What is it with USA manufacturers?

Cpl Punishment said:
I think right now, small businesses that are fairly new is where it's at. These are guys that got started in tough times, will take what they can just to get their names out there, and know that they will be golden if they can survive these times while their competition dies off.
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From what I've read, I think you are correct. I also seem to remember an article that more than a few long-standing and successful businesses were started during "The Great Depression." In fact, I think John Deere may have been one of the more successful ones.
 
R.A.T. said:
Manufacturers nowadays just plain suck though, as a whole.
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Don Rearic said:
You think we don't know that already? Why do you think we like ESEE stuff? :D
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A BIG f-in' +1!!!!

And with that, I guess I've thrown way too many singular replies in this thread. Sorry about that. I really need to start reading to the end before I open my big mouth.
 
Ok. Got a quote plus pictures of the initial lanyard sent to you.

Some eye candy.
IMG_2695.jpg
 
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Albin said:
Were those the lanyards that Busse was selling at KCR last April? If so, I got one. Dang nice lanyard, I'm glad I got it.

Al
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Square-knotting is pretty typical for "FOBS", lanyards are another deal all together. And any manufacturer would likely use a typical pattern for such activity.
 
lol, the wife & I are in the process of starting up an internet company doing things from paracord. Sadly we are not quite at the point to do something like this at this point. Maybe in the future. Since I had to go in for surgery everything kind of got shut down for a bit. But we hope to be up & running soon.
 
ron_m80 said:
Square-knotting is pretty typical for "FOBS", lanyards are another deal all together. And any manufacturer would likely use a typical pattern for such activity.
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Well, the reason I ask is that the Busse guy specifically stated that they were made by a "girl"; but I didn't get any details on who it was.
 
Thanks for all the replies. Josh was the first to respond on the lanyard deal so we are waiting on his samples before we go forward.

As for American companies going overseas, I don't place blame on the overseas companies and workers. They are simply doing what American companies refuse to do inside our own borders, and are actually getting damn good at quality and customer service - learning, then adjusting their companies to fit the consumer, unlike many American companies (Maxpedition is a great example of this). What does piss me off is that most consumers are willing to pay a little more for American made products and quality but the dumbass American companies believe that price point is the only key to competing, so they take it overseas.

Just finsihed reading an excellent book called THE STARFISH AND THE SPIDER. If you're interested in some of the reasoning behind what's hapening to companies, and if leaderless resistance interests you, then I highly suggest this book.
 
R.A.T. said:
What does piss me off is that most consumers are willing to pay a little more for American made products and quality but the dumbass American companies believe that price point is the only key to competing, so they take it overseas.
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I can't buy that reasoning. I think companies state that as a smokescreen for what they are really doing.

It's about maximum profits for upper management and that's all.

See, I've seen too many companies go overseas with their production. They tout lower pay scales, cheaper energy and such as the reasons so they can provide the same thing for a better price. They brag about how great they are for paying some Vietnamese dude $15 a week rather than an American $10 an hour.

Yet, their $350 item, after going overseas and saving all of this money costs. . . .$350.

Nope, they are getting everything done cheaper to line their pockets with as much as they can, so they can live in comfort after bleeding the beast dry and screwing their entire workforce.

I used to feel sorry for the people I'd see on the TV news in some foreign country when there'd be a revolt and you'd see these guys hanging from light poles and such. No more. If you're just sucking the blood out of everyone around you, you deserve your comeuppance.

Now, DO NOT construe this as an argument that everyone who is in business, or even everyone who is making boatloads of cash is some Dr. Evil clone. Some guys are just really good businessmen and understand that the ONLY way for American companies to compete is on QUALITY. Our taxes are so high, that we simply can't pay Americans slave labor wages, because they simply can't live on them.

Now look at companies that have stayed in the US (at least mostly), but done it right. Yeah, we know about ESEE. How many times have they released a product and it's been hard to get? Not because they are the cheapest, but because they are the best bang for buck, and at least initially, demand exceeds supply.

Kifaru. Price is high, quality can't be beat, they develop new products based on customer demand. Some stuff you'll get in 2 weeks, some it can take 8 weeks. Demand exceeds supply, consistently.

Duluth Pack. Who the hell wants canvas and leather packs, most with no compression straps or hip belts? Enough that they can get good money for them and expand their lines. Like Kifaru, you'll probably never have to replace one you buy from them.

So, American companies CAN compete quite well in the global marketplace (French love Marlin leverguns), but when they do well, it's ALWAYS because of quality.
 
To continue my rant, if you'll indulge me.

There is an element of the American workforce that is also the problem.

Lazy, bad attitudes, the whole 9 yards.
The company I work for right now this year, laid off close to 60% of its workforce.

Some good people got laid off, mostly because they were fairly new, and hadn't established a track record yet. But for the most part, it was flushing the toilet.

They put up with crappy attitudes and laziness to a degree when we were balls to the wall 24/7 because they needed warm bodies pushing buttons. But now that it's crunch time, all those guys that wanted to walk around for two hours BSing and drinking coffee and then knock off an hour early to clean their machine, yet had the gall to complain that they didn't have enough time to make their numbers. Yeah, they're gone.
The guys with the "F**k this place attitude." Gone. The guys "I'm not sweeping the floor, I'm machinist not a janitor." Gone. Guys that refuse to go off their machine and learn some of the other jobs. Gone.

Guys like me, who would bounce around from job to job as needed, or who will mop the floor, paint the floor, wash under the machine so the riggers didn't get too dirty when we moved to the new building, who make our numbers, helped set up the machines and work areas? We're still there. Even though, as I mentioned, the company iks resistant to taking jobs if the profit is too low, are adapting their manufacturing paradigm to be more flexible, lower costs, and hopefully be competitive in some of the less profitable areas. They also carry no debt, everything, including the new facility is owned outright. A lot of our competition, which got into the business during the boom, is dying off because they financed themselves through the roof to gear up, and now that things have slammed to a halt, they are losing their butts.

What I'm getting at, is both American businesses, and American workers need to get their heads out of their asses, and understand where we can and cannot compete. Those unwilling to adapt will die.
 
Well I got with the wife & she is very interested in doing this. I understand that Josh has first crack at it since he spoke up. If things fall through with him we would like to give it a whirl. If you would like to see a sample of ours just for s&g drop me a line Jeff.
 
My samples are in the mail, should get there on the 6th. :thumbup:

killstew said:
Well I got with the wife & she is very interested in doing this. I understand that Josh has first crack at it since he spoke up. If things fall through with him we would like to give it a whirl. If you would like to see a sample of ours just for s&g drop me a line Jeff.
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Hey, you sound like you need a website. :D
 
This country needs a Manhattan Project to revitalize manufacturing. By that I mean, GOVERNMENT and UNIONS GET OUT OF THE WAY and let us INNOVATE. The Private Sector, demand and the market will then lead the way.
 
Innovate away, man. Unless you are already in bed with the unions, you're not beholden to them.

I've said for a long time now that the best thing for the auto makers to do is file bankruptcy, close the doors. Then open with a new name as a non-union shop. You can go to work there doing what you used to do, or cut your nose off to spite your face by refusing the union that can no longer get you a job.
 
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