American Made Tractor

[goeduck]

American companies have no loyalty to American workers, they will prostitute their own knowledge and designs to any country that might make the product one cent cheaper. American worker health care costs are through the roof and at the end of the day those costs work into the comparisons companies make decisions on. Our health care costs need to get under control. Big pharma, big insurance.... they are killing American jobs.

 

[Ortimber]

American companies have no loyalty to American workers, they will prostitute their own knowledge and designs to any country that might make the product one cent cheaper. American worker health care costs are through the roof and at the end of the day those costs work into the comparisons companies make decisions on. Our health care costs need to get under control. Big pharma, big insurance.... they are killing American jobs.

And frivolous lawsuits.

 

[kthompson]

Medicare cost and frivolous lawsuits often go hand in hand. If you see the prices for anything medical quality or such compared to non medical approved the price is amazing.

 

[RSKY]

I worked for a German tire manufacturer in the U.S. for a few years. They replaced a lot of the older U.S. made equipment with German made. It was great when it worked but an absolute stone cold ***** to work on.

A large part of the problem is that Americans by nature are a frugal people and look for the best value for their dollar with no concern for brand loyalty. Also Americans tend to buy the 'newest, best' without regard to brand loyalty.

RSKY

 

[RSKY]

American companies have no loyalty to American workers, they will prostitute their own knowledge and designs to any country that might make the product one cent cheaper. American worker health care costs are through the roof and at the end of the day those costs work into the comparisons companies make decisions on. Our health care costs need to get under control. Big pharma, big insurance.... they are killing American jobs.

Also the misnamed 'Affordable Care Act' has to be hurting American industry. When I left Continental Tire in 2006 they were bragging about the salaried retirement plan being the strongest in the country. It was 100% vested and according to them could pay out all retirement benefits with no problems. Then came the ACA. My entirely paid for health insurance was capped at $476/month paid for by the fund with the remained being paid for by the retiree. My first year payment was $35. Now they are still paying $476 and I am paying $864 a month. According to the letter I received Friday the fund is at 81%. This has to change.

The U.S. used to be the largest tractor manufacturer in the world but short sightedness by management and anti business government policies ruined that edge.

RSKY

 

[smstonypoint]

Notice to Mariners

This thread is drifting close to the perilous waters of the (Un)Friendly Politics forum.

____________________________________________________________________________

I am tempted to respond to some of the comments made in this thread, but I fear I may be held responsible for its transfer to the (Un)Friendly Politics forum.

Steve

 

[YLee Kioti]

Notice to Mariners

This thread is drifting close to the perilous waters of the (Un)Friendly Politics forum.

____________________________________________________________________________

I am tempted to respond to some of the comments made in this thread, but I fear I may be held responsible for its transfer to the (Un)Friendly Politics forum.

Steve

In the present world of PC society and sensitive training required to participate I would totally agree.

The root cause of globalization and why tractors are not made turn key in our country has a dark underbelly that most likely should not be approached in this particular venue.

In the many forums of trucks and equipment that particular population will turn a rationale conversation will bring out the very worse side of the posters.

So can we just recognize that tractors will never be 100% made in America again.
And for those that want to know why.
Please chase that rabbit hole on the side.

After 29 years of studying the root of what is being skirted around here has revealed one truism for me:

It is easier to fool someone then to convince them they have been fooled.
Samuel Twain or Mark Clemens can't remember which guy it was.....heh....

 

[smstonypoint]

Notice to Mariners

This thread is drifting close to the perilous waters of the (Un)Friendly Politics forum.

____________________________________________________________________________

I am tempted to respond to some of the comments made in this thread, but I fear I may be held responsible for its transfer to the (Un)Friendly Politics forum.

Steve

The root cause of globalization and why tractors are not made turn key in our country has a dark underbelly that most likely should not be approached in this particular venue.

For example, I would take issue with your statement if I am catching your drift.

Steve

 

[NoTrespassing]

The concept of anything %100 American made is foreign to me

Seriously though, I work for a small (less than 30 employees) manufacturer of experimental biomedical instrumentation. If we limited ourselves to using only American made parts we couldn't make the instruments we do. Most of the DC stepper motors we use, used to be made in Japan. They may be made in Indonesia now, I'm not sure. The origin has changed several times although it's still a Japaneese company. We source parts from all over the world to build our instruments. On the other hand, we just cracked the China and India markets recently, selling multiple instruments in each country. The economy is indeed global and you will never see that genie go back in the bottle short of another world war that completely changes civilization.

Personally, I'm not a nationalist. I'm proud to be an American but I don't limit myself to one country. My wife wasn't even born here, my tractor is Japaneese as well as one of my cars. Two of my cars are Korean. I'm not sure where my old Ford truck was built and I don't really care. My son is half Filipino and could get a Philippine passport if he chooses. His mother was still Filipino when he was born. So my own question to myself would be "Why would I care if my tractor was %100 American made?" The short answer is, I wouldn't

Kevin

 

[smstonypoint]

The concept of anything %100 American made is foreign to me

Seriously though, I work for a small (less than 30 employees) manufacturer of experimental biomedical instrumentation. If we limited ourselves to using only American made parts we couldn't make the instruments we do. Most of the DC stepper motors we use, used to be made in Japan. They may be made in Indonesia now, I'm not sure. The origin has changed several times although it's still a Japaneese company. We source parts from all over the world to build our instruments. On the other hand, we just cracked the China and India markets recently, selling multiple instruments in each country. The economy is indeed global and you will never see that genie go back in the bottle short of another world war that completely changes civilization.

Personally, I'm not a nationalist. I'm proud to be an American but I don't limit myself to one country. My wife wasn't even born here, my tractor is Japaneese as well as one of my cars. Two of my cars are Korean. I'm not sure where my old Ford truck was built and I don't really care. My son is half Filipino and could get a Philippine passport if he chooses. His mother was still Filipino when he was born. So my own question to myself would be "Why would I care if my tractor was %100 American made?" The short answer is, I wouldn't

Kevin

I hope you take this as a compliment -- you think like an economist.*

Steve

* At least on this issue.

 

[Newby first timer]

Medicare cost and frivolous lawsuits often go hand in hand. If you see the prices for anything medical quality or such compared to non medical approved the price is amazing.

Also add the leach Insurance industry that practically run company's in the US.
If you do not do what they tell you to do they run you out of business with the Gooberments blessings.
To much regulation and extortion from everyone with their hands in you pocket in this country.

 

[Agvg]

Europe is very regulated whit strict rules, that doesn't stop manufacturer's from keep factorys running, of course with a public financed health care we doesn't pay the insurance companies but taxes are high

 

[goeduck]

Notice to Mariners

This thread is drifting close to the perilous waters of the (Un)Friendly Politics forum.

Well, it is pretty hard to talk about an American Made Tractor......

 

[Oldoak]

Is it possible in this day and age?

No!

I don't see why so many threads have to go off on a tangent and never answer the original question. :confused3:

 

[YLee Kioti]

For example, I would take issue with your statement if I am catching your drift.

Steve

You can start by reading Carroll Quigley "Tragedy and Hope."
A 1300 page tome written at his academic level.
Took me a month to get through it.

....heh...but this will be my last comment on this topic for the very reason mentioned already.

I'll sit down and get my pot pie and then go work on the swale in the back yard.

Have a good weekend yah'll...

 

[YLee Kioti]

No!

I don't see why so many threads have to go off on a tangent and never answer the original question. :confused3:

heh...every forum seems to do this.
Human nature?

 

[gary49]

Seems to me the tractor business is pretty much the poster child of globalization. Starting with the Ford-Ferguson’s revolutionary 3 point system back in the 1930’s which relied on an Englishman’s invention to John Deere’s buying their Mannheim, Germany factory in the 1950’s and sending very good tractors back here to Massey Ferguson’s Diesel engines being a Perkins of English design for many decades, it seems to me Americans are better off having their tractors and the components that they can made of come from the place where the manufacturers find provide the best and most economical place it can be made. I’m not naive enough to think there’s no such thing as unfair trade, but it is a very complicated problem and it isn’t going to be remedied by a “Buy American” mantra.

 

[Newby first timer]

Europe is very regulated whit strict rules, that doesn't stop manufacturer's from keep factorys running, of course with a public financed health care we doesn't pay the insurance companies but taxes are high

It isn't just the Medical Insurance.

The company's pay many different insurances just to stay in business.
Workman's comp. Product liability are just two that are very high priced.

I had a Product I received a Patent on They soaked me for a $30,000 yearly premium and put me out of business.

 

[goeduck]

It isn't just the Medical Insurance.

The company's pay many different insurances just to stay in business.
Workman's comp. Product liability are just two that are very high priced.

I had a Product I received a Patent on They soaked me for a $30,000 yearly premium and put me out of business.

WOW!! $30K for insurance on a Patent? Never had a patent, no clue it would cost like that.

 

[Erik M]

The American manufacturing industry is/was its own worse enemy, as the US consumer wants the cheapest price for their consumer goods and didn’t give a **** about the impact of buying offshore until it was far too late. I don’t see how the tide of offshore manufacturing could be reversed unless consumers are willing to pay at least twice as much as they currently do for a domestically manufactured product. People want a quality product at a Walmart price that is impossible if manufacturing domestically.