It's a Global Economy. American Cars are required to be 75% American-made to be called such. Most vehicles run about 76%. Somebody said the Toyota Camary has more American content than the Mustang.

China is beginning to choke on it's success. Their Government structure wasn't prepared for the influx of business they have and they are so bureaucratic they can't manage it.

Raw Material prices for steel, plastic, aluminum and such commodities are the same for them as it is for us. The Labor costs are the primary savings. Now that business is booming, there's a lot of competition for talent which is driving Labor cost up. Just like Taiwan in the '80s.

About 3 years ago the prediction was that India was the next "China" but that has cooled. Word has it that Vietnam is now the place to go.

So pretty soon folks will say "why do I have this Vietnam junk ?" - Whatever happened to good 'ol China-made products..........

Pic is Me and my Translator - It's 105F and raining that day........

 

Hey Dawg,

You're kinda cute, but the big bald headed translater needs some work!!!

(sorry man, I couldn't resist)

Bobby

 

Haw Haw Haw!!!!!!

 

Bobby

Ziiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiinnnnnnnnnngggggg

That shot parted the hair, well, uh, hmmm------------

 

Yeah well...... We've all seen Bobby's stealth figure also......

She was a tall Gal for China and quite successful financially. I'm 6'2" at 265 (yes I'm an Adonis in my own mind) and they are all about 5'. They call me "The Mountain".

I have many friendships over there. In the Southern Industrial areas they never see big stupid white folks like me. They treat me like a Rock Star. They love Americans and want to know every detail about how we live.

The Degreed Engineers cannot afford a car. They ride Bikes. When I tell them I have 5 vehicles..... they are speechless. Then I tell them I'm just middle class..... but handsome

 

China is in an industrial boom.
They have to weld down the sewer manhole covers..for they will disapear and be made into an export.

 

Were you in Suzhou (where it was 105)? I heard it is considered the garden spot of China. I was stuck in Tianjin, which is certainly not. But you're right, the people love Americans and they are hard working folks. Lots of corruption from what I saw.

The only way I can accept the exodus of industry from the US and other Western countries is that it's cheaper than foreign aide, and in the long run maybe better for everyone. The adjustment is sure hard.

 

Ross -
You obviously get it. I have been to several areas mostly in the Southern Canton area. That particular shot was taken in Shunde in the Guangdong Province.

In the industrial areas is where the real working people are I can't compare to these people economically but even though I achieved a certain level of Corporate success, I'm a non-degeed, blue-collar son of a Blue-Collar Depression Dad. I can't but try to relate to these folks

These folks have nothing by our standards. They have free room and board and free medical through their employer but the best Degreed Engineers make 25K US a year. Most of that money is sent to the families in the rural areas. They live on very little and they are fine with it. Of course they want better things and I think it's coming.

They are kind and they don't bitch about their circumstance. They value family over everything and they make due with whatever comes their way. They work their a$$ off 6 days a week and party hard on Sunday.

Don't drink the water TsingTao beer is everywhere at .60/quart. The Pollution is beyond belief but you won't find litter anywhere. The fish are filled with Mercury but it's the only option to eating bugs. The Veggie stuff is fine but irrigated in polluted water. I've been there 6 times and never got sick once.

 

I worked with the Eleventh Design and Research Institute engineers/designers in Tianjin, kind of state-run Bechtel if you will. All their people were from somewhere in the far SW of China, 1400 miles from Tianjin. They lived in a dorm, 16 to a room, simple steel-frame beds with thin mattresses, in the same building where they did design. Heat was almost non-existent (it was never above 20 outside the whole month) and everyone worked in winter coats. The food was wholesome but simple and cooked by chefs who were on the team, mostly chicken and rice. After work they were more or less confined to the barracks but had fun with games and writing letters home. The shower was in the middle of the only bathroom, one hot water head right next to the urinals with no curtain or walls.

My primary contact (Li) lost all his grandparents and two brothers in the '80's rice famine caused by Mao's farm policy, he had to watch them starve and 20 yrs later he could still not talk about it without crying. Chinese New Years and one other holiday were the only times they got time off work, and it took them 2+ days by rail to get home. Li only saw his wife 2-3 weeks a year and unless someone was dying, no phone calls. He was considered middle management. The way common laborers live there could not be believed by most of us. This was 10 yrs ago now but it sounds like things aren't much better yet.

Beck's was dirt cheap there, that was my poison. It always amazed me that Budweiser was 4x the cost of Beck's there -- "it's imported!"

 

Actually, they are getting our old American steel, then mixing it with any and all crap they can find, then sending it back to us!! And yes, we are allowing it, in the name of cheaper products. Now, just imagine what will happen, when we send the already-crap metal back?? They'll mix it again, and further reduce the quality. Won't be long, before there will be NO decent steel left anywhere.

You are ringing my bell, here. I am trying VERY hard not to get political, etc., but if we DON'T change our ways, we will soon be a 3rd world country ourselves. And WalMart is one of the biggest contributors to our downfall. Sam would roll over in his grave...

• Wal-Mart imports $22 billion of Chinese goods, making Wal-Mart the #1 importer of Chinese goods
• Wal-Mart, if it were its own country, would be <st1:country-region><st1></st1></st1:country-region><st1:country-region><st1>China</st1></st1:country-region>’s sixth largest trading partner
• Wal-Mart ships American jobs overseas, both directly and by pressuring American suppliers to move offshore
• Wal-Mart lobbies for free-trade agreements that make it easier for companies to ship American jobs overseas
• Because of the growing trade deficit with <st1:country-region><st1>China</st1></st1:country-region>, the <st1:country-region><st1>U.S.</st1></st1:country-region> has lost an estimated 1.8 million jobs since 2000

http://www.wakeupwalmart.com/

R

 

It looks like the US is heading in the same directions as Australia in the manufacturing Industry. In around 10 years from now, Australia's manufacturing industry will be non existance. Our labor cost are so high that our companies just have to go off shore to compete. So the warehousing industry will be the booming area to get into. As your imports are coming in by two folds, you need some where to store all this high quality stuff........Unless our goverments don't stem the flow on it you will see a Ford Truck in the future. Made in China.

 

Man, RCAV, don't even get me started on Wal Mart. It pains me to just walk in that place. I have the same feelings toward Home Depot. Yes, if you want to save money ,go there. But most of the items you find there are cheap imported crap that they buy and put opn their shelves. The days of the local grocery store, and hardware store are coming to a screeching halt. Hell, just look at most parts on a Harley Davidson, and you will find made in China on it. There are alot of things that are assembled in the USA, but the parts made to assemble this stuff is manufactured in China, Indonesia,Korea, or Mexico. And you guys are right , we have done this to ourselves. It's a money thing. Young and up and coming pencil thumpers trying to make their way to the top by giving management ideas on how to save money . Money saved is profit. That is the only thing that big business looks at. They match the quality to a fine print warranty that expires just about the time the item craps out. It's our new way of doing business. We have large companies buying up smaller ones to gain market share. We've all heard of how large companies buy up really good money saving patents,only to file them away,because it threatens their profits. It's that kind of thinking that got us where we are at right now. What can 10-15 guys on this forum do about it? Probably nothing in our lifetime. As long as there is greed for money it will never stop. I also believe that if we give foriegn manufacturers high quality specs on items to be produced , they would be more than accomidating .The cheap China crap we are buying is from Americans who are greedy . But again, that's just my .02 . Ok, I used up $1.67 worth of my soap box. Sorry bout that.

 

Interesting info on China guys. Thanks for sharing your experiences.

Robert

 

The worst thing is paying extra for USA goods and finding they are junk, due to cost-cutting to compete with imported.

 

We all started shopping at Walmart because they were cheaper. Now we are paying the real price.