Send em all home?

[Mich the Tester]

I diaagree with a lot of the doom and gloom.

India and China are vastly over-rated at the moment. India has probably only 2/3 universities which are any good.
There is still a preponderance of know-how in Europe and US (in the US military the advantage is probably about 2 generations).
Its no surprise that where Britain does well is in the advanced skills: aerospace, pharma, life-sciences, and financial rocket science.
Contrary to what people say these are not skills that can be learnt easily. Manufacturing is more easily learnt, although the Germans keep ahead of the chasing pack with innovation and marketing.

The trick is not to make stuff, but to make the things that make stuff. That's where high precision and advanced R&D come in; there is however an advantage to be gained from keeping your production people and your R&D people close together and cooperating, much like keeping your IT geeks and your 'business' people working together.

[sasguru]

The trick is not to make stuff, but to make the things that make stuff. That's where high precision and advanced R&D come in; there is however an advantage to be gained from keeping your production people and your R&D people close together and cooperating, much like keeping your IT geeks and your 'business' people working together.

I'm not sure about the hype about 3-D printing - but some say it will revolutionise the world of manufacturing ...

[Mich the Tester]

I'm not sure about the hype about 3-D printing - but some say it will revolutionise the world of manufacturing ...

Ummm, yes and no. People thought automated manufacturing would kill off skilled metalworkers and welders, but right here there's more demand for them than ever from machine manufacturers, water and gas companies, specialist shipbuilders and so on. Lots of work for PLC programmers here, lots of work for people who can understand integrating low level machine controls with high level process controls. As I said, you're better off making the things that make stuff, rather than purely making stuff.

[BrilloPad]

I believe some inventors have had their products ripped off by Chinese manufacturers. Now they try to get products made as 2 parts so no one company has the design.

Once people get 3D printers (it will happen) it will be interesting to see how inventors can protect their designs.

[BigRed]

It would have been nice to have a 'send them all home' option in the Send em all Home? poll.

[DodgyAgent]

I believe some inventors have had their products ripped off by Chinese manufacturers. Now they try to get products made as 2 parts so no one company has the design.

Once people get 3D printers (it will happen) it will be interesting to see how inventors can protect their designs.

Just think we will soon be able to print off our own cretin

[gingerjedi]

3d printing is just the start, according to James Burke all we'll need is dirt, water, acetylene and a personal nano factory (probably the hardest part) to make whatever we want.

Even if this did come to fruition I expect the human race will still make bombs and cash to take/buy other people creations... entirely missing the point.

[vetran]

Sorry was out enjoying the sunshine.

Not sure about China yet but in India many large firms are creating local offices and support as they see both the cost savings and the avenue into a new massive market as very tempting.

Now if SAS believes that the darkies only have some dodgy Universities and they pose no threat, who am I to disagree?

But living near Heathrow and with plenty of Aircraft engineers around I was being told 10 years ago that most plane servicing was moving to cheaper shores. China not America or Australia.

http://www.obsa.org/Lists/Documentac...Airport_EN.pdf

In geographical terms, there is a developing trend
to move into China, the Far East and South America
in pursuit of lower labour costs. In the survey carried out as part of the study, most MRO providers
said that the concerns over service quality in these
emerging areas were gradually receding. Within Europe there has been a move to lower cost countries
in Central and Eastern Europe; e.g. Poland and Hungary

Some of these countries without decent Universities or the skill that apparently flows through our DNA and is difficult to learn have space and nuclear programmes maybe they will do like us and the yanks and import some ex Nazis?

Yes multinationals declare dividends but I doubt they come to the UK much. Various shares I have pay dividends around Europe, most pension funds will be as tax efficient as they come. IMHO The only tax we can really rely on long term is PAYE & VAT.