is oregon hitting a new low?

[hamish]

I haven't seen the stats for a couple of years but the USA was still the #1 manufacturing country in the world with something like 18% of all the value produced in the world. Not consumer goods but more high end stuff like machine tools and aerospace.

Mark

If the US was still the #1 manufacturing country in the world (oh yeah consumer goods are irrelevant), why are US cities going bankrupt and why does your national debt continue to grow, all the while the national infrastructure keeps falling apart? GDP for the US is about 18 trillion per annum, and national debt grows by 2.5 million a day.

The main players in the manufacturing world are the US, Japan, Germany, and China. Some countries just do it better.

 

[o8f150]

heck,,, everything is made in china now,, even stihls,,, could you imagine all the jobs us americans would have if they brought everything back and starting making everything here,, even the low life lazy people could get a job

 

[labdad]

heck,,, everything is made in china now,, even stihls,,, could you imagine all the jobs us americans would have if they brought everything back and starting making everything here,, even the low life lazy people could get a job

Trouble is the "low life lazy people" don't want to work, they make more staying home and collecting their pennies from heaven.

 

[Jtheo]

For all we know, that may have been the intension with the discussed bar - we don't know that, or even how the bar itself looks!

I will buy quality goods from a country that is more or less on a par with the USA. I have a Jotul wood stove from Norway and several chain saws from Sweden; I once had a bunch from Germany. But goods from a Communist country that pays workers a slave's wages. That is not for me.

 

[heimannm]

Chris - From the National Association of Manufacturers website:

The U.S is the world’s largest manufacturing economy, producing 22 percent of the world’s manufactured products. U.S. manufacturing employs nearly 12 million workers and contributes more than $1.6 trillion to the U.S. economy annually. It is the largest driver of economic growth in the nation and accounts for the lion’s share of private sector research and development. Manufacturing’s record of expanded exports kept the United States economy strong throughout our history, and U.S. manufacturing’s trade activity remains a source of economic strength.

Taken alone, manufacturing in the United States would be the 10th largest economy in the world.6
6 Bureau of Economic Analysis, Industry Economic Accounts (2011) and International Monetary Fund (2011).

 

[Rusty Barlow]

Honda makes engines in Missouri? I thought that was Kawasaki? Kawasaki engines made in Maryville, Missouri SUCK. I can't get one to go past 1,400 hours. Old ones will run, but not the new ones. Kohler Commands are much better. 6000+ hours out of a couple.

K series forever.

 

[Rusty Barlow]

Minnesota. And yes, Toro's snow blowers are no comparison for a Honda. Toro's consumer quality has went to heck like everything else. They still make fantastic high-end golf course and lawn equipment.

Toro also builds some golf/turf equipment in Tomah, WI.

 

[mocoon]

If it doesn't come from an advanced country (i.e. US, Canada, Western Europe, Japan, South Korea, Australia, New Zealand) I don't want it. Still, probably 80% of what everyone owns is from China/Mexico type countries. Even a GM/Ford/Chrysler is probably mostly foreign.

Lazy people don't want to work they would rather sit at home and smoke drugs and buy their food with our money...

 

[mocoon]

K series forever.

The best engine I ever had outside of 2 cycle Suzukis on Toros, was a FC420V Kawasaki. 20 years old and still kicking. Probably has 7,000 hours. Their quality has went WAY down over the years, however.

 

[zogger]

Chris - From the National Association of Manufacturers website:

The U.S is the world’s largest manufacturing economy, producing 22 percent of the world’s manufactured products. U.S. manufacturing employs nearly 12 million workers and contributes more than $1.6 trillion to the U.S. economy annually. It is the largest driver of economic growth in the nation and accounts for the lion’s share of private sector research and development. Manufacturing’s record of expanded exports kept the United States economy strong throughout our history, and U.S. manufacturing’s trade activity remains a source of economic strength.

Taken alone, manufacturing in the United States would be the 10th largest economy in the world.6
6 Bureau of Economic Analysis, Industry Economic Accounts (2011) and International Monetary Fund (2011).

How much has that percentage dropped over the years though?

I mean, absolutely no way in heck is manufacturing in the US as strong as it was say like in the 50s to the 70s.

And I agree, manufacturing is the big kahuna, it is what makes wealth.

You can mine wealth, grow wealth, combine any and sundry of the first two and manufacture wealth. Every other job out there is wealth service, wealth governing, wealth entertaining, ie, some wealth rearrangement, but those are not wealth creating.

The only thing keeping the US afloat now is the fed reserve note and its use as the world trade/reserve currency, which is fading *fast*, real fast. Many nations are now doing dfirect trade without filtering it through fed reserve notes. China and tr4ade with nation x,y,z comes to mind, direct trade, no dollars needed.

this is what is accelerating

We are cruising on inertia and past wealth creation, socked with an insane amount of IOUs, this debt, that debt, another debt, "notes" and bonds and etc that will need to be paid off somehow..or else. You can only keep paying off IOUs with rebranded other IOUs just so many times...

 

[z71mike]

All I'm gonna say is - Support your country to whom which you pay your taxes. Wherever that may be.

 

[jughead500]

All I'm gonna say is - Support your country to whom which you pay your taxes. Wherever that may be.

I try my best too.A least my work boots are made in he states.

Dang I feel the Echo Hate around here tonight.

Didn't mean for this to turn into a political thread.The bar actually looks good but paint can hide a whole lot. It's branded as being a power sharp.

 

[Sagetown]

I'm just as guilty as many for buying Chinese products. Their quality makes it irresistible, even though I know much of it comes from child, and slave labor of long hours.

 

[hamish]

Their quality makes it irresistible, even though I know much of it comes from child, and slave labor of long hours.

As did the labour of the industrial giants of the past.

 

[machinisttx]

If the US was still the #1 manufacturing country in the world (oh yeah consumer goods are irrelevant), why are US cities going bankrupt and why does your national debt continue to grow, all the while the national infrastructure keeps falling apart? GDP for the US is about 18 trillion per annum, and national debt grows by 2.5 million a day.

The main players in the manufacturing world are the US, Japan, Germany, and China. Some countries just do it better.

That's a pretty simple answer: Most americans are completely disconnected morons(perhaps "useful idiots" is more appropriate?) that know more about american idol or other such trash than they do about who is doing what in politics. The political system in this country is a failure, no, an atrocity, created by an ignorant belief in a false dichotomy.

How much has that percentage dropped over the years though?

I mean, absolutely no way in heck is manufacturing in the US as strong as it was say like in the 50s to the 70s.

And I agree, manufacturing is the big kahuna, it is what makes wealth.

You can mine wealth, grow wealth, combine any and sundry of the first two and manufacture wealth. Every other job out there is wealth service, wealth governing, wealth entertaining, ie, some wealth rearrangement, but those are not wealth creating.

The only thing keeping the US afloat now is the fed reserve note and its use as the world trade/reserve currency, which is fading *fast*, real fast. Many nations are now doing dfirect trade without filtering it through fed reserve notes. China and tr4ade with nation x,y,z comes to mind, direct trade, no dollars needed.

this is what is accelerating

We are cruising on inertia and past wealth creation, socked with an insane amount of IOUs, this debt, that debt, another debt, "notes" and bonds and etc that will need to be paid off somehow..or else. You can only keep paying off IOUs with rebranded other IOUs just so many times...

We are past the point of a mathematical possibility of paying off the national debt. As you pointed out, the dollar's days as the reserve currency are coming to an end. When other countries have sufficiently insulated themselves against it's failure, they will stop helping to prop it up and it will fail entirely.

 

[Sawyer Rob]

How many of you people have or like John Deere's??? A HUGE amount of their stuff is made in China!

SR

 

[Matt81]

Maybe the Chinese made GB bars are OK but it sure takes the cool factor out of owning one made in Australia.

No reason for me to buy one now.

I drove past the old GB factory a while ago. It is a graveyard. All locked up and grass growing through the pavement all over the car park. Really sad to see.

I still buy their bars and chains even after they are made in China, because i have no loyalty to Oregon, tsumara etc.. etc.. as they are all 100% foreign owned companies to me. At least some profits are staying here despite the loss of jobs and of some quality.

There are still NOS GB bars available that are "Made in Australia". You must check what is written on the bar when you buy them. Big difference between the meaning of the words "GB Made in Australia" and "GB Australia"
I was lucky enough to know what was coming and bought at least 1 or 2 spare bars for most of my saws while the "Made in Australia" bars were still very common.

 

[TK]

$35 for a 3/8lp bar??

 

[Chris-PA]

Chris - From the National Association of Manufacturers website:

The U.S is the world’s largest manufacturing economy, producing 22 percent of the world’s manufactured products. U.S. manufacturing employs nearly 12 million workers and contributes more than $1.6 trillion to the U.S. economy annually. It is the largest driver of economic growth in the nation and accounts for the lion’s share of private sector research and development. Manufacturing’s record of expanded exports kept the United States economy strong throughout our history, and U.S. manufacturing’s trade activity remains a source of economic strength.

Taken alone, manufacturing in the United States would be the 10th largest economy in the world.6
6 Bureau of Economic Analysis, Industry Economic Accounts (2011) and International Monetary Fund (2011).

Yes, but what is "manufacturing"? Anymore it is final assembly of things made elsewhere. Design and manufacturing of industrial equipment (in the US) is what I've done for over 25years. About 10 years ago the parts vendors and reps who called on us began falling all over us to get in the door. Then they began to reduce staff and consolidate. Now there are much fewer of them. We have gone from being a pretty typical, unremarkable small company to a big deal account to now a curiosity. The vendors that remain are international companies that really only expect to get design wins from those who still design here, and then the parts would be sold in China. When they walk in and find out we manufacture here they are usually quite surprised.

There are still manufacturers here, but it is much less than what it used to be, the data is quoted in units of $ which means they count the top line sales of the thing regardless of where most of the value add work was done. Liars figure and figures lie.

The manufacturing won't be coming back, because most industrial manufacturing does not produce enough return to cover the increased costs of energy and the costs of servicing the accumulated debt. The use of really cheap labor overseas is a last-ditch effort to keep it going. The next step is no manufacturing.

 

[stihlaficionado]

Although, I don't like it, it's not surprising.
American and Western European labor has priced itself out of the market.

The Chinese are capable of producing products of decent quality but it's the exception, not the rule.

Depends on the industry. High-end manufacturing is steadily becoming infiltrated by the Chinese.