The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area The Tool Chest Another One Gone

My buddy in Neb. sent me a news clipping about the closing of the Vice Grip factory in Dewitt, Neb. next month, taking about 300 jobs from a small town. All production is moving to China.

My grandfather grew up in Dewitt and hung out with the Petersen's who invented them and started Petersen Manufacturing there. I have a few very early examples of them in my tool collection that belonged to my grandfather.

Anyways, the company was sold to Irwin, American Tool a few years back and I figured this day would come. I plan on sending them an e-mail stating my disappointment plus the fact I will never ever buy a Chinese version. I don't buy Chinese tools, I don't care whose name is on them. Not that they'll really care. I plan on stocking up on a few more USA made ones when I see them and hopefully they'll last my lifetime.

Bob

Too many people were buying the chinese made competing products because they are cheaper. They couldn't compete price wise so they are sending the jobs to where they can get them done as cheap. Most of this job loss is self inflicted pain because we want cheap stuff without regard to where it's made. I used to buy Maytag because it was USA made even though it was more expensive. I swore I'd never buy another when they moved production abroad. It looks like I'm in the minority because I don't know if any major appliances are made in the USA anymore.

When the Olympics was going on the news reported that the cost of making things in China is getting more expensive and they are starting to lose business, the next place to make things may be India or some other low income area. Who knows, the way the economy is going we may be the next third world contry to start making cheap tools.

Ed

I agree with you 100 percent. But you might as well get used to it,its a worldwide mfg. setup and marketing world today. Just look around your house and see how many things you have bought that were made overseas. How about your TV set? Maybe some appliances in your kitchen? How about the computer you are using right now?Probably most of the clothes in your closet.What is the answer? I dont know.I doubt very much if you can buy a TV set or computer that is made in the USA.Maybe satisfy your self by buying a so called American made vehicle,that in all fairness is made up mostly by imported parts.Most engines for the so called big three are made south of the border.Its not so much a made in the USA market today,but a worldwide market.I dont like it any more than you do,but thats the way it is.The he!! of it is most of the imporeted stuff is just as good if not better than the stuff made in the USA.

That third world country Ed, might just be the USA in a few years the way things have been heading the last decade or so.
Denny Graham
Sandwich, IL

On NBC news tonight the CNBC "expert" referred to America the Banana Republic. If we keep minting digital cash, buying insurance companies, investment banks, and Brokerage Houses with borrowed money we will indeed become the cheapest labor pool around and perhaps manufacturing will return to our shores. There recently was a slight beginning of the return of out-sourced manufacturing due to the high cost of shipping finished product as related to the fuel factor.

Today, everyone put there happy faces back on as the Treasury and Fed boosted another 180 BILLION into the markets and announced that they (us) will buy all of the junk paper. Today's injection brings this weeks total bailout to almost 530 billion which has effectively doubled the national debt. It all makes perfect sense to me as 3 Month Treasuries will now get you $4 on $10,000 per year! This is pretty sobering and kind of makes me think that I'm going to come up a bit short during retirement. Heck I can buy a gallon of gasoline or a loaf of 7 grain Wonder bread by simply loaning our Treasury $10,000 for a year.

One of the most startling things of all is today I saw a Tuk-Tuk or something similar coming down the road. It made me wonder if we will soon come to this, but then again I couldn't afford the corn to feed the beast.

Yeah I realize when it comes to most items we consume, it's hard to stick with or even find a Made In USA label. But when it comes to hand tools, there is usually still a choice. When I see a tool on a shelf that peaks my interest, the first thing I look for is where it's made. If I see China, India, Taiwan, or whatever, it goes right back on the shelf.

Bob

brjr51, I'm with you all the way! I refuse to buy any foreign made crap! This computer may be made overseas, but it says Texas Instruments, so I assume the profits will stay in the good old USA.

Nice to hear you dont buy any imported crap. But hey Texas Instruments,is a cheap line of imported crap mainly sold by Radio Shack.And just because it is named after the great state of Texas,does not mean the profits stay here in the USA. The only way the profits would benifit you would be if you had stock in the outfit.