Boeing work plus additional for various others including new work for Airbus as well as 787 composites)...
Now is, somewhat amazingly, still pretty-much boom times in commercial aviation in both large airframes as well as small business and private markets despite fuel costs.
Didn't see the CT connection :) granted; thought it was meant as US.
Many of the problems in local areas has to do w/ onerous State and Local laws and taxation policies combined w/ changing product demands and competition pressures that haven't been responded to in effective manner for one reason or another (or more generally, combination of all of the above and more)...
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I completely agree. The fish rots from the top down. Just look at the state of the economy. (Oooops, I'm Canadian and not allowed to observe a clusterfuck like the US economy, so I will ignore that this time. I mean... WHERE-O-WHERE is that really cool Delta plant in Guelph, Ontario now?)
Yup, seen that elsewhere as well. It is not exclusively 'the union's' fault. There are always examples which preclude generalisations like that. But zoom back and take a look at the big picture. Unions have not encouraged investment much, have they? As soon as the company starts to make money, it was GIMME GIMME. R & D spending has suffered lots too.
I have seen this first hand. As a small business owner, you want to grow, create work for people who want it, make a few bucks. My guys see that CNC as a threat instead of what it is, a way to be competitive and be more secure in this environment. It helps secure their jobs, not threaten it. (Besides, it doesn't show up hung-over, goodie for me, right? I should get something for putting my nuts on the chopping block, wot?)
If it is, it's about time, before their reputation makes the last circuit around the drain.
** Posted from
If you haven't seen WALL-E yet, I highly recommend it.
"Buy n' Large", indeed!
Jerry
I'd push an AMERICAN vehicle, before I'd buy Foreign CRAP, that goes for anything. I have a lot of old tools because of this Motto. Support your economy , and it will support you,
Pet Peeve, Honda with bumper sticker SUPPORT your Troops,
Nope.
It's "Made in China".
I've been following the uproar since it started.
The expansion in Wichita is mostly Citation trainin facility, no? I know they're building the Mustang in Indepependence.
How many vehicles does Honda build in the US?
How many vehicles do the "American" companies build in Mexico and Canada?
Isn't Peter Paul shutting down their CT operation? But Stanley (woodworking content) still manufactures some stuff in New Britski, don't they?
Lee
I googled this, and man, you're right!
Hershey moved Mounds and Almond Joy to VA. That sucks!
But Stanley (woodworking
I'm not so sure. I know a guy at Stanley that makes regular trips to Mexico City, though. I have to remember and ask.
We've still got Horton in Cromwell and the genuine Forstener bit in Berlin. ESPN should count as a decent sized factory.
Done that. I was in HD picking up something and needed some clear pine but didn't want to drive all the way to my wood supplier for a couple of boards. Went over to the wood racks and there was no clear pine being sold. But, I looked at some pine in the #3 pine stack and there were 2 eight foot boards without a single knot, no cupping, no warping. I picked them up and cashed out. Probably paid a little more than my wood supplier would charge, but I didn't have to burn gas nor take the time to get there.
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