Talking about American manufacturing can be painful because so many
people have had the changes directly effect them, even positively for
some. So there's a lot of pain and anger. It's not the sort of thing
that works out well in an email list.

But if Russell thinks that it can be handled, I'll watch for a while.
People need to pay attention to the fact that this is not just an
international list, but one with people on all sides of the issues. I'd
like to think that we are all working for the greater good. I know
that's not true, but hopefully those that aren't will know enough to not
let on.

As Eric Schmidt (Google) says, "if you want a job, learn to outrun the
robots".

Have at it, Russell :)

Friendly regards,

Bob

On Mon, Jan 28, 2013, at 09:22 PM, RussellMc wrote:
> Bob said:
> > Winding this thread down is probably the best thing to do right now.
>=20
> Bob - would you like to comment why.
> It looks potentially net positive to me.
> Sure it has risks, but that's a given.
>=20
> Joe's first comments were not, I think, properly thought through, but
> I'd have thought that his subsequent material was largely along the
> lines that you'd be thinking, identified something that can be fixed
> or done better, and may catalyse some positive action from someone
> reading this.
>=20
> For example, If Steve J did in fact say that an iPad could be built
> (assembled) for $50 more in the US (and if that's manufacturing *cost*
> and not selling-price increment then it's fatal) then might not it be
> viable to actually sell two versions - with one costing more and
> having clearly identified additional US content - the buyer pays
> directly for the US labor etc and everyone wins (value of buyer's rosy
> glow of satisfaction is priceless.)
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> I have recently been involved as a bit player in investigations
> relating to bringing previously foreign manufactured products back "on
> shore" (your shore, not mine) - to what extent tbd.
>=20
> So I've got some idea of how US costs and pricing compares with that
> in a few other countries**. My sample size is small but I may be able
> to add some useful perspective even at this remove. But, only if we
> have the conversation. ** eg plastic molding with ABS - in Asia
> material cost dominates, in US labour cost dominates. How can this be
> best addressed? Are there any positive aspects that can be taken
> advantage of? (eg in Asia doubling the material; cost vastly increases
> component cosat. In US the % rise . is far less. So use of a eg filled
> premium material may be more attractive once decision is made to
> manufacture onshore. )
>=20
>=20
> I'd hope that questions like - "what do we need to do to manufacture
> here?" and "what factors are addressable?" etc were worth asking in an
> EE forum, as long as the boundaries were sensibly explained in
> advance. The alternative seems to be "don't see, don't tell" on an
> industrial scale.  No?
>=20
>=20
>            Russell
>=20
> PS: Maybe this is an occasion to catch up on overdue bracing and
> inspiring offlist missives
>

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