thevacuumman
Well-known member
I just read this on the automatic washer fourms.
http://www.automaticwasher.org/cgi-bin/TD/TD-VIEWTHREAD.cgi?63626_50
http://www.automaticwasher.org/cgi-bin/TD/TD-VIEWTHREAD.cgi?63626_50
GE as we know it is no more...
- Thread starter thevacuumman
- Start date
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human
Well-known member
Yeah, Electrolux tried to buy GE last year but it failed to pass regulatory approval. We'll see how this one goes.
It's just another fact that
"Nothing is what it used to be".
It's not always a good thing, as we know.
John
"Nothing is what it used to be".
It's not always a good thing, as we know.
John
kirbylux77
Well-known member
John
"Nothing is what it used to be. It's not always a good thing, as we know."
I couldn't disagree with you more strongly if I tried! I know a LOT of people on Vacuumland are going to disagree with my point of view, but I think this is THE BEST thing that could have happened to GE. Why?
Simply put: The Asians have the technology. Period. The Chinese, Japanese & Koreans know EXACTLY what they are doing! They know how to engineer a product & how to manufacture cost effectively, i.e. sourcing their materials properly, proper assembly, & they also have a good labor force that doesn't have a expensive hourly wage or deal with unions. Furthermore, they have caught up with the Germans & other European nations known for producing quality goods & having good technology. They may have made mistakes in the past, but are learning from them.
Case in point - Tacony Manufacturing. Here's the ultimate proof in the pudding:
Tom Gasko has said himself many times that the canisters sourced from Kingclean in China are now opened up & inspected at the factory in St James, Missouri. Both the recently discontinued canisters & the new Riccar Prima & Simplicity Wonder. Now, let me ask you this....If Tacony REALLY thought Kingclean, & the Chinese couldn't be trusted, & was that bad of a manufacturer, why wouldn't they just find another Chinese manufacturer to send the molds & necessary equipment & source from another manufacturer? They didn't! Why? Because they KNEW that for the most part they were still making good product, & the defects they were seeing in the product could be solved with design & manufacturing changes incorporated in the evolution of the next line of canisters. They showed their confidence in Kingclean by sending them the molds & equipment to produce the new canister line. They KNOW that Kingclean is capable of producing the product they need to sell in the marketplace, & keeping unit cost low to ensure they can re-sell it to distributors & vac dealers & everyone makes a profit. Even Miele sends their discontinued designs to China to be made as BOL lower cost models. It also wouldn't surprise me in the least bit if they also allowed the Chinese to manufacture certain components, such as cord reels, & ship them to Germany to be used in the higher end C1, C2 & C3 canisters, & uprights.
As for people saying about Chinese vacuums...."that brand X vacuum is disposable garbage!" or calling vacs "Chinese plasticrap"? Well guess what, reality is we have ALWAYS had disposable vacs! The only difference is where they were produced. The Eureka Victory, Eureka Bravo, Hoover Elite & Dirt Devil Featherlite uprights are prime examples. Even back in the 50's, 60's & 70's....The Singer & Kenmore Twin Fan uprights come to mind here. Do you REALLY think they intended that cheaply built budget vac to last forever? NO! And of course, Walmart & other big box discount retailers also explain why we see more "disposable" vacuums today.
I think it's time we stop griping about globalization & products being manufactured in Asia, & learn to accept it as the new reality & move on. I do believe it's for the better. In fact, I will make a bold prediction right now....I am willing to bet good money that by 2040, we will see European manufacturing come to a end & it will only be Asia & Mexico being responsible for worldwide manufacturing of goods & products.
Rob
"Nothing is what it used to be. It's not always a good thing, as we know."
I couldn't disagree with you more strongly if I tried! I know a LOT of people on Vacuumland are going to disagree with my point of view, but I think this is THE BEST thing that could have happened to GE. Why?
Simply put: The Asians have the technology. Period. The Chinese, Japanese & Koreans know EXACTLY what they are doing! They know how to engineer a product & how to manufacture cost effectively, i.e. sourcing their materials properly, proper assembly, & they also have a good labor force that doesn't have a expensive hourly wage or deal with unions. Furthermore, they have caught up with the Germans & other European nations known for producing quality goods & having good technology. They may have made mistakes in the past, but are learning from them.
Case in point - Tacony Manufacturing. Here's the ultimate proof in the pudding:
Tom Gasko has said himself many times that the canisters sourced from Kingclean in China are now opened up & inspected at the factory in St James, Missouri. Both the recently discontinued canisters & the new Riccar Prima & Simplicity Wonder. Now, let me ask you this....If Tacony REALLY thought Kingclean, & the Chinese couldn't be trusted, & was that bad of a manufacturer, why wouldn't they just find another Chinese manufacturer to send the molds & necessary equipment & source from another manufacturer? They didn't! Why? Because they KNEW that for the most part they were still making good product, & the defects they were seeing in the product could be solved with design & manufacturing changes incorporated in the evolution of the next line of canisters. They showed their confidence in Kingclean by sending them the molds & equipment to produce the new canister line. They KNOW that Kingclean is capable of producing the product they need to sell in the marketplace, & keeping unit cost low to ensure they can re-sell it to distributors & vac dealers & everyone makes a profit. Even Miele sends their discontinued designs to China to be made as BOL lower cost models. It also wouldn't surprise me in the least bit if they also allowed the Chinese to manufacture certain components, such as cord reels, & ship them to Germany to be used in the higher end C1, C2 & C3 canisters, & uprights.
As for people saying about Chinese vacuums...."that brand X vacuum is disposable garbage!" or calling vacs "Chinese plasticrap"? Well guess what, reality is we have ALWAYS had disposable vacs! The only difference is where they were produced. The Eureka Victory, Eureka Bravo, Hoover Elite & Dirt Devil Featherlite uprights are prime examples. Even back in the 50's, 60's & 70's....The Singer & Kenmore Twin Fan uprights come to mind here. Do you REALLY think they intended that cheaply built budget vac to last forever? NO! And of course, Walmart & other big box discount retailers also explain why we see more "disposable" vacuums today.
I think it's time we stop griping about globalization & products being manufactured in Asia, & learn to accept it as the new reality & move on. I do believe it's for the better. In fact, I will make a bold prediction right now....I am willing to bet good money that by 2040, we will see European manufacturing come to a end & it will only be Asia & Mexico being responsible for worldwide manufacturing of goods & products.
Rob
Rob, May I call you Rob?
I don't recall saying it was a particularly bad thing. It's true: a LOT of things aren't as good as they once were, that is for certain. Some things are AS good, some are BETTER. I merely stated that things change, some for the better.
I DO recall a conversation with Dick Pike, retired Hoover exec, who last worked on the development of "Windtunnel".
He told me, in his home, how some stores "like" Walmart, would TELL them, "We WANT to make this *****dollars on this product. If you can't/won't do it, we'll go elsewhere". It was done with Schwinn bikes, HOOVER, Bissell, Black and Decker, and so on. "We'll give you a week to figure it out". IF they wanted to compete, they had to 'cheapen down' here and there. For example: they were told, "If you get rid of ONE screw in each product, you'll save *****$.
If a factory follows the guidelines of the design, etc, of course, the quality will be the same. That's all I was saying.
The same can be aid about a lot of things... people, too. They are not what they seem. Didn't I learn that!! Sometimes, the hard way.
John
I don't recall saying it was a particularly bad thing. It's true: a LOT of things aren't as good as they once were, that is for certain. Some things are AS good, some are BETTER. I merely stated that things change, some for the better.
I DO recall a conversation with Dick Pike, retired Hoover exec, who last worked on the development of "Windtunnel".
He told me, in his home, how some stores "like" Walmart, would TELL them, "We WANT to make this *****dollars on this product. If you can't/won't do it, we'll go elsewhere". It was done with Schwinn bikes, HOOVER, Bissell, Black and Decker, and so on. "We'll give you a week to figure it out". IF they wanted to compete, they had to 'cheapen down' here and there. For example: they were told, "If you get rid of ONE screw in each product, you'll save *****$.
If a factory follows the guidelines of the design, etc, of course, the quality will be the same. That's all I was saying.
The same can be aid about a lot of things... people, too. They are not what they seem. Didn't I learn that!! Sometimes, the hard way.
John
I will add, however,
that I hate to see ANYONE lose his/her job. Being an American, I hate seeing AMERICANS losing a job.
I stood in the Hoover bag plant on the last day of production. Some employees were retiring, some bumped others out of the Distribution Facility, and some went home unemployed, after years and years of service. That was a very sad time. and, I was there.
that I hate to see ANYONE lose his/her job. Being an American, I hate seeing AMERICANS losing a job.
I stood in the Hoover bag plant on the last day of production. Some employees were retiring, some bumped others out of the Distribution Facility, and some went home unemployed, after years and years of service. That was a very sad time. and, I was there.
human
Well-known member
"We Can't Make it Here Anymore"
James McMurtry, son of "Lonesome Dove" author Larry McMurtry, pretty well sums it up.
http://https//www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iv0q3cW3x1s
James McMurtry, son of "Lonesome Dove" author Larry McMurtry, pretty well sums it up.
http://https//www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iv0q3cW3x1s
