China's manufacturing not really slowing down... - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

jplinville · #1 04-24-2013, 12:15 PM

An interesting read...I'm sure it will ruffle a few feathers.

Not so fast on the U.S. manufacturing renaissance | Jon Talton | Seattle Times

Quote:

Alan Tonelson, research fellow at the U.S. Business and Industry Council, has been one of the few expert observers to push back against talk that rising wages in China, increased transportation costs and technological advances at home foreshadow a major turnaround for American manufacturing. President Obama consistently pushes advanced manufacturing at home as part of his economic agenda. The Brookings Institution has devoted its brainpower to the topic. But outside of a few coddled companies (hello, Boeing), is manufacturing even holding its own, much less turning around, particularly as an employer? Tonelson says no.

Air&Road · #2 04-24-2013, 01:20 PM

Anyone who believes that there will be a significant rise in US manufacturing any time soon was probably at that big pot party in Denver, or at least got some of that stuff and took it home.

I work for a major company whose market is manufacturing companies. Our US and even North America business trends don't even HINT at such an event in the foreseeable future.

BobK · #3 04-24-2013, 01:51 PM

Jon used to work for my paper. He's a pretty smart business writer.

tbomachines · #4 04-24-2013, 01:51 PM

Hardly surprising, can't imagine this trend would be bucked in only a couple years

(from chinaglobaltrade.com)

Interestingly the paper does not really address a growth or reduction in U.S. manufacturing much, but rather the growth of Chinese manufacture within the U.S. Also there is significant data missing. The paper editorializes that the missing data would be along the same lines as what they have but fail to qualify it. I do wonder what the results might be if they were to include it.

Quote:

Data limitations also prevent determining how many imports from China have been produced by U.S. owned or affiliated factories in China, and how many goods made in the United States have been produced by foreign owned or affiliated including Chinese owned or affiliated factories.

aklim · #5 04-24-2013, 02:42 PM

Problem is we insist on beating a dying horse thinking it will go faster. Perhaps the time is now to find a different horse and ride it? This is like having Wal*Mart move into your neighborhood and the M&P store sells similar things but insists on doing business the way they have been doing since before when.

If I sell widgets and Wal*Mart is moving in and sells widgets but sells them cheaper than what I pay for them, I can either close shop when I am run out of town or change my operation and sell something they cannot and/or will not.

dynalow · #6 04-24-2013, 04:22 PM

It depends on the metric or point of view you are discussing. Time mag. last week had a cover story on the return of US manufacturing. Yes "manufacturing" jobs have increased, but it's a different manufacturing landscape than what formerly employed legions of workers. Many, many fewer jobs in today's manufacturing facilities. And they aren't blue collar jobs either.

Made In The USA
By Rana Foroohar and Bill Saporito

Don't know if this is a readable link without a subscription
Read more: U.S. Manufacturing is Staging a Comeback - TIME

tbomachines · #7 04-24-2013, 04:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dynalow

It depends on the metric or point of view you are discussing. Time mag. last week had a cover story on the return of US manufacturing. Yes "manufacturing" jobs have increased, but it's a different manufacturing landscape than what formerly employed legions of workers. Many, many fewer jobs in today's manufacturing facilities. And they aren't blue collar jobs either.

Made In The USA
By Rana Foroohar and Bill Saporito

Don't know if this is a readable link without a subscription
Read more: U.S. Manufacturing is Staging a Comeback - TIME

The first PDF in the op was interesting (brookings) regarding the paradox of high unemployment and too many positions open.

aklim · #8 04-24-2013, 04:53 PM

Can someone please post the article? I suspect thar jobs are available to white collar workers and not blue collar workers. Not enough tech trained workers would be my guess.