Industries

[Robert Binford]

What are the advantages and disadvantages of having various industries in your community?

[tbomachines]

Depends on the industry, depends on the community, and depends on your definition of "industry". Do you mean industrial involvment (which would include the commercial side of it), industrial-zoned land, manufacturing, etc?

[barry12345]

One advantage is that it would not be a one industry town. Industries also seem for many reasons to fade out or move out or whatever at some point of their cycles. Losing all you have from an industrial perspective is a heavy blow for a community.

Some industries are more aware of their own presence in a community and some just view it as a place to operate.

Detroit was a one industry town basically. In their case it pretty much destroyed the community. There were other reasons as well for the depth of their fall I suspect.

From my perspective most of the remaining industries are at or will be at risk from production of simular items from the orient. Many companies have already died off in the thouands or tranfered their operations there.

The few I thought might be somewhat secure are now coming under attack. Some companies that left I would have considered to have been national treasures. The long term loses by these types of companies leaving are totally unacceptable.

Also this enabling development of things in china especially that may not have happened otherwise or taken a much greater time frame to achieve. Even the japanese have set up the facility to build the honda fit in china denying their population the jobs as well as giving up whatever manufacturing techology was invoved. History will find out that the so called smart corporations will lose control of their operations there and they will become over time pure chinese entities.

[Stoneseller]

Originally Posted by Robert Binford

What are the advantages and disadvantages of having various industries in your community?

Biggest advantage I can think of would be jobs.

Hard pressed to think of any specific disadvantages.
Probably some ecological issues depending on industry.

[engatwork]

Nothing like an engineering degree, loads of experience and a paper mill within 17 miles. I'm for having a lot of industry going on. Unfortunately, in my county, the biggest "industry" is the incarceration business.

[cmbdiesel]

Originally Posted by Stoneseller

Biggest advantage I can think of would be jobs.

Hard pressed to think of any specific disadvantages.
Probably some ecological issues depending on industry.

Additional tax base is a big plus too.

[Botnst]

What is 'industry'?

[Robert Binford]

I mean about manufacturing industries. We all know that in terms of economy it gives a benefit but how about its disadvantages.

[Robert Binford]

I think it does matter after all, if these industries brought disadvantages then we all are primary recipient of it, thus we must be aware of its advantages as well as disadvantages.

[Jim B.]

Originally Posted by Stoneseller

Biggest advantage I can think of would be jobs.

Hard pressed to think of any specific disadvantages.
Probably some ecological issues depending on industry.

Chernobyl.

[sloride]

Originally Posted by Robert Binford

I mean about manufacturing industries. We all know that in terms of economy it gives a benefit but how about its disadvantages.

One disadvantage would be the destruction of fertile soil. There are many soil and water conservation groups that are active in keeping farmland in production rather than urban sprawl.

[elchivito]

NIMBY TYVM

[Mike D]

Originally Posted by Jim B.

Chernobyl.

It's got its plus side. Free heating!

[SwampYankee]

Originally Posted by Robert Binford

I mean about manufacturing industries. We all know that in terms of economy it gives a benefit but how about its disadvantages.

Noise, disruption, smells, truck traffic would probably be the obvious ones. Quality of life issues.

Our business is classified as light-manufacturing and distribution. A lot of warehouse space, some packaging equipment. Since we're in a residential neighborhood, we try very hard to minimize our impact but we still get complaints. We're open 7-5 M-F and 8-noon Sat but don't accept deliveries before 8 or after 4 or on Sat. Our outdoor forklift is a late-model propane-powered Toyota because it was the quietest we could buy at the time. We have a no-idle policy for our own trucks and require those delivering to us to abide by them. We get 1-4 tractor trailers a day (LTL day cabs and FTL sleepers), either for pickup or delivery, plus our delivery trucks leaving in the morning and coming back in the afternoon.

I'd consider ourselves a good commercial neighbor but there's still some grumbling, usually from new folks moving in. We've been in the same location for 121 years so the old timers are well-used to us.

[SwampYankee]

Originally Posted by Mike D

It's got its plus side. Free heating!

And lighting, what with the glow and all.