Informal Poll - Manufacturing

[midnight Target]

How many of you have jobs in the manufacturing field? How do you like them? Why?

[Gunslinger]

I never worked in manufacturing but i did work in manufacturing repair.  It wasnt your typical repair facility it was a 3rd party outsource "sweatshop"  all they cared about was number of products and how fast we could fix them.  The OT was great when it was there but the 2 15 minute breaks and 1 30 min lunch break schedule sucked.  Didnt matter if we worked 8 hours or 12 still same break schedule.....only matters cause i'm a smoker!

[midnight Target]

TY.

One of my new responsibilities is to promote manufacturing in California. Right now this is a hard sell, but I may get an audience with the Governator out of the deal....

did you know?
There are 3.8 jobs created for ever mfg. job?
Mfg. pays above average wages based on education and seniority.

In other words, we can't survive by just becoming an "Information Transfer" economy. It is important to build stuff here too.

[Otto]

Well, since you're not getting many responses.  In the late 1960's I earned money to pay for my collage tuition by working in the same factory as my father making truck springs.  I mostly made the 'clips' at each end of a leaf spring that keep it together when it flexes.  Everything about shaping steal involves HEAT.  Sometimes, during the middle of the summer, the inside temperature would reach 130 degrees F.  When I would return to school each Fall I'd be 20 pounds lighter.    No, I didn't like it.

[FUNKED1]

Originally posted by midnight Target
How many of you have jobs in the manufacturing field? How do you like them? Why?

I used to (aerospace manufacturer).  It was way too conservative an environment for me.  I got laid off (which sucked, !@#!@# Clinton) but was able to finish my MS and ended up doing work I like a lot better.

[MrCoffee]

Originally posted by midnight Target

did you know?
There are 3.8 jobs created for ever mfg. job?
Mfg. pays above average wages based on education and seniority.

In other words, we can't survive by just becoming an "Information Transfer" economy. It is important to build stuff here too.

You are absolutely right and I agree with you on that. I'd like to add more to this but Im afraid that there may be people who are sensative about this subject or view points on this matter so I'll just stay quiet for now. America is a diverse country with a diverse set of people in a diverse set of situations. Anything else is unrealistic and too l33t for practical reasons in regards to average peoples.

[FUNKED1]

Originally posted by midnight Target
TY.

One of my new responsibilities is to promote manufacturing in California. Right now this is a hard sell, but I may get an audience with the Governator out of the deal....

did you know?
There are 3.8 jobs created for ever mfg. job?
Mfg. pays above average wages based on education and seniority.

In other words, we can't survive by just becoming an "Information Transfer" economy. It is important to build stuff here too.

http://www.economist.com/printedition/displayStory.cfm?Story_ID=2087788

[FUNKED1]

This one too, more to the point.  http://economist.com/surveys/displayStory.cfm?Story_id=770861

[Mini D]

Intel is shutting down their D2 plant in San Jose and moving all the jobs to Oregon.  Maybe try to make a phone call to Craig Barret and ask why that was.

California has regulated, taxed and permitted itself right off of the manufacturing map.

MiniD

[type_char]

Oregon has had many incentives towards high tech businesses for many years.

[Mini D]

They offer incentives, very few companies have quallified for them.  Intel is one of those companies (actually... may be the only one now).  It's a break on property taxes.  Basically, you can build a Fab for about $250 million dollars.  Then, you start moving in the equipment.  The equipment can run as much as another $5 billion.  Technically, that should be taxed.  Oregon limits the property taxes if a company employs x amount of people and has x ammount of property value locked up in manufacturing equipment.

MiniD

[midnight Target]

Oregon and Arizona are much more benevolent to manufacturing due mainly to their overhaul of the workman's comp system. California costs almost 3 times as much per worker for wc insurance and benefits. OTOH California is still the number one mfg. State in the Union. More jobs and more companies here than anywhere else.

We pay millions each year in workers comp benefits and insurance. Almost 3% of out GROSS sales. CA is in danger of losing itas mfg. base.

TY for the articles Funked.

[Raubvogel]

I worked as a welder in a manufacturing shop for a few years. It sucked. Repetitive, dirty, unhealthy....did I mention repetitive?

[Hajo]

Worked in Manufacturing for 33 years now.  Metalurgist work as a Gen. Turn Supv Blast Furnaces.  Smelting the iron that is made into Steel.

Alas....I'm probably one of only 300 to 400 that do this for a living in North America now.  We are still producing more tons per manhour then any country in the world....but I guess the US is in the process of deindustrializing the Midwest.

Guess the Economic decisions of our Govt. are made by our foreign trade partners.  Can give an example....we can import foreign subsidized Steel.....but we can't import cheaper Drugs.  

Senior Citizens in our area Charter Buses to take the 4 hour trip to Canada to purchase their medication...simple...it allows them to eat and pay their utility bills.  The disparity between prices for prescription drugs in the US compared to Canada is that great.

As to why do I work in manufacturing...specially on a Blast Furnace with the Heat....Molten Iron and Slag....100s' of thousands of CO gas being produced a minute etc..Guess I'm crazy.  Changes every day....things go haywire in seconds....and can't hold a meeting to decide what course of action should be taken.  Guess it's the feeling of satisfaction of a job well done keeping everyone safe..and doing our job in sometimes the most extreme environment, and hazrdous conditions.  Sorta like ducking a bullet.

[Bodhi]

I guess I work in manufacturing too, but not on a scale that most people would consider.  We custom remanufacture warbirds and armor.  Not replicas mind you, but the real thing.  In this job, there are so few places to get original parts, we end up making everything in house.  

I find it to be the most rewarding and wonderful job I could imagine!