Reply to: Manufacturing in the UK

[lukemg]

Vacuum Cleaner

My Dyson has finally packed up after 7 years - not bad I reckon, so I need a new cleaner. Anyone recommend a make and model - don't like Dysons as they are crap for doing the car and don't say spend 35 notes on the car kit !
Cheers all !

[XLMonkey]

However, is there any merit in such an idea ? Would it work ? Could it work ?

No.


...oh alright then. search Wikipedia for Ricardo's Law.

"That it is logically true need not be argued before a mathematician; that it is not trivial is attested by the thousands of important and intelligent men who have never been able to grasp the doctrine for themselves or to believe it after it was explained to them."—Paul Samuelson

and he's almost as smart as I am!

[snaw]

Because the Germans hold engineers in high esteem and can therefore make things, while the "Meejah Studies" grads here can't make a paper aeroplane?

True, but those are the ones that make us so strong in the creative service industries. You could argue and say that's where we're best concentrating our efforts (Services I mean) given the current state of our manufacturing base and lack of cheap plentiful labour ...

[DimPrawn]

Doesn't that just mean most vacum cleaners sold are now Dysons?

A bit like if I went to the scrap yard and saw loads more Fords and Vauxhalls than Fiats, does it mean Fiats are more reliable?

There's a story that Henry Ford used to visit scrap yards and find out which bits on the Ford were still working, go back to the factory and demand that cheaper lower quality parts were used in future.

[TheMonkey]

I used to skip dive Dysons, clean them up, repair them with parts from others and sell them on ebay for £200 (about 3 years ago). On a good day, that's £400 tax free

[sasguru]

granted, and why can this not be achieved in the UK ?

Milan.

Because the Germans hold engineers in high esteem and can therefore make things, while the "Meejah Studies" grads here can't make a paper aeroplane?

[Bagpuss]

The Dyson vacuum cleaner, in all its incarnations, is apparently the most popular item of cleaning equipment to be found at your friendly local civic recycling facility...

Doesn't that just mean most vacum cleaners sold are now Dysons?

A bit like if I went to the scrap yard and saw loads more Fords and Vauxhalls than Fiats, does it mean Fiats are more reliable?

[Bagpuss]

Germany is a big exporter because the products are percieved as being of quality and having some exclusivity to them. It's a trick but it works well. The BMW 3 series, it sold more in Europe than the Ford Mondeo!

British products are on the whole precieved to be inferior to Japanese and German ones. Of course this was once true, probably not now (take for example Dyson, which is selling well in Japan), but it's about perceptions, the new mini, thought up in the UK, orginally would have been built by rover and would have looked the same, driven the same, and been as reliable. Put a German Label on it and kerching $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
everyone wants one.

Making things cheaper isn't the answer, appealing to label conscious morons is.

[BlasterBates]

As a matter of fact the UK manufactures more than it did in the 70's, strange and goes against "gut" feelings but true.

The fact is, it is true that a lot of manufacturing has moved away, steel, ship building etc. but this has been replaced with an enormous expansion of ice-cream and biscuit manufacturing (just look at the kids today and you can see where British products end up) etc. things that you can't easily produce in hot countries, and where we still have a competitive edge.

[Pondlife]

granted, and why can this not be achieved in the UK ?

Milan.

It can and does for certain industries. Manufacturing sites are also best placed either near the source of materials or the customer. Unfortunately logistics costs are at a premium in the UK.

[milanbenes]

granted, and why can this not be achieved in the UK ?

Milan.

[snaw]

"UK manufacturing is, quite frankly, a complete basket case. We simply cannot compete with overseas cheaper labour. That's a given.
",

BGG, how do you then explain that Germany is the world's largest exporter ?

Milan.

A high degree of automation

HTH

[milanbenes]

"UK manufacturing is, quite frankly, a complete basket case. We simply cannot compete with overseas cheaper labour. That's a given.
",

BGG, how do you then explain that Germany is the world's largest exporter ?

Milan.

[DimPrawn]

Sounds like communism to me.

Sack everyone. Let the Chinese and Indians work themselves to death whilst we live lives of luxury and leisure funded by the massive rise in house prices.

HTH

[snaw]

Isn't that called subsidising and doesn't that create a whole new set of problems (Not too mention tax players money)? Not enough of an economist to detail it but I'm sure it's a bad thing ...