sprink58

My Grandfather was a Metallurgist and involved with the Steel Industry in the US for 75 years.

I remember in the '70's he visited some of the newer steel mills in Japan and elsewhere. This is about the time that the unions were pushing US, Bethlehem, Republic and others in a corner with more and more demands about wage equality and legacy benefits. My Grandfather said then that we were going to loose our steel industry to overseas firms and that when we did...we would loose the core of industrial manufacturing in the US.

Fast forward 40 years and ...By Damn...here we are. Our great industrial centers of 50 years ago...Pittsburgh, Allentown, Cleveland, Birmingham, Youngstown and last but not least.... Detroit, are ghost towns compared to what they once were.

Now we are buying metallurgically inferior steel from China that doesn't last 5 years in normal service..(I'm in the Fire Sprinkler Industry and doing re-pipe work on rusted out systems that are less than 10 years old) and we have no way to police what they do in their mills.

Gee ...I wonder why "forged" shafts in Bravo I drives snap in normal service? That's because they aren't forged!!! We have created a cottage industry in this country to repair/modify our own equipment to stand up to stress it was designed to withstand to begin with.

Short of protectionism...we need enforceable laws that protect our core industries from unfair competition or we need to relax the legislative grip that we are allowing to force American businesses out of business!!

Re-establish the US Steel industry to it's former dominance and we will begin to see a change.

J-Bonz

iTrader: (3)

I do agree with you, if your in the business to maker money, which all are, it does make sense to go overseas... Great for companies & wall street but, at some point it will take its tole on the US... I rarely speak up on issues and such..... but, to be honest, I dont know how to stop it... I truly don't think its one side or the other........ Its just the way this country has gone and what we think is acceptable as a society........

J-Bonz

iTrader: (3)

Another good one I just heard of was "GE Healthcare Moving X-Ray Division Out Of Waukesha"

Read more: http://www.wisn.com/money/28667254/d...#ixzz1kL7fxZNZ

I by no means have the Answers nor am I trying to beat a drum and such. Its just very sad to see.....

MILD THUNDER

iTrader: (3)

We can thank the politicians and labor unions for where we are.

sprink58

but, to be honest, I dont know how to stop it.

Step one...stay educated on the issues and vote.

If one hundred million people vote the way we think...someone will know it.

sprink58

As bad as it pains me to admit it...a member of this forum told me today that his marina has been selling the SEI Bravo I lowers for 3: years and has never had a complaint or a return.

paul buckner

Can anyone tell me why SEI only seem to sell the B1 lower and not the upper?

rchevelle71

iTrader: (1)

Right on, the only other thing I see going on is that the chinese are already starting to become americanized. With the amount of new factories being built over there(most in one area), there are plenty of job opportunities, and we are losing our best people to other companies. The company I work for OWNS the factory in China, so we DO have some control over the quality, at least for what comes to the U.S.(unfinished product), they also manufacture finished product for distribution in Asia. We also have a plant in Spain which manufactures for distribution in Europe which is our biggest sales area.

The main problem is that what we manufacture is not covered in the U.S. by insurance, and with the economy being the way it is, people are opting for less expensive procedures.

BTW(to keep this boating related), I run an SEI lower on my boat, and had one problem with the casting after 2 years of service(was porous, and gear oil was seeping through the case), SEI warrantied it(I had to pay shipping one way, they covered return shipping) and upgraded it to a newer style(LWP), changed all of the seals, and even gave me a new water pump while they were in there. It also appears that they gave me a new propshaft, but did not list it on the invoice. The reason I mention this is that I know through being on several boating forums, some have complained about 2 things on the SEI, one is the casting, the other is breaking the propshaft(the one I know about was on a high performance bass boat, and I believe he was surfacing the prop, but wont admit it), causing an expensive prop to go for a swim. It appears they do watch the issues, and change vendors as needed to produce a quality unit. So as far as SEI goes, I am happy with them on my average performance boat, but would not run them in an extreme high performance situation.

charliem

Special interest groups/lobiests have ruined this country.

prostock85

Patents not up yet. In the works. (according to my friend who is a dealer)