Chinese Tools...get them while you can?!?

[Bolster]

"China’s leaders have mapped out a plan to wean the world’s second-largest economy off its overreliance on exports to the United States and European Union, its two largest markets where growth has slowed to near zero and threatens to disappear altogether. Growth at China’s teeming factories ground to a halt in recent months as orders from overseas dried up, stoking anxiety among citizens and businessmen alike."

http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2011/nov/6/chinas-leaders-explore-new-pathways-toward-prosper/

Please discuss.

 

[Quint]

brb...US General products to snag!!

 

[slipjointed]

It begins... I knew there would be a boomerang effect on Chinese imports/exports of jobs, I just didn't know when.

Looks like we're going to see a few jobs come back here, and a few go to India, Vietnam, etc.

 

[Richard D]

Yeah right.

 

[jsackin]

I talked to the president of a US tool manufacturer last week. He said that he's received multiple calls from import companies wanting him to quote prices on the production of US made tools. Good sign? Yes.

Jori

http://store.harryepstein.com

 

[BHH]

America **** Yeah!

 

[Trey T]

America have outsource many jobs to foreigners, but can we reverse it and bring the job back into America?

 

[TheGrooveking]

Excellent news! I think the only thing we should import now is Chinese politiciians, they cost less and take fewer payoffs plus they look after their country first and foremost, which would be a new sentiment in Washington. Just teach them English and with the exchange being what it is, even at $20,000 a year they'll make out like bandits.

TheGrooveking

 

[slipjointed]

Excellent news! I think the only thing we should import now is Chinese politiciians, they cost less and take fewer payoffs plus they look after their country first and foremost, which would be a new sentiment in Washington. Just teach them English and with the exchange being what it is, even at $20,000 a year they'll make out like bandits.

TheGrooveking

It's pretty sad when we're looking at communist politicians with admiration.

Either way, this is damned good news for American tool manufacturing.

 

[american lockpicker]

Is this an early April Fools joke?

 

[Richard D]

Is this an early April Fools joke?

Probably.

 

[slipjointed]

Is this an early April Fools joke?

I've been predicting this article for years... it's only a matter of time until business is forced to return to American shores.

I own a business and know a lot of other business owners, and the writing has been on the wall for some time.

Quite a few folks I know have had to drop something or other from overseas manufacturing and bring it home, or have tried to source a new product overseas only to find it's cheaper and easier just to do it here.

 

[Gary S]

I'm not in the market for tools right now, so I don't need to shop for Chinese tools. I still haven't worn out my US made tools I bought back in the 1970s. If more tools are made in the US in the future, and if I live long enough to wear out mine, I'll shop for tools then.

Or, I'll shop at a little private tool dealer near me who sells all the old used US tools you could want.

 

[slipjointed]

I'm not in the market for tools right now, so I don't need to shop for Chinese tools. I still haven't worn out my US made tools I bought back in the 1970s. If more tools are made in the US in the future, and if I live long enough to wear out mine, I'll shop for tools then.

Or, I'll shop at a little private tool dealer near me who sells all the old used US tools you could want.

I really enjoy owning new USA made tools, becuase I know that the people who made them are probably still alive. It's fun for me to use a tool made by another person living on the same soil I do.

I also love old tools, but in a way I view them more as museum pieces.

 

[Need4racin]

Good china, get your **** and gtfo.

 

[wadd1]

Saturation will do that to any market...
look at the harleys now they are dime a dozen
with throw away motors

 

[oldtools]

$5,000 a year for Chinese and $50,000 a year for American. Doubt they will bring manufacturing back to US anytime soon. If China become not as profitable, they will go to India, Paskistan, Afganistan, Vietnam, Angola, Ghana, etc... There are plenty of dirt cheap laborers out there not to mention less environmental regulations.

 

[HandyManny]

It begins... I knew there would be a boomerang effect on Chinese imports/exports of jobs, I just didn't know when.

Looks like we're going to see a few jobs come back here, and a few go to India, Vietnam, etc.

This country largely lost it's ability to manufacture stuff long ago. It would take a while to get back up to speed in manufacturing let alone get back to the quality levels that once existed in USA production in the past. I don't think too many Americans are willing to work that hard unless they're sitting in front of a laptop in a well ventilated air conditioned office. The EPA and all those environmental groups have made this country very hostile ground for most manufacturing processes anymore. No I'm sure all that production and outsourcing will go to some other developing country. I have no desire to snag up any new Chinese made tools. Would rather buy quality USA made tools even if I have to buy older stuff on the used market.

 

[woody 73]

I am not sure at this point in what to believe in, my gauge (barometer) is to walk into Hardware stores and check out their stock of tools; over these many years it is almost next to impossible to find American made tools. So when people are telling me things will change, I don't see it in these stores at least at this time.

 

[HandyManny]

I really enjoy owning new USA made tools, becuase I know that the people who made them are probably still alive. It's fun for me to use a tool made by another person living on the same soil I do.

I also love old tools, but in a way I view them more as museum pieces.

What makes you think that it was actually an American who made your new USA made tools?

 

[HandyManny]

Excellent news! I think the only thing we should import now is Chinese politiciians, they cost less and take fewer payoffs plus they look after their country first and foremost, which would be a new sentiment in Washington. Just teach them English and with the exchange being what it is, even at $20,000 a year they'll make out like bandits.

TheGrooveking

That's good thinking

 

[slipjointed]

$5,000 a year for Chinese and $50,000 a year for American. Doubt they will bring manufacturing back to US anytime soon. If China become not as profitable, they will go to India, Paskistan, Afganistan, Vietnam, Angola, Ghana, etc... There are plenty of dirt cheap laborers out there not to mention less environmental regulations.

I wouldn't bank on that... I'm not saying the USA is going to fully recover, but there are companies bringing our products back to our shores even as I type this.

It turned out that the amount of hassle and cost shipping stuff halfway across the world and back to people that speak a different language, isn't always worth the savings.

Additionally, there are plenty of companies more than capable of turning a respectable profit here in the USA and still easily competing price-wise against imports. Look at Moody, Wilde, Channellock, Kershaw, etc.

What makes you think that it was actually an American who made your new USA made tools?

If you have any doubts, feel free to find out for yourself. Wright's phone number is 800-321-2902

SK is 800-752-7263

Channellock is 800-724-3018

Moody is 800-866-5462

Wilde is 785-742-7171

 

[kv501]

1. There will always be cheap labor somewhere in the world. I don't think it's always humane, but the fact is still there.

2. The Washington Times is a fakey newspaper. If you have never heard of it before, research just a little and you will see it's a conservative op-ed started in 1982. I'm not picking sides but be careful where you get your world news from (They could have been a little more creative than crossing the names of The Washington Post and New York Times... )

3. Even at the current percentage rates of income growth in China we are many, many generations away from equalizing. Hypothetically, let's say a Chinese worker makes $.50 an hour and their non-Chinese counter part makes $10.00. Even if the Chinese worker experiences a 10% increase in relative wages per year, it would take 33 years to hit $10.00. That is also assuming the non-Chinese worker stays at the same level the entire time.

4. I don't believe for a minute that the resources inside China's borders will sustain their HUMONGOUS population without both western imports and western tech advances. Especially not at the standard of living we have here and Europe.

But what do I know???

 

[oldtools]

Not sure if the new SK is profitable (certainly not the old SK). I think Channellock is struggling alittle bit. They supplement their income by selling import tools along with their domestic tools. Don't know much about Moody and Wilde. I am not saying it is impossible for US manufacturing to come back, but I don't think it going to happen anytime soon. The rate of exodus is still much higher than the rate of returning home.

 

[blarf]

Excellent news! I think the only thing we should import now is Chinese politiciians, they cost less and take fewer payoffs plus they look after their country first and foremost, which would be a new sentiment in Washington. Just teach them English and with the exchange being what it is, even at $20,000 a year they'll make out like bandits.

TheGrooveking

Careful what you wish for. We've been trying this in San Francisco for a while. The last one to get caught is now in federal pound-me-in-the-*** prison after getting caught with $40,000 in cash that he extorted from a soda shop. The current mess, Rose "Jabba the Hutt" Pak, succeeded in holding the city and federal governments hostage for a few billion dollars worth of pork for her neighborhood. Despite having ties to the PRC, she's done well at integrating with the long standing political machine. It's impressive to watch.

In any case, perhaps manufacturing will move to another third world country. But I'd bet a good chunk will come back here. You can deride environmental regs as much as you'd like, but demand for higher wages and safer living conditions are some of the big reasons why costs are going up in China. Sure, production may move to countries like India, Thailand, or Vietnam (and to some extent it already has)... but their residents will get tired of the same **** too.

In California, at least, the way taxes are collected strongly encourages local governments to pursue low paying retail jobs over more middle class type stuff such as tool manufacturing. Cities will fight tooth and nail over a big box store, but can't afford to care about more industrial jobs. I'd be very surprised if the big impediment to bringing manufacturing jobs back was lack of demand. Hell, was it Stanley or Danaher that closed up their New England shop in favor of cheaper labor in Texas? If there weren't a demand for said jobs I don't think they could pull off opening up a new factory.

 

[Need4racin]

I want to say I read somewhere that the working class in china was making $8k per yr. Dunno how accurate that is.

 

[Notwerk]

I can see some of that happening simply because growth in Chinese manufacturing is obviously cooling and rising fuel costs are making it more costly to import.

Meanwhile, there are lots of Americans who would gladly take a job doing just about anything.

But if you're getting your news from the Washington Times, be prepared to wash that down with a big dose of salt.

 

[FergusonTO35]

The Washington Times was founded by Sun Myung Moon, leader of the World Unification Church or "The Moonies".

I think that within my lifetime Chinese and Indians will be lamenting job exports of their own. You can't make stuff cheaply while paying an educated workforce enough for the higher standard of living that they demand.

 

[ndoran]

Excellent news! I think the only thing we should import now is Chinese politiciians, they cost less and take fewer payoffs plus they look after their country first and foremost, which would be a new sentiment in Washington. Just teach them English and with the exchange being what it is, even at $20,000 a year they'll make out like bandits.

TheGrooveking

They can already speak English.

BTW China is the only country where all the members of their ruling politburo have an engineering degree. Also of note the country that trains the largest number of lawyers each year is the U.S., The country that trains the largest number of engineers is China, the country that trains the second largest number of engineers is India. Perhaps this explains why China and india are so focused on growing their manufacturing capacity.

 

[bagsanthony]

damn... i was gonna use them as toilet paper

 

[GoBlue]

Jobs will leave China eventually...but manufacturing will never come back here. There is still a lot of Asian and the entire african continent to exploit.

 

[sberry]

Got a tie rod end the other day, made in Turkey.

 

[warmpancakes]

old company I worked for moved production to Mexico with transport and quality issues its the same cost to build here they are moving production to Michigan

 

[slip knot]

I'm afraid I'm gonna have to call BS here. Get real, China cutting their biggest consumers off? Seems to me that this is some sort of market manipulation ploy to drive prices up long term. China just wants a bigger piece of the pie. Almost every major industrial item we currently use is made overseas. I just spec'd a 14in Fairbanks Morse ( good old american company)pump and found out its got a 18week lead time. its gotta get made first and then catch the boat to USA. No body keeps anything in inventory anymore. Hell I cant even get complete tune up for my GM truck in one stop anymore.

No I think this is a conspiracy to drive the price of HF tools up. One day they may rival our best Snappy tools in price!!!

 

[american lockpicker]

No I think this is a conspiracy to drive the price of HF tools up. One day they may rival our best Snappy tools in price!!!

Except someday snappy will all be made there and cost more than it ever did when it was made here.

 

[dtt454]

have you seen a walmart parking lot lately?

 

[AZ_Catskinner]

I got a bunch of new stuff today, all different manufacturers, none were Chinese COO.

Mitutoyo adjustable parallel block set: Made in Brazil
Blackhawk ratcheting combo wrench set: Made in Taiwan
Stanley Torpedo level: Made in Thailand
Proto screwdrivers: Made in England
Ajax sleever bar: Made in USA

 

[vssjim]

What I read latley is that cost of labor plus cost of shipping is going up and productivity is much higher in the US, Canadian markets that some production is starting to expand again here but we got along way to go to make a dent in outsourcing from the last fourty years.

 

[Charles (in GA)]

Got a tie rod end the other day, made in Turkey.

I've run into a number of auto parts made in Turkey, bought some shocks several years ago that were made in Turkey, since then, I've seen other stuff. I think these companies are suppliers for the European auto industry and selling spare parts is just a way of using their manufacturing capacity. I suspect you will find VW, Audi, MB, and such all have Turkey made parts in them..... the cars are largely assembled by migrant Turkish workers in Germany and elsewhere in Europe. Lots of VW's built in eastern Europe now, Budapest I think.

Charles

 

[GoBlue]

The ford transit connect is made in turkey then sent to the U.S where the interior is ripped out to avoid the "Chicken Tax" than sold to unknowing consumers who think they are buying an American ford.