Manufacturers find reasons to bring production back to U.S. (from China)

[Omaha Steve]

http://www.courier-journal.com/article/20100417/BUSINESS/4170352/Manufacturers+find+reasons+to+bring+production+back+to+U.S.

Ford, GE projects in Louisville reflect change in thinking

By Jere Downs • [e-mail] • April 17, 2010

General Electric is moving some of its appliance manufacturing out of China.

Is it going to the next cheap-labor developing country on the map?

Not quite.

GE's plan to move production of a heat-pump water heater from China to Appliance Park in Louisville and Ford's strategy to export cars from its Louisville Assembly Plant to Europe are examples of an encouraging trend for manufacturing in the United States.

“On-shoring,” “back-shoring,” and “re-shoring” are all buzzwords for a U.S. manufacturing industry hopeful for change after decades of being weakened by cheaper labor overseas.

In GE's case, spokeswoman Kim Freeman cited lowered wages here, along with tax credits offered by the state and more control over production and development as reasons to move the water heater to Appliance Park.

By 2012, GE will add production of an automatically energy-efficient washer and dryer pair expected to add 830 jobs to its 4,100 in Louisville.

FULL story at link.

[Skittles]

1. yeah

I'm getting back-shoring right now - I'll be expected to clean up the mess before they pimp it off to the next cheapest overseas fucks

[MindandSoul]

2. That is great news. . .and hopefully just the beginning!

[Cirque du So-What]

3. Years ago, I predicted that this would occur

and I sure as hell did my part to show the bean-counters that it was more cost-effective to obtain parts & materials from domestic suppliers - ones with a proven track record of quality - than to save a few pennies on the same thing from a half-assed foreign supplier. Bean-counters tending to be fucking know-it-alls, however, it has taken several years for this lesson to sink in.

[Grand Taurean]

4. k/r

[RM33]

5. Jobs coming back? Yeah right . . .

For everyone job that comes back, 50 goes overseas. It is one of the reasons for the jobless recovery.

Companies can make product in Mexico and sell it in China and show profits on their spreadsheets. That't the reason that DOW keeps rising.

[safeinOhio]

6. coming back at

half the wage they left with.

[madrchsod]

7. there`s going to be a lot more coming back from china

china is still way behind the usa and some euro nations in the technologies of production. the cost of delays and shipping will become to much for american business.

[DonCoquixote]

8. Not quite

As the Chinese are getting technology from anybody willing to sell it (including our beloved "American" companies. However, there is always one flaw China cannot correct, and that is they are known for being poor quality.

[exboyfil]

9. Remember the scene in "Back to the Future"

When the Doc says about the broken part, "No wonder this circuit failed. It says "Made in Japan"." Marty responds by saying, "What do you mean, Doc? All the best stuff is made in Japan." Quality and perception of quality can change over time. Don't hold onto that hope when it comes to trade relations with China.

[unhappycamper]

10. I haven't bought a GE appliance for at least 10 years.

If it's from GE I don't buy it.