- Joined
- Aug 13, 2005
- Messages
- 1,283
I'm posting this here because a lot of my thoughts will tie back to both my own place of work, and to Kershaw... because this is a knife forum, knives are manufactured, and Kershaw is my brand of choice... AND also, I familiar with many of you and I'd love to hear your thoughts. I will apologize now for the ramble... 
and I know the length could kill this thread by boring everyone
I've truly collected, bought and sold knives as a hobby for maybe 4 years only. I do it for the fun of it, and I'm fascinated with their design and the manufacturing processes used. And materials etc. I also have a keen interest in where knives are manufactured, why and how well it's done from both the end result of the knife in my hand, to relative cost and value to the end user. BUT what about to the company? and to the people who work there... not just the leadership.
I had a real attitude a few years back about where stuff was made. I still do, I guess... but it just depends on so many factors. I was very critical of BM (just 1 mile from my house) when I found out they had decided to classify their product lines by sending the precious Oregon City butterfly log to be made overseas. How could they possibly lay off workers here and give jobs away overseas, producing what I thought would be an inferior product.
At the time, I had just started to work for another manufacturer which could proudly boast a product line almost entirely produced right here in the good old USA. Not only that, but my company is private, and family owned. At the time I started over 7 years ago, we had a domestic market share ranging from 60-85%, and an emerging presence internationally with major offices in the UK and Australia as well as dealers worldwide. We aren't a Nike or an Intel, but we have over 1000 employees. 800 of which were making good old American product right here in Oregon. Family owned, 1000 employees, 60-85% domestic market share, a 12 building manufacturing campus... and making nearly 100% USA product. I'm not bragging, I'm just establishing why I could not understand why our little way couldn't be everyone's way.
Well.... we are still up there and have experienced fantastic growth. AND, most all of our product is made here. But it's not the cheapest... in fact it's very pricey when compared the competition. Always has been. And we have justified that by selling our quality and the value you get from that investment. Yes you pay more, but you never have to worry about our product... cost savings in maintenance and our product has a long life cycle. We are still family owned and serious about that made in the USA pride. But being that "old faithful" product in a faster cheaper world that places more and more emphasis on aesthetics than to lifecycle can get hard to keep up with. How do you respond?
Ship manufacturing overseas? well, the way we have chosen to respond is to become quicker, leaner and meaner. More competitive by bringing new product to the marketplace faster. Not just that, but by staying ahead by making product that's innovative... something the competition will follow behind. Stay the leader. To do this we looked within by changing the way we develop and launch product. Also, the way it's promoted and sold.
A big part, however, are practices many of you may be familiar with.
1. Lean Manufacturing
2. Continuous Improvement
3. Capacity Gain
These principles can involve cuts of people and process... but they can also mean adding resources as well. But the general idea is doing more with less.
So the idea is... increase or maintain quality, increase output, reduce cost. AND keep it made in the USA!
But you can only do that so long. You can only squeeze and expect more for so long before what you see with many companies happens. In the most positive cases, a company cares for it's people and wants to continue to provide a place for people to provide for their families. Can you blame a company for doing all they can, but then doing what they have to to remain competitive and survive. Along with the companies that just sell out or send it all overseas, you have companies like BM who try to maintain the best of what they make here, but add resources elsewhere to help them survive and grow.
KERSHAW: I'm going to say up front that I am not a Kershaw historian. My first nice knife was a Kershaw in 1981 when I was 16 and I still have it. Some bias there
Are all their knives made here? Nope... they have been a part of Kai for some time.... and a large chunk of their knives are made in Japan (nice stuff btw), and some value priced knives made in the familar places. But what's so amazing is what they are doing here. It almost seems as if they are doing things in reverse.... with a now emerging MADE IN THE USA presence. Not only that, but they are INNOVATIVE and fun in the eyes of many consumers... They aren't afraid to push the envelope, try new stuff and be enormously proud of not only what they produce elsewhere, but also help build their local identity or brand.
Back to my company... like I said we are doing well, but times are changing and the company cares for it's people as well as it's success. We are looking at many more options for the future, not all internal. I hope we can follow the example of companies that maintain pride in their local identity, but carefully do what they can to grow, remain competitve and thus help provide for their family.
Made in the USA is wonderful... but It's not everything.
and God Bless the United States of America!!!
Ok, I'm done now... and I feel better
and I know the length could kill this thread by boring everyone I've truly collected, bought and sold knives as a hobby for maybe 4 years only. I do it for the fun of it, and I'm fascinated with their design and the manufacturing processes used. And materials etc. I also have a keen interest in where knives are manufactured, why and how well it's done from both the end result of the knife in my hand, to relative cost and value to the end user. BUT what about to the company? and to the people who work there... not just the leadership.
I had a real attitude a few years back about where stuff was made. I still do, I guess... but it just depends on so many factors. I was very critical of BM (just 1 mile from my house) when I found out they had decided to classify their product lines by sending the precious Oregon City butterfly log to be made overseas. How could they possibly lay off workers here and give jobs away overseas, producing what I thought would be an inferior product.
At the time, I had just started to work for another manufacturer which could proudly boast a product line almost entirely produced right here in the good old USA. Not only that, but my company is private, and family owned. At the time I started over 7 years ago, we had a domestic market share ranging from 60-85%, and an emerging presence internationally with major offices in the UK and Australia as well as dealers worldwide. We aren't a Nike or an Intel, but we have over 1000 employees. 800 of which were making good old American product right here in Oregon. Family owned, 1000 employees, 60-85% domestic market share, a 12 building manufacturing campus... and making nearly 100% USA product. I'm not bragging, I'm just establishing why I could not understand why our little way couldn't be everyone's way.
Well.... we are still up there and have experienced fantastic growth. AND, most all of our product is made here. But it's not the cheapest... in fact it's very pricey when compared the competition. Always has been. And we have justified that by selling our quality and the value you get from that investment. Yes you pay more, but you never have to worry about our product... cost savings in maintenance and our product has a long life cycle. We are still family owned and serious about that made in the USA pride. But being that "old faithful" product in a faster cheaper world that places more and more emphasis on aesthetics than to lifecycle can get hard to keep up with. How do you respond?
Ship manufacturing overseas? well, the way we have chosen to respond is to become quicker, leaner and meaner. More competitive by bringing new product to the marketplace faster. Not just that, but by staying ahead by making product that's innovative... something the competition will follow behind. Stay the leader. To do this we looked within by changing the way we develop and launch product. Also, the way it's promoted and sold.
A big part, however, are practices many of you may be familiar with.
1. Lean Manufacturing
2. Continuous Improvement
3. Capacity Gain
These principles can involve cuts of people and process... but they can also mean adding resources as well. But the general idea is doing more with less.
So the idea is... increase or maintain quality, increase output, reduce cost. AND keep it made in the USA!
But you can only do that so long. You can only squeeze and expect more for so long before what you see with many companies happens. In the most positive cases, a company cares for it's people and wants to continue to provide a place for people to provide for their families. Can you blame a company for doing all they can, but then doing what they have to to remain competitive and survive. Along with the companies that just sell out or send it all overseas, you have companies like BM who try to maintain the best of what they make here, but add resources elsewhere to help them survive and grow.
KERSHAW: I'm going to say up front that I am not a Kershaw historian. My first nice knife was a Kershaw in 1981 when I was 16 and I still have it. Some bias there
Are all their knives made here? Nope... they have been a part of Kai for some time.... and a large chunk of their knives are made in Japan (nice stuff btw), and some value priced knives made in the familar places. But what's so amazing is what they are doing here. It almost seems as if they are doing things in reverse.... with a now emerging MADE IN THE USA presence. Not only that, but they are INNOVATIVE and fun in the eyes of many consumers... They aren't afraid to push the envelope, try new stuff and be enormously proud of not only what they produce elsewhere, but also help build their local identity or brand.
Back to my company... like I said we are doing well, but times are changing and the company cares for it's people as well as it's success. We are looking at many more options for the future, not all internal. I hope we can follow the example of companies that maintain pride in their local identity, but carefully do what they can to grow, remain competitve and thus help provide for their family.
Made in the USA is wonderful... but It's not everything.
and God Bless the United States of America!!!
Ok, I'm done now... and I feel better
