Stop drinking the doom and gloom koolaide

[Chuck]

Stop listening to media sources that say U.S. manufacturing is slowing down. This is what I've been telling the gazillion of jobshops that I come in contact with as part of my job at American Machinist Magazine. Why you ask?
Because I have yet to talk to a shop experiencing a slowing in incoming work, quite the contrary. Some are getting so much work that they have to farm it out to other shops, a practice they haven't done in years. Yet every shop I talk to, the owner or president asks me what I'm seeing out there as far as a manufacturing slowdown is concerned.
Let me put it to you this way. Bad news sells. People are more apt to read about tragedy than success. So, when the media sees one or two companies in the red, they really play it up. You don't hear about all the shops/companies or manufacturing sectors that are going gangbusters.
OK, I know my theory is not based on economic indicators and all that crap, but I do talk to a lot of shops, and they seem to be doing great.
Am I wrong? How's your business?

[macc4644]

I agree. I'm not a Global fan but my business went to 80% export. When US customers got weak in the pockets the foreign orders saved me. Now I'm seeing a boon in US sales as well. I think If your good, and you deliver, you will always have business as long as your savvy in your finances etc.

I must admit I have found many who love being in business but do nothing. I've been told before, " Why do you need so many?"

I don't contract out much, but it's always interesting.

[TTM]

I'm with you guys. My work load is constantly increasing and more and more of my customers are talking of expanding their own facilities. None of them seem to be jittery of our so called economic crisis we are in. Expanding and trying to tap new markets will help to keep the econmy strong. Spend some money, work harder and work leaner will help ensure the US stays on top!

[Kryptonite]

I work at a small job shop(however part of a fairly decent size company), and out work load has decreased to the point where our machinists are fearing layoffs. mainly because one already has been laid off, and our foremen keeps telling us to be ready for it at any given day.

[Chuck]

Sorry to hear your job may be at risk. I'd start looking around for another job. Every shop and machine tool builder I talk to are desperate for skilled people.
Find a shop that's into aerospace, oil and gas, power generation or medical parts making. These areas are where the shop work is at these days.

[ietech]

Originally Posted by Chuck

Stop listening to media sources that say U.S. manufacturing is slowing down. This is what I've been telling the gazillion of jobshops that I come in contact with as part of my job at American Machinist Magazine. Why you ask?
Because I have yet to talk to a shop experiencing a slowing in incoming work, quite the contrary. Some are getting so much work that they have to farm it out to other shops, a practice they haven't done in years. Yet every shop I talk to, the owner or president asks me what I'm seeing out there as far as a manufacturing slowdown is concerned.
Let me put it to you this way. Bad news sells. People are more apt to read about tragedy than success. So, when the media sees one or two companies in the red, they really play it up. You don't hear about all the shops/companies or manufacturing sectors that are going gangbusters.
OK, I know my theory is not based on economic indicators and all that crap, but I do talk to a lot of shops, and they seem to be doing great.
Am I wrong? How's your business?

Sure some of the job shops have work to do, others have folded because they supported the big guys doing the smaller jobs or one offs for them. It's the major production manufacturing that has been lost and is having a HUGE impact on the US economy and the American SKILLED workers.

I guess you can still flop burgers or drive a cab but what the hell happened to our skilled jobs. Sorry for the rant I'm Just fed up with folks telling me that it AIN'T so bad ------ IT"S FRIGGIN' HORRIBLE ---

[Chuck]

Here's an interesting find.
I've been visiting a lot of shops lately, and believe it or not, the majority of them are doing long-run jobs for repeat customers, as opposed to many different jobs for many different customers – typical at a jobshop.
What was also surprising, was that these shops with the repeat jobs weren't doing them under any kind of written contract. Most of the jobs were just an established agreement, and the jobs included more than just supplying machined parts. Some included managing the customer's supply chain, supplying kitting, and doing assembly work.
These shops are enjoying success and said the key was a strong relationship with customers.

Kind of strange when you consider just a few short years ago a lot of shops went under because the one or two repeat automotive jobs they relied on went overseas. The ones that survived were the shops that diversified and took on as many jobs as possible from as many different markets as possible.

[Chuck]

You can't go anywhere, listen to the radio, watch TV or read a paper or the Internet without being bombarded with news of plant closings, layoffs and cutbacks.
And I have to admit, the "doom and gloom" has arrived, at least at the company that puts out American Machinist Magazine. The company has cut labor to the bone. But on a more positive note, I'm still hearing about a lot shops that are holding their own as far as surviving is concerned. So, read more in my answer to myself in the "ok I have to ask" thread.

[Julia]

An observer's opinion.
Marketing is waving all the time whatever the ecomony crisis happens or not.
The jobshops which hold competitive edges and market demanding are winners all the time.
Competitive edges are determined by jobshops themselves.
Market demanding depends on many factors,cosuming, general economy and etc. More risky to control than aforesaid.
If a workshop goes under, problems occur in the two points.