|
Hmm, interesting news, especially for Paizo:
That may soon become true for publishers, too. Printing a 9-by-9-inch, 334-page hardcover book in China costs about 44 to 45 cents now, with another 3 cents for shipping, says Goodwin. The same book costs 65 to 68 cents to make in the U.S.
"If costs go up by half, it's about the same price as in the U.S. And you don't have 30 days on the water in shipping," he says."
Interesting, but is the US too de-industrialized to capitalize on opportunities stemming from this dynamic?
Given the value of the yuan versus the dollar, land is cheap over here for the Chinese. Along with certain municipalities likely to offer abatements, it'll offset the costs of having to provide medical insurance and higher wages to American workers. It'll also get them around tariffs.
I anticipate them building along the coastal regions, such as the Gulf.
Interesting, but is the US too de-industrialized to capitalize on opportunities stemming from this dynamic?Considering the amount of jobs in manufacturing and other industries that have been lost in the recession, I imagine they wouldn't lack for talented labor.
I'm not sure. The US has been draining resources and talent out of the manufacturing sector for 20 + years.
|
I'm not sure. The US has been draining resources and talent out of the manufacturing sector for 20 + years.Interesting, but is the US too de-industrialized to capitalize on opportunities stemming from this dynamic?Considering the amount of jobs in manufacturing and other industries that have been lost in the recession, I imagine they wouldn't lack for talented labor.
To be honest, and I'm not trying to be a dick here, but how much skill and talent actually goes into manufacturing nowadays? Isn't almost everything automated? The only skilled labor I can see as being necessary are technicians to maintain and repair the assembly line equipment. Gotta love unions forcing companies to pay high school graduates on assembly lines almost $30/hour (which, ironically, is probably more than the technicians contracted to work on the equipment make).
Speaking as a former factory worker for plants like Hamilton beach in Clinton N.C. or Black and Decker in Fayettville,N.C. or M.J.Soffee I hate to say it but too little too late.
Nobody is going to trust the factories again after the way thye treated the workers by bugging out to mexico and china.
As far as what type of skilled labor you need to be a fctory worker if you really want I can give you an idea of what I did when I was building the 3.5 motors for B&D or when I was stripping wire out of bad motors and had to be sure not to damage any parts so we could have 100% reuse. When I was the shipping and recieveing manager for the loading docks at MJ between math,people skills and other things you definatly don't want to assume that is unskilled labor. Mind you all these were in N.C. which is a right to work state, unions aint welcome. out of high school back in 90 when I was at soffee I was makeing 10 an hour not 30.
It would be nice to have more factory jobs back here in the U.S. but I don't see it happening, they will go to mexico where theres no min wage and NAFTA will scew the american workers again.
To be honest, and I'm not trying to be a dick here, but how much skill and talent actually goes into manufacturing nowadays? Isn't almost everything automated? The only skilled labor I can see as being necessary are technicians to maintain and repair the assembly line equipment. Gotta love unions forcing companies to pay high school graduates on assembly lines almost $30/hour (which, ironically, is probably more than the technicians contracted to work on the equipment make).I'm not sure. The US has been draining resources and talent out of the manufacturing sector for 20 + years.Interesting, but is the US too de-industrialized to capitalize on opportunities stemming from this dynamic?Considering the amount of jobs in manufacturing and other industries that have been lost in the recession, I imagine they wouldn't lack for talented labor.
It varies significantly based on the manufacturing process. I have a background in board build and IC wafer fabrication. It can be very involved and challenging, but no one in this neck of the woods was getting close to $30 an hour for production even when Intel was here. A lot of the tech manufacturing jobs that left this area had decent pay for the region, but they often provided health and other insurance. When thousands of jobs went over seas, people not only lost their primary source of income they lost their health coverage, life insurance, retirement and so forth too.
To be honest, and I'm not trying to be a dick here, but how much skill and talent actually goes into manufacturing nowadays? Isn't almost everything automated? The only skilled labor I can see as being necessary are technicians to maintain and repair the assembly line equipment. Gotta love unions forcing companies to pay high school graduates on assembly lines almost $30/hour (which, ironically, is probably more than the technicians contracted to work on the equipment make).
I suppose it depends on what the factory is manufacturing. In my own experience working for a chemical factory that produces hydrofluoric acid compounds, the job is most definitely not fully automated. Parts of my training included: SCBA/HazMat procedure, mixing/cooking unpredictable chemicals (by hand, with PPE, of course: many potential reactions had to be monitored visually), and transporting hazardous materials via fork truck/other vehicles. This was all entry-level training, starting at $12/hour (state of Oklahoma).
As an aside: one of the scariest--yet most interesting--jobs I've ever had!
|
|
I was more referring to auto assembly lines. I knew people working for GM here in OK (before it was right-to-work) that started in the mid-to-high twenties/hour AND had their benefits fully paid for. Hearing them talk about the work they did, it was something anybody could have done and would be willing to do for minimum wage (at least nowadays). There are some assembly line jobs that will require more training, but they tend to be more specialized, smaller in overall scope, and probably not unionized.
@Rhys--you're the only other okie i've come across on the boards lol.
LOL, I know what you mean. I am an Okie, but transplanted to Tulsa from California. It's kinda nice out here, slower pace and all. Where in Oklahoma do you hail from?
I see what you mean about manufacturing: auto assembly. I'd imagine that many assembly line jobs wouldn't require much in the way of education.
I was more referring to auto assembly lines. I knew people working for GM here in OK (before it was right-to-work) that started in the mid-to-high twenties/hour AND had their benefits fully paid for. Hearing them talk about the work they did, it was something anybody could have done and would be willing to do for minimum wage (at least nowadays). There are some assembly line jobs that will require more training, but they tend to be more specialized, smaller in overall scope, and probably not unionized.
@Rhys--you're the only other okie i've come across on the boards lol.
I thought you lived out east for some reason.
runs in looking for stuff to break
Oops, thought this was a china shop....
runs in looking for stuff to break
Oops, thought this was a china shop....
Dohp!