Apple to move some mfg to the US!

[lparsons21]

Wow! Tim Cook announces some Macs will be mfg'd in the US! Who'd a thunk it?

http://tech.fortune.cnn.com/2012/12/06/apple-making-macs-in-us/?hpt=hp_t3

I guess this is following the news from GE about them re-opening some of their huge manufacturing campus again.

 

[Neutron]

I wish more companies would move their manufacturing back to the US. I know costs would be an issue but it would do wonders for our economy.

 

[Juan]

now for the Truth..

[ He didn't specify which line of Macs would be made in the U.S., but reports last week that some of the new 21-inch iMacs come with "Assembled in the USA" labels on them is strongly suggestive. (Note, however, that soldering in a few parts in an iMac is not the same as building an entirely new manufacturing plant.)

/B]

 

[TheForce]

The last consumer electronics equipment to be made entirely in the US was also a "MAC" McIntosh stereo amplifier, that is.

 

[lparsons21]

With modern mfg techniques and the labor force willing to be a bit more cooperative, I think you'll see more moves back to the US. A story I read about GE was that they could get time to store much quicker, with quicker product changes and a reduced body count on the mfg floor which all resulted in lower overall cost to mfg and easier to manage.

It isn't just about how much an individual laborer makes these days.

 

[whitewolf8214]

About time a company brings jobs back to this country and more should do this and I only buy stuff made in USA

 

[Anole]

Yea, but they'll still be built with components from Asia.
The LCD displays and batteries aren't made here, either.
Kinda reminds me of a Chrysler I once had ... with a Mitsubishi engine.

But I'm not complaining; every little bit helps our economy
(unless they get a financial incentive from the government...).

 

[lparsons21]

Well there has been discussion about changing some business tax breaks and concentrating them more on those that bring jobs to the US and letting those that outsource punt somewhat.

I'm in favor of that.

 

[John Kotches]

Having been outsourced, I am very unsympathetic for tax breaks to corporations that are outsourcing/offshoring jobs.

Moving on, assembly in the US is better than the finished product being assembled outside of the US -- but not as good as manufacturing in the US. A step at a time.

 

[TheForce]

About time a company brings jobs back to this country and more should do this and I only buy stuff made in USA

You can say that because you don't know what's in the stuff you buy. Probably the cloths you wear are made outside the US. Certainly the gas you put in your tank is sourced from foreign oil. If one were to restrict his purchases to stuff only made here, his life would be pretty simple.

At one time there was an incentive to have components made in China and final assembly here rather than complete the finished product in China. I wonder if that is still the case.

What surprises me about Tim Cook's decision was to do the assembly plant for Macs in CA. I can think of 49 other states that would be more friendly to business than CA.

 

[Hall]

...and I only buy stuff made in USA

It's a nice idea to do that as much as possible but it is NOT really possible. Since you're posting messages to an internet forum, what are you using to do it?

FWIW, the gov't actually has guidelines about what "made in" or "assembled in" mean as well.

 

[Hall]

With modern mfg techniques and the labor force willing to be a bit more cooperative

If only that were true... If a company told a plant that employed 2000 people that either disbanding the union or close down/move to China were the only 2 options, we're more likely to see it shuttered.

 

[lparsons21]

No reason to disband the union, just get some talks going and maybe you find a workforce willing to vote for it because it is in their best interest. Todays job market is making some be more reasonable in their demands.

 

[osu1991]

No reason to disband the union, just get some talks going and maybe you find a workforce willing to vote for it because it is in their best interest. Todays job market is making some be more reasonable in their demands.

I'm sure Hostess had those thoughts too

 

[Hall]

That was just a hypothetical scenario. On the other hand, I know of a few labor disputes locally and recently and the (vocal) public opinion was "if they don't want their job, I'll take it". One dispute wasn't about wages either, but things related to on call, vacation scheduling policies, etc. The avg hourly wage, before factoring in benefits, was in the $35+ per hour range. As one can imagine, there was little public sympathy!

 

[lparsons21]

I'm sure Hostess had those thoughts too

I knew that someone would bring that up. I guess you didn't read or know about all the concessions made by the unions over quite some period at the same time management was getting fat bonuses and raises. Just how far over would you be willing to bend in that case? Hostess management can take the bulk of the blame for their piss poor mgmt of the company.

Other companies are seeing some willingness on the unions part and the mgmt is also sharing in the changes. Those are the smart companies that will thrive and have a workforce that is in better shape too.

 

[osu1991]

I knew that someone would bring that up. I guess you didn't read or know about all the concessions made by the unions over quite some period at the same time management was getting fat bonuses and raises. Just how far over would you be willing to bend in that case? Hostess management can take the bulk of the blame for their piss poor mgmt of the company.

Other companies are seeing some willingness on the unions part and the mgmt is also sharing in the changes. Those are the smart companies that will thrive and have a workforce that is in better shape too.

Current mgmt inherited most of those problems from the unions too. Correct some of the unions made concessions but in the end it was the unions that killed it.

 

[Anole]

My understanding is that Hostess was gutted by the company who owned them.
All blame is theirs.

At the Los Angles docks, CLERICAL workers went on strike, shut down the port and stopped delivery of $760 million a day of freight.
Including iPhones and my parts from Hong Kong, no doubt!
The paper-pushers have a base pay around $87k, and with benefits $165k.
What did they have to bitch about?

But this is all off topic.
I'm just glad to see Apple making ANY effort.

 

[jevans64]

Not so fast... I bet THIS is what Apple is talking about.

Foxconn plans assembly plants in either Los Angeles or Detroit.

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-...expansion-as-clients-seek-made-in-u-s-a-.html

I agree with the one poster that said life would be simpler if we only bought American. My dad says that if we only bought American in these times we would have a simple, no-frills house, food, and probably have plenty of money left over to buy the two only remaining American-supporting entertainment options left -- Jack Daniels and hookers. LOL

 

[truckracer]

Yea, but they'll still be built with components from Asia.
The LCD displays and batteries aren't made here, either.
Kinda reminds me of a Chrysler I once had ... with a Mitsubishi engine.

But I'm not complaining; every little bit helps our economy
(unless they get a financial incentive from the government...).

I think my dodge Durango engine 4.7L is a derivative of Mercedes Benz.