Chinese crap ??

Wait until the Chinese start turning out machines in competition with them, they'll soon start squealing!

The only country to lose out in this race will be India, as they have gone down the IT road rather than manufacturing, and they won't stand a chance against the Chinese.

As you and I have discussed a few times now, the Chinese are very quick on their feet, and the only real problem will be: where is the next cheap manufacturing base once China gets too expensive?

Peter

-- Peter & Rita Forbes Email: snipped-for-privacy@easynet.co.uk Web:

Well, does that mean my rice will be nicely ground n polished?

Tom

No - sharpened to a razor edge ;-)

Regards, Tony

Europe? The USA? There's a serious possibility that in a decade or so the global economy will flip over, with the West becomeing the new 3rd world. Go to some parts of West Virginia or the Deep South and you would believe it has already happened.

Regards, Tony

We do some work for Taylor Hobson, who make very high quality measuring equipment, and China is a major market for them.

Unfortunately one of the reasons we cannot compete with the Chinese is a general reluctance to invest in the right kit -it's not just a wages issue (and that will become much less an issue over the next decade as the Chinese workers demand a higher standard of pay). If the Chinese business needs a certain piece of equipment -they get it. So many companies over here are run by accountants for short term profits with little, if any, investment for the future.

As you have commented several times, John -the quality of the Chinese product just keeps increasing. As consumers expectations grow they keep raising thier game, whether that means higher QA, investment in new technology, or whatever.

I wonder if they will be so keen to offer whatever we want when we are totally dependant on them for manufactured goods? of course, it will be too late to do anything about it then.

Regards Kevin

PS I had to go to Blackpool today for a meeting, drove back across from the M6 cross-country (OK, I missed the turn for the A50 at Stoke), and it was a beautiful sunny day in marvelous countryside -a most pleasurable trip. Nothing to do with the post, but I'd been so depressing I thought i should add something cheerful

Chinese T*****S made me redundant, so that's OK then

You must have been dreaming then as there are two turnoff's for Stoke, both the A500.

Just leaving Blackpool should have cheered you up no end. I went there once in 1963 - it was closed.............

-- Regards,

John Stevenson Nottingham, England.

Visit the new Model Engineering adverts page at:-

Yes, that was the problem. I drove past the second one (that I wanted) smugly saying to myself "I want the second one, not that one"

-but I'd already gone past the first one and not noticed it!!

Anyway, what kind of town has two seperate motorway junctions both with the same road number???

Regards Kevin

In my particular industry there's been all sorts of wailing and gnashing of teeth as the Chinese moved rapidly away from their previous reputation as producers of, frankly, laughable instruments towards that of producing competent budget spec instruments at unheard of knock-down prices.

In general I've been quite supportive of this shift ( after all, without any manufacturing industries over here there's gonna be a lot of people with a lot more time on their hands...might as well take up the old saxophone ), but a lot of people have been claiming that the Chinese don't have the artistic skills etc. to produce real high-end gear. Well, it seems now that not only are they buying in raw materials and advanced plant, they're also offering extremely attractive deals to acknowledged experts in the west. So, not only will manufacturing companies face hard competition from cheaply produced Chinese goods, they might also find their senior design staff have been poached.

It used to be said that we had to worry about the 'Chinese Big Red Button', with a view to the nuclear holocaust. Seems we still have to worry about that big red button...only now it's on an industrial machine.

Regards,

Stoke!!

Regards, Tony

But will it though? It's a sodding huge place with a very different work-ethic. Right now their goods are getting cheaper, and the build quality is rising - and I wonder if their 'expensive' might always less than our 'cheap'.

Might be time to move out east and open up an English takeaway ( Would you like sour grapes with those chips, sir? ).

Regards,

Basically because the A500 runs through the town, although I don't think it is a direct connection at both.

Not just Stoke, look at the A38 and see how many towns it crosses as it winds its way around the country.

Peter

-- Peter & Rita Forbes Email: snipped-for-privacy@easynet.co.uk Web:

Otherwise known as the "D Road", as it was built, AFAIR, in a D shape specifically to link Stoke to the M6 in both directions.

Cheers Tim

Dutton Dry-Dock Traditional & Modern canal craft repairs Vintage diesel engine service

It wouldn't have if the Chinese take over - it will have one sharp well ground turn - miss it and be split in two!!

Keith

But a lovely finish. . :-)

Tom

It'll reach equalibrium at some point, when our manufacturing has totally gone and the chinese no longer have a market for goods in the west, as we no longer have any money.

Prices are going to get lower as time goes by, and we are going to see global pay scales as everyone catches on. The chinese worker will be paid more and we will move towards chinese pay scales in order to stay in business at all. Welcome to the revolution brothers...

Joules

Stoke joke (to be wheezed, as one with 'the dust'):

"Ar dunno way thee call eat the 'Dee' rood, thhers as monny on em yowse eat at neat."

(roughly as from a little book called something like 'tow crate in staffy cher'.)

Has Jimmy Nail taken up writing?

Tom