I'm in the manufacturing sector. I deal with machine shop of all types; mold & dies, CNC, swiss screw, etc. That's my background. In my occupation, I deal with shops face-to-face. Most shops specialize in a niche market. In talking with them, I learn where their current jobs are coming from and what areas are declining. I also read a lot of the industry's trade rags. The trade rags also reinforce what I'm hearing at the local levels.

This is the story in a nutshell... The declining dollar is making the United States an attractive alternative to European goods being made in Europe. We're now being viewed as Europe's cheap source of manufactured goods. The problem we'll be facing in supplying these manufacturing services to Europe is that we're now weak when it comes to skilled manufacturing workers.

When I started as a machinist many years ago, it was predicted that within 20 years, over 60% of the then current machinists in the trade would retire. That meant that the new wave of machinists would be catapulted to the top pay scales by rapid attrition. Well, that failed to materialize because American companies moved their manufacturing offshore in order to capture larger profit margins and avoid punishing taxes here. In short, when those older machinists left the industry, they weren't being replaced. We now have a vacuum of talent when the Europeans do come to us as their source of manufactured goods. Watch for this sector to be screaming for qualified machinists in the very near future.

Here's a link about what I've described...

The Declining Dollar - - CFO.com

<Snippet>

For Compact Power, a small manufacturer of landscaping and construction equipment based in South Carolina, the falling dollar has meant a rapid rise in the company's overseas sales. The $100 million company began selling internationally two years ago, has doubled its international sales in the past year, and plans to double them again in 2008. "We've absolutely accelerated our international growth because of the exchange rate," says CFO Norman Boling. "The falling dollar has made us competitive in markets where we're up against established competition."

<end snippet>

<Another snippet>

For companies that have significant costs outside the United States but recognize much of their revenue in dollars, the picture is not as rosy. In a striking change, many are considering moving manufacturing operations to the United States to reduce costs. European carmakers like Fiat, BMW, and Volkswagen are looking to establish or expand their stateside production to strengthen ties to U.S. consumers and reduce their euro exposure. BMW executives have said that they plan to increase U.S. production by more than 70 percent in response to the dollar's decline. The French manufacturer Alstom announced plans last December to build a $200 million facility in Tennessee, in part to mitigate the impact of the weak dollar on its margins. And in perhaps the highest-profile rumored defection from the eurozone, the CEO of EADS, the parent company of Airbus, has said the airplane manufacturer will consider moving some production to the States, much to the dismay of French government officials.

<end snippet>

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THAT explains it!!!



Word of warning... I don't play well with others.

Long story short, that is nothing more than a snapshot. first they used what one company as their example and it does not represent the industry. I get around to several industries and while things may be booming in your back yard they suck here.

Niche small industries simply do not represent the whole of the manufacturing sector.

If you want to know what they are doing as a whole look to the markets not some article patronizing one or couple niches and the markets will show they are declining.

As for your niche, for all I know they have not adjusted their rates yet to take into account for the inflation and when they do it will no longer be very attractive.

Really??? What's your background? I'm curious.

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THAT explains it!!!



Word of warning... I don't play well with others.

fuck, i hope all these fucking nay sayers aren't right, i'd hate to live in America if the economy fails. There are WAY too many guns for anarchy.

wanna bet we would get some very needed changes to our constitution?