On 3 Aug 2003 19:32:34 -0700, (ROCKY HELMS) wrote
something
.......and in reply I say!:

I am not in the US. But Oz has similar troubles. You cannot compete
with low pay, low safety standards, masses of labour force, low level
of socail security, low level of environmental conscience, and a very
imbalanced social system.

I watched a thing about deaforestation in one of the Asian countries.
While it was not the main thrust of the article, the thing that struck
me was that the tree fellers were cutting HUGE trees, then _running
away_ from the base, saws still going, and having to rev them as they
ran because they were not idling properly. This happened several times
in a row.

Even if the US etc decided to lower workplace standards to compete (in
many cases a long way to go), in the end it would simply be even, with
sheer numbers still against you. If the US does NOT lower its
standards, they will slowly rise in the the emerging nations. Again it
will even out, and their costs will rise until the old manufacturers
can compete again. But that's a way down the track.

You need to be specialised or at least very high-value, able to do a
really good job of a one-off, able to deal with the customer NOW and
properly, with constant interaction.

This will probably make your job labour and time intensive. And you
will do few jobs but cost a lot. Racing and other urgent, specialist
areas are the way to go. Trouble is, you will have to be _good_
because the free-for-all is now all overseas.

You need also to see each opportunity and be willing to fill it,
providing it's worth it. How do you know? You don't.

Oh yeah, and invest in foreign manufacturing companies G(?).
Seriously, I would certainly be putting a bit aside into something
other than the house I lived in and the company I ran.


I was just curious what you guys think about the future of
manufacturing in this country. You here alot of people say that there
will be no future 10 or 20 years from now. I'm 27 years old and have
been a machinist for 10 years,i was lucky to get a job in a big
machine shop when i was a senior in high school and have been lucky to
work with some of the old craftsman of the machining trade. I
consider myself very lucky to have worked with the people that i have.
I have been a machinist in Winston-cup racing since i was 18 so i am
in a different industry than alot of you guys,buy if i ever was to
decide to leave racing and work for a machine shop again i would like
for it to be in an industry that wasn't on the way across the big
pond. I would like to here from some of the shop owners on this as
well. Are alot of the shops still struggling to get work,and if so
which types of industries are the hardest hit. Which types do you
think will be around for years to come. I love the machining trade
alot,and would like to have my own shop someday(that's my dream
anyway). Are there any of you all that own a shop doing parts for the
racing industry or for custom bike,and car builders? If so how is that
type of business doing,that is what i'm wanting to do maybe 10 years
down the road. Thank you all for taking the time to read this and good
luck to you all.

************************************************** ****************************************
I could never _see_ myself as anything!

Nick White --- HEAD:Hertz Music
Please remove ns from my header address to reply via email
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