GE, Caterpillar, Ford are all working to make in jobs shoring happen. Why? Is the most obvious question we have. After a decade of product manufacturing off shoring, it has become a reality that cheaper is not always better. The industry leaders have acknowledged that quality is most integral to their product existence. This coupled with long lead times, lower quality, supplier and customer complaints, midnight communications, long global trips, jobs, communication differences are enough criteria to justify the cause.
More real is the cost of sale and not just the cost of production. This is just a start for in shoring, it’s got long way to go. But may be with more leaner work force, less inventory, rising cost of off shoring, more companies are looking on to going back to Made in USA philosophy.
Small step are so crucial to our economy. One such endeavor in my state of GA is done by Jason Moss with creation of Manufactured in Georgia and Georgia Manufacturing Alliance . Two network groups to help the state manufacturers add more jobs and create awareness among companies. In last 5 years a lot of emphasis is placed on organic and locally grown consumable food. Why? Because we want to know where and how our food is handled. Would you not want to know where and how your daily used products come from? I was not aware that so many of the products which I use daily are made in my hometown. Amazing, isn’t it!
Manufacturing got off shored to take advantage of low cost, less lead times since high cost of quality, quantity, and wages made it difficult to even make a break-even on investment for all the manufacturers. But like it is said that darkest of cloud has silver lining. The cloud of recession brought the opportunity to reevaluate the decisions taken and bring jobs back home.
You can support Jason and his team by going on to websites to see how they work and Like them on facebook.
Please feel free to comment on this blog and share ideas to make product manufacturing more sustainable.