Ford's better idea?

[greg334]

On the news (channel 4) right now is about the big discovery that Ford has been negotiating with the Mexican government to move jobs (mentioned 150,000 jobs that is) to Mexico.

So I am wondering what our great governor will say? Maybe something intelligent like; “well look on the brighter side, we got 400 jobs from IKEA in Cantonâ€.

 

[guest]

I hope that doesn't happen, Then they want to know why folks are not buys there cars. Honda and some of the other car maker's are gaining on there share of car's sold because there building plants in the GOOD oid USA. The parts and some of the things are made over sea's but at least there building them here and Adding Job's to the USA, Rather than taking them away.


Drive safe

Dave Mayfield
FEDExCC/Roberts Express O/O Since 3/1/1995
C1847,C2045,D3397,D5047

 

[RobA]

The parts and
>some of the things are made over sea's but at least there
>building them here and Adding Job's to the USA, Rather than
>taking them away.
>


David: I read a recent report that Toyota in Georgetown KY sources over 90% of their parts domestically (Canada is included as a domestic source)and employ American workers and managers for the most part. The president of Toyota Manufacturing USA is an American.
No the parts are not built overseas; Toyota is transfering most of their work to North America for cars built and sold in North America.
Honda is much the same.
The governor of Michigan is constantly trying to get Toyota to increase representation in her state.
I believe they opened an engineering facility there.

Ford got off the rails during the 80's and 90's and allowed their costs to get too high. They were into things like scrap metal and computers not just cars. THAT's why they are in trouble today.
That and SUV's
SUV's were so profitable that although they sold fewer as the price of gas went up; they couldn't break themselves away from building them.
Their mini vans didn't keep up to the standards being set by Chrysler.
They completely lost their focus and it cost them.

 

[bcurt]

Don't worry she will go one step further by accepting Ford's offer to donate the vacant( tosic ) land to the State. Even if we do lose the Tax revenue, we can always use it to store the garbage coming in from Canada, at 2.00 a ton...

 

[Jefferson3000]

Yes it is true. For me, this is just one more reason that I will probably not buy another Ford. (I am a stockholder.) I have owned 5, two of which have been Econoline vans. Next time, I may just try my luck with a Dodge Sprinter.

Drive Safe!

 

[unorthodoxneon]

Yup, i seen the same news on channel 4 (11 oclock news now) Its a bunch of crap. Glad i dont own a ford nor will i ever. I'm a chrysler fan (most of family worked/works there) and never really liked ford since they dont seem to care about the quality or the cars (most recalls, parts failing and not caring and still putting them in cars) Michigan is in a downward spiral. I dont know if we can really pull out of it any time soon. I'm just hoping that my family still has their jobs until they retire, if not my dad has a CDL and i'll get him into expediting.

Also my vote will be fore ##### Devos, i dont know if he can do anything better, but i'm sure cant do worse then Jennifer.

But i will always live in michigan. I feel that there is alot here beside jobs to offer.

[End Rant]

 

[LDB]

There has been a call by the American Family Association to boycott Ford due to Ford's rabid promotion of homosexuality. Results are sales down 5% in March, 7% in April and another 2% in May. Ford stock sold for $7.86 a share on March 13 when the boycott was called. It closed Tuesday 6/13 at $6.68, a 13% decline in 3 months.

Leo Bricker, 73's K5LDB, OOIDA 677319
Owner, Panther trucks 4958, 5447
Highway Watch Participant, Truckerbuddy
EO Forum Moderator
----------
Support the entire Constitution, not just the parts you like.

 

[rode2rouen]

While the religious extremists at the AmFamAssn would like everyone to believe that their efforts are soley responsible for the decline in FoMoCo's fortunes, I think the reality of the situation is more likely to be a combination labor costs, top heavy management, vague market focus and lack of strategic foresight.

These problems are hardly unique to FoMoCo, GM and MOPAR are in the same boat.

I'm curious to know how FoMoCo "rabidly promotes" homosexuality. Do you get a flyer in the mail to stop by your local dealership for a "conversion"? Or is it more subtle, like subliminal messages in their TV commercials?

I was under the impression that Rev. Wildmon had his shorts in a bunch because FoMoCo was advertising in magazines that were aimed at a predominantly Gay/Lesbian demographic. I can't help but wonder why the Rev. was reading these publications in the first place.


Rex


>There has been a call by the American Family Association to
>boycott Ford due to Ford's rabid promotion of homosexuality.
>Results are sales down 5% in March, 7% in April and another
>2% in May. Ford stock sold for $7.86 a share on March 13
>when the boycott was called. It closed Tuesday 6/13 at
>$6.68, a 13% decline in 3 months.
>
>Leo Bricker, 73's K5LDB, OOIDA 677319
>Owner, Panther trucks 4958, 5447
>Highway Watch Participant, Truckerbuddy
>EO Forum Moderator
>----------
>Support the entire Constitution, not just the parts you
>like.

 

[DooWop]

A new take on Ford and GM troubles: When I grew up the people in my neighborhood bought Fords, Chevys and Plymouths. There was 1 Pontiac, owned by an operating engineer, and a Buick convertible owned by some bachelor who never seemed to have a job but had plenty of girlfriends. Most families' income and prosperity was tied to the steel industry in some way. A working man then could afford a new car without back breaking payments every 3 or 4 years. When the powers that be in the early 1970s decided to de-industrialize the US, and began shipping jobs, no make that entire industries, overseas the market for these same Fords, Chevys, and Plymouths began to dry up. Factor in the substandard quality of the Big 3's products (because the bean counters and not the production people run these companies) and you have a possible explanation for the demise of the auto industry in the US. The domestic auto industry's difficulties remind me of Coach Chuck Noll's evaluation of running back Sidney Thornton..."he has problems and they are many.

Regards

DooWop

 

[huntn1]

exporting our jobs and importing mexicans, its going downhill fast.

 

[arkjarhead]

Thank You UAW.

 

[greg334]

You know after reading our governors reaction and her comments that she is still hoping that Ford will build their flexible manufacturing plant here in Michigan, I come to realize that Michigan is a dead state. We need real leadership that will tell Ford, ok close a plant, pay more taxes – invest in Mexico, we are going to start taxing you more. Target them just like Detroit targets small businesses to squeeze ever dime out of them.

Michigan needs real leadership, not politicians that go chasing 200 jobs here and 140 jobs there. According to the news sources here, we lost 16000 jobs in the last year that is a lot more than the 400 jobs IKEA brought to the state and a lot more than what Jeff Daniels’ commercial talks about. Granholm needs to go, DeVos is questionable but who else is there?

As for Ford, I sold my stock a long time ago and never looked back. I heard form a friend that once it hits $5 a share it is take over time and the interested party may be only 40 miles north.

The sad fact that Ford uses it’s history to evoke emotion to help it gain sympathy from the public but in truth old man Ford would not tolerate the c**p his great grandson is doing to the company, moving everything out to save a buck. Fact is that they lack true vision, true let’s pull together and get it done attitude and this is what is killing them. They have never learned the lessons that the Japanese consultants tried to teach them, like the flexible manufacturing concepts or the hundreds of other ideas they had to help Ford.

Oh by the way it is not only direct jobs but also Mexican suppliers will benefit. I read that they are going to increase their purchase of parts from Mexican suppliers by 300%, yes 300% and make a 9.8 BILLION dollar investment in Mexico.

 

[ACE]

I will still support Ford Motor Company with continued purchases of there products. They are an American owned company. They helped us defeat our enemies in WW I and WW II.

I find it odd that the American public that complains about Companies like Ford and GM are the same ones who buy items from companies owned by people in China,Japan,Germany etc. I do not care as much that these foreign companies are building plants and hiring people now in the U.S.. What we need to remember that all profits that these foreign companies make go back to their homeland. The Profits that Ford and GM make will come back to the U.S.

Ford and GM do more for their retired workers than any other companies.Remember when you buy a foreign manufactured vehicle you are telling past workers that you are not concerned with their future.

Ford and GM offer many quality products. We will be sorry if we continue to support foreign owned companies.

Why does the American public want to support local sports teams good or bad? But will not support companies that helped to build the middle class and this country.

 

[mrgoodtude]

I ran across a retired gentleman from Ford yesterday in Ga, I struck up a conversation with him because he was driving a Honda Accord with a Michigan tag and after a little good natured ribbing he told me he purchased the Honda because of the quality and price. I coin the demise of Ford with being asleep at the wheel, free enterprise and democracy brought about competition from outside of the box and someone was waiting for the opportunity to jump in. I don't think Ford supporting a guy that wanted to honk a bobo killed their stock. I think lack of innovation and the constant battle to be competetive while trying to cater to the entitlement generation caused them the most grief. I agree with Greg in that "Detroit is dead" Like all business there is an evolution and you have to evolve with that business to meet future challenges or one day you wake up confronted with the reality you have to reinvent yourself completely, today is Detroits day. Do I like the idea that Ford has to relocate jobs to Mexico? Hell No! But face it some will have to evolve or die slowly to save face. Just a thought... foreign companies make big dollars here true enough but do we not benefit from them as well? Factory workers for Nissan, BMW, Kia, Toyota and Mercedes seem like pretty happy little campers.
Mike and Cyn

 

[RichM]

Far be it from me to contadict Greg and others but today I killed some time at a local libary waiting on a truck A/C repair. I read through the business section of USA Today and the Wall St Journal and not one word was printed about Ford moving all those jobs to Mexico. The only Ford item was that several thousand w/collar jobs were being eliminated on schedule.

We all know how local media can get real aggressive with any kind of bad news to their local TV area,so wouldn't suprise me if an off the wall comment by someone from Ford turned into a major disaster for Michigan.

 

[greg334]

>Far be it from me to contadict Greg and others but today I
>killed some time at a local libary waiting on a truck A/C
>repair. I read through the business section of USA Today and
>the Wall St Journal and not one word was printed about Ford
>moving all those jobs to Mexico. The only Ford item was that
>several thousand w/collar jobs were being eliminated on
>schedule.
>
>We all know how local media can get real aggressive with any
>kind of bad news to their local TV area,so wouldn't suprise
>me if an off the wall comment by someone from Ford turned
>into a major disaster for Michigan.

Rich
the problem is that all of this came from memos, just like the blue oval situation a few years back. The issues of negotiations with the Mexican goverment about investments in Mexico all the while they are crying they have no money and have to reduce thier workforce. What got me is that this is not the first time I heard this, one of the people I used to co-chair a management roundtable with just came back from Mexico and mentioned that they are shifting more stuff to Mexico.

now Ford being an American company, I don't agree. American companies build products here and employ american people. so we really don't have any real american car companies. As I told my father who hates japanese companies but drives a foreign van (Chrysler T&C), even though Toyota, Honda, BMW and others have plants here they do employ people, pay taxes and do put money back into the economy. it really does not matter if the money comes back, what really matters is that people work and make a decent wage.

 

[LDB]

Interestingly enough, when I ran an errand a couple hours ago there was a commercial on Houston local radio praising Michigan as THE PLACE to build your business in a climate that fully supports innovation and small business.

Leo Bricker, 73's K5LDB, OOIDA 677319
Owner, Panther trucks 4958, 5447
Highway Watch Participant, Truckerbuddy
EO Forum Moderator
----------
Support the entire Constitution, not just the parts you like.

 

[stanleyshenko]

My brother worked for over twenty years for a Japanese company that manufactured industrial sewing machines. If you wanted to set up an assembly line that manufactured blue jeans, he would order the machines, set up the line, train the mechanics etc. to do the job.

Then in the 80's he was called upon to tear down the lines and set them up in Mexico and Central America. He did, and listened to the workers complain about the "f**king Mexicans taking our jobs!". He was paid well for it.

Then he got laid off for good, but knew a lot of people in the industry, and got called to do contract work to tear those same plants down and move them to China. He was paid very well to set them up in the backwoods of mainland China.

Anyway, the Mexicans complained the the "f**king Chinese are taking our jobs!" Too bad for them too.

Finance is worldwide. There are NO MORE American or German or Japanese corporations anymore. It is international MONEY only. GM, Ford, Freightliner, McDonald's etc -- it is all international MONEY.

We are tools in the trade.

 

[greg334]

>Interestingly enough, when I ran an errand a couple hours
>ago there was a commercial on Houston local radio praising
>Michigan as THE PLACE to build your business in a climate
>that fully supports innovation and small business.

Well Leo would you locate your business here?

 

[guest]

Good point, never looked at it like that.


Drive safe

Dave Mayfield
FEDExCC/Roberts Express O/O Since 3/1/1995
C1847,C2045,D3397,D5047