Motorola and Texas: American Manufacturing

[Nick R]

http://www.engadget.com/2013/09/11/motorola-american-dream-moto-x-texas/#comments


It's about time, imo. Maybe most of the components are made overseas- it's still a huge improvement over where we were at before now. It's good news, one way or the other.

 

[SwampSurvivor]

As our Federal Government continues to print off money and run trillion dollar deficits, this will become commonplace. The US dollar is getting more and more worthless every day.

A good publicity stunt by Motorola and Google, but all it means is that the US dollar is worth so little, it is cheaper to make stuff in the US now.

However, it is EXCELLENT that we can put people to work in real manufacturing jobs!

 

[77GrandPrix]

Hope it becomes a trend!

 

[440Magnum]

Its been almost 50 years since watches were assembled in the US (probably by Bulova, but I don't really know the last company to do so). Until this:

www.shinola.com

Interesting re-uses of the Shinola brand, and interesting place to do this. Components of the watches are Swiss, assembly is all done in Detroit

 

[SwampSurvivor]

Originally Posted By: 77GrandPrix
Hope it becomes a trend!


Look at all of the auto manufacturing that has come back!

 

[Hokiefyd]

Good! Apple is building iMacs in the United States and now Motorola is building phones here as well. I'd like to see more electronics made here, from Apple, from Motorola, and from others.

 

[BISCUT]

There sure are plenty of very cheap places to go for manufacturing left in this world BUT as many of the 3rd world countries get better pay and better rights -- sooner or later they hit the not worth the expense of manufacturing outside a country where the workers are highly skilled.

Compare dirt cheap Chinese labor with a high return rate/failure rate and work the math. Sooner or later it becomes less worth while and at least some of the more technical manufacturing should return to US or a comparable country to get the most bang for the buck. It's not merely about the labor rate but also reputation for durability and long ter warranty costs.

You won't see the "widget" made here but a product that requires more skill you sure could see more and more of back on our shores. In more ways than one global competition is a bubble just like everything else....maybe timeframe much much longer though.

Thats just my opinion.

 

[rjundi]

Hopefully some really high quality comes out. Remains to be seen.

I am amazed with the quality and build of an iPhone especially under the reported conditions it was assembled.

 

[PandaBear]

The main quality control, engineering, are still done in the developed world these days even if you assemble them in 3rd world. The main benefit of moving them back is easier turn around and logistics, as you do not need to fly hundreds of people there every time you make changes, you can do that as you need walking down the street, or wake up one morning, fly a couple hours and return home the same day.

You can also send the simpler pre assembly work out and left the critical, challenging work in the developed world as a compromise. I think most of the returning work is this type in nature.