"Vince Iorio" wrote in message
...
I don't think buying "American" is the real problem, though it is an
issue.

The problem is the mind set of businesses (i.e. management). They have
learned in
some class room that any risk is bad, and "capital" is bad. They would
rather get
quotes from 3 suppliers and go with the low bidder. Which is sort of sad
if you
think about it because they are suppose to be a "supplier".

I guess the real problem is that American business men do not know
anything about
manufacturing, therefore want to avoid it. They also don't know how to
plan more
then 1 year ahead.

I am told that Bose (they make speakers and radios) are an example how
manufacturing can work in this country. They have invested money into a
factory
that is highly automated, and located in a high cost labor area. They
have
designed there products to be "excellent" and to use as many common part
between
lines that make since. The result is a high quality, made in America
product.
(that I'm to cheap to buy, but that is besides the point).

Just buying American will not solve the problem,

Vince


Not always. I just got back from Oshkosh and attended the seminars with
Richard VanGrunsven on his RV aircraft. Afterwards I got to overhear some
of the discussion on his manufacturing parts of his kit in the Phillipines.
His problem is that if he gets simple sheet metal work done in the US, his
kit is substantial more expensive than the competition and he goes out of
business. So he is forced by market economics to go offshore. Quality is
not a problem as he can make the Filipinos do the work to a standard. He
doesn't do this due to greed and he isn't happy about it but he doesn't see
that he has a choice.

Steve.