2 More HOOVER factories are closing

[gottahaveahoove]

I just heard that this spring, both El PAso and Juarez HOOVER factories are shutting down, moving all production to CHINA! Juarez closing this month will cause a 700 job loss. All that's left in U.S, is the Distribution Center in North Canton. So much for the hope of HOOVER helping America's workforce. This is NOT progress. Looks like that talk about HOOVER making a retro Convertible is shot! I also heard that "Convertible" will return.... with Vera BRadley bags!! Can you believe THAT?? Well, that could never have been on the table.
Last year, the bag plant, #2, now, El Paso and Juarez... Dear God, what's happening??/?
John

 

[gottahaveahoove]

And this correct, but distressing news

came DIRECTLY out of North Canton. El Paso was built 25 years ago, and the home of Windtunnel production, afyter that "union mess" in '96, ish. They called their bluff and moved it to El Paso.

 

[super-sweeper]

shame!

What a great American brand, one that has sadly followed the path as many others have done, the one to China of all places! Eureka, HOOVER, all once great names and cleaners, now cheap WAL-MART junk. Whatever happened to buying a metal, quantity HOOVER in the local Montgomery Ward? You could run a Hoover over a landmine decades back, I'd love to see a modern one run over a power cord without melting, burning or just completely making a mess of itself.

 

[tolivac]

TTI strikes again!!!Look what they did to Royal-Butchered them!Moved production of Royal machines to China-yes,they are metal Royals-but are they as good as the US built ones?I can remember when Ohio was the vacuum building capitol of the US- Guess only The Ohio Kirby site is left.Hated how TTI dropped the Royal metal Prince hand vac and the metal Royal "Pony" series canisters.Vac shops and customers liked them.

 

[hoovercelebrity]

That's too bad. Such a far cry from the company it used to be.

Here's an article about the plant closings:

http://www.elpasotimes.com/business/ci_25372882/340-el-paso-jobs-lost-hoover-vacuum-plant

 

[paulg]

That sucking noise

Was TTI pulling USA manufacturing to China.
C'mon, did you REALLY expect any different from any Chinese manufacturer ?
Oreck is next, just you wait and see.
When "China" says, "We will keep manufacturing in USA", their next message will be, "Oh... that answer was only temporary..."
When will this country learn the lesson? TVs, most radios, cube refrigerators, air-conditioners, dehumidifiers, most vacuum-cleaners and small appliances. USA workers used to put their kids through college with those jobs. We blew it yet again.

 

[jade_angel]

The metal Royals are mostly still as good as they used to be - but I'm beginning to think they're the exception that proves the rule. Pretty much nothing else in the line is especially well-made. TTI still has some interesting designs, but the build quality leaves a lot to be desired.

 

[daknx1994]

You know I really hate to say it but, I would not be surprised if TTI does move Oreck to china. A good amount of Oreck vacuums are already made there. Will just have to wait and see.

 

[gottahaveahoove]

If TTI will close a 25 yr old state of the art HOOVER

factory, I can't see them keeping Oreck here, can you? You know what they say: The last chapter hasn't been written yet"!

 

[jmurray01]

With every factory that closes, I am thinking more and more along the lines that Hoover needn't even exist anymore.  What used to be a market-leading brand is now no better than a cheap store brand vacuum cleaner for goodness sake.

 

[sebo_fan]

Well things may change in the future for the better, Jamie - I don't want to see Hoover losing out completely.

 

[daknx1994]

John I completely agree.

 

[rainbowjoel]

its so sad. its 4 hour drive from me. I always pass by when coming from Las Cruces.

 

[floor-a-matic]

<span style="font-family: comic sans ms,sans-serif;">Hopefully Hoover will be free from the TTI "cult" & come back to the USA; & bring back:</span>


<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: comic sans ms,sans-serif;">Convertible</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: comic sans ms,sans-serif;">Dial-A-Matic</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: comic sans ms,sans-serif;">Concept</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: comic sans ms,sans-serif;">Dimension</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: comic sans ms,sans-serif;">Spirit</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: comic sans ms,sans-serif;">Constellation</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: comic sans ms,sans-serif;">Celebrity</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: comic sans ms,sans-serif;">Futura</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: comic sans ms,sans-serif;">Floor-A-Matic</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: comic sans ms,sans-serif;">twin brush shampooer/polisher</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: comic sans ms,sans-serif;">Quik Broom with "Cassette" bag</span></li>
</ul>
<span style="font-family: comic sans ms,sans-serif;">And of course, uprights & Powermatic Nozzles with metal brush rollers with replaceable bristle strips & metal beater bars</span>


<span style="font-family: comic sans ms,sans-serif;"> </span>


<span style="font-family: comic sans ms,sans-serif;">Wouldn't a Elite or WindTunnel be great if it had metal brush rollers?</span>

 

[gottahaveahoove]

In a perfect world............. but, sadly,

slim chance and fat chance mean the same thing.

 

[kirbyclassiciii]

And an even slimmer chance of TTI selling off its floor care division. Any news of TTI doing so is all so many rumors.

~Ben

 

[dysonman1]

Really Guys?

You have to understand how manufacturers work. I know exactly how they do, since I work for one of the remaining vac manufacturers. Hoover will never return to the outdated machines of yesterday. They would NEVER be able to sell Convertibles or Dial A Matics today. No one would buy them. They MUST be able to sell the machines that are produced.

The consumer is ultimately the one who decides how a manufacturer will go. A company can only judge a machine by how much profit they make from the sales. Remember the Constellation of a few years back? No one except vac collectors bought them. The average consumer found it irritating to use (the floating thing blew dust from the rugs and blew dirt on the bare floors - terrible idea of exhausting air from the bottom). They also returned them in droves as the turbo brush quit working quickly, bound with hair and unable to deal with large debris like rocks.

Take a look at the Shark. Many of us decry it as "junk" but most of the consumers who buy one, really like it and more importantly RECOMMEND it to a friend. It does what the customer wants - they "feel" it is cleaning because they can see the dirt. It swivels, which is important to the consumer. It 'lifts away' to become a portable canister unit. Everything the consumer wants, but at a price they are willing to pay ($200).

Ultimately, it doesn't matter to any manufacturer about us collectors going on and on about the 'old' machines. Yesterday is the past, never to be repeated. The future is the only thing they can change. They MUST give the customer what she or he wants, or they won't be in business very long. It's a sad state to be in, BUT, not all vacuums are 'junk'. Look at the Maytag line up. It's flawless, made in the USA, and 200 AMERICANS have jobs making them. Instead of going on and on about the 'loss' of storied brands of yesteryear, let's support American Jobs and buy a Maytag, Simplicity, or Riccar (or Kirby or Rainbow).

 

[kirbylux77]

Well I personally think this is a GOOD move for TTI to make with Hoover. Chances are, if the El Paso plant really is 25 years old, the equipment is probably worn out & needs replacement. Not only can they replace the equipment, but save on labor costs at the same time. There was a similar situation a few years back with Wonder Bread here in Ontario....they had 3 plants with outdated equipment needing replacement. Instead of replacing 3 plants worth of equipment, they consolidated the 3 factory's production into one mega-plant in Quebec which runs with less employees than what they would need with 3 plants.

As far as quality is concerned & the machines made in China, I think it's a non-issue. All the Hoover's I have seen that were made in China seem to be about the same quality as the Mexican made models. Last year I bought a Hoover Air Pro upright, & I must say I have been impressed with the quality & performance it has! I am SO GLAD I bought it over a comparable Dyson Ball model & saved 1/2 the price.

Chinese manufacturing is the norm now....and we better get used to it, like it or not. Even premium brands are getting into the act. Riccar & Simplicity use Chinese made motors & components in their American made vacuums, & outsource their mid-line & bottom-line models to Kingclean in China. Aerus has been using Chinese-made Johnson motors for at least a decade now. The new Sirena water filtration vacuum sold in vac stores is Chinese made, & it must be well-made if Tom Gasko raves about it & says it's a good alternative to Rainbow. And it won't be long before Filter Queen, Rainbow & Kirby switch to Chinese manufacturing....it's not a matter of IF it will happen, but WHEN.

Rob

 

[daknx1994]

I am not trying to defend these brands but, I honestly do not see the higher end and door to door brands moving to China anytime soon. It is going to take a big precursor for them to make that decision. Obviously these brands have survived through one of the greatest economic downfalls in our history since the Great Depression. With these companies surviving through that, I am sure they will be with us for a while. Plus one of the selling points to these vacuums is being made in America. When was the last time you heard an ad from Hoover praising themselves for quality or American Pride? (Not dissing the brand just stating.) As for Tacony, if they were concerned about cheap labor or what not, I am sure that instead of expanding their operations and manufacturing the Maytag line of vacuums in America, they would have done it in China.

Now to be frank about Hoover, if you look at the parent company, TTI, which is a Chinese company to begin with, who had already been making their power tool lines and Dirt Devil and Royal vacuums in China, it does not surprise me that they have moved Hoover to China since 2007. Add into the mixing bowl the fact that the Hoover plant needed much renovations, put that into the oven to bake and what do you expect to come out as a result? Now at the same time made in China is not a bad thing. Everyone is going to have their views on that subject.