Some comment from the outside of the U.S. world on the issue of getting work
done outside the U.S. and methods of keeping the work at home.

I have been involved in the electronics manufacturing business for 25 years,
all in Australia.  I worked for Wang in it's hey-day and was involved in
getting Oz manufactures certified to U.S. standards.

Our largest PCB manufacturer (and one of the best) has just pulled the plug
and we are now looking for a replacement PCB supplier.  We have approached
two U.S. companies and a couple of "Asian" as well.  We have no answer from
one U.S.. company and a very polite "not interested" from the other.

I have to tell you this is the kind of result I have come to expect form
U.S. companies, we get all or nothing and no in between.  If this is how
they treat local business then it is not a tariff issue but rather a value
for service issue.

It has been some time since manufactured high tech goods coming out of Asia
should be considered to be of sub standard.  There are certainly bad
operators there and it can be difficult to weed them out, but Asian
companies are more often extremely customer focused and the quality and
value is excellent.

We in Oz are going through the same issues with many previous Oz based
manufacturing disappearing overseas.   The Oz government has an absolute
policy of removing tariffs from our industries to make us stand on our own
feet.  Those that do survive in any given industry are usually lean, mean
and very efficient, treat their people well and are innovative in product
and service.  They beat the overseas low cost operator with good business
sense.

I now its not nice but it seems to be becoming a trend worldwide as
globalization bites.  It really is the survival of the fittest in a free
trade, capitalist environment.

Regards

Mike Hughes

> -----Original Message-----
> From: TechNet [mailto:[log in to unmask]]On Behalf Of
> [log in to unmask]
> Sent: Friday, 21 June 2002 6:47
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Re: [TN] US Competitivness--No Tech Content
>
>
> Interesting topic Greg. Our division in Florida is doing a
> "boatload" of rework for a LARGE cellphone company. Their CM that
> originally built these *&%$ up the BGA and incidentally they are
> from the Asian area. My answer to the OEM is go ahead and go
> overseas we'll be happy to pick up your rework!!!
> Rick
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Greg Jones [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
> Sent: Thursday, June 20, 2002 2:10 PM
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: [TN] US Competitivness--No Tech Content
>
>
> I am working on an article/editorial for the Sept issue of an electronics
> assembly publication.  The topic is the need to improve domestic (North
> American) process efficiency and quality to retain a viable domestic
> electronics assembly industry.
> I would appreciate any comments, offline, on or off the record,
> on the issue
> in general and specifically on what needs to be done to achieve this.
> Thanks,
>
> Greg Jones Ph.D.
> Special Projects Manager
> 775.322.0158
> KIC--Innovation That Works
> www.kicthermal.com
>
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