[Merritec]

I guess we could get a good feel for that theory here on the forum.

How many collectors would collect corgi aircraft if they were manufactured in the US and retailed for $200 for a Fighter and $400 for a Heavy? (Prices are an estimate for arguments sake. I have no idea how much it would cost to produce these in the US. It may be alot more)

Would you still buy them, or would you only collect Hobby Master, and Gemini Aces at their current prices?

[STARMAN 352ND]

I think it be cool to have them made here in the USA....
But i know it would cost alot more and i don't really want to see the prices rise any more then they have too.
JP

[Captain Eddie]

Originally Posted by Merritec

I guess we could get a good feel for that theory here on the forum.

How many collectors would collect corgi aircraft if they were manufactured in the US and retailed for $200 for a Fighter and $400 for a Heavy? (Prices are an estimate for arguments sake. I have no idea how much it would cost to produce these in the US. It may be alot more)

Would you still buy them, or would you only collect Hobby Master, and Gemini Aces at their current prices?

I absolutely could not afford $200 to $400 per plane, so I would have to go with other choices.

[Captain Eddie]

Originally Posted by Spinnaker

Economic theory of competitive advantage is all very well, but reality tends to be much different. Many businesses have to make a choice - relocate to where production costs are lower, or go out of business.

Sadly perhaps, most consumers don't stop to consider the "ecological and social footprints of the manufacturing process" when purchasing. They simply see a cheaper price tag. (The choice to pay more I suspect is the privilege of the relatively-wealthy few).

As a business owner myself, I have been fortunate that I have not had to make such choices. But I understand why some have been forced to make such a move, and would never damn them for a lack of "ethics and social conscience". If anyone is to blame, it is the consumer.

Spinnaker, very well said, I couldn't agree more. If a business cannot compete, they go out of business. If consumers, as a whole, were willing to pay more to have the product made at home, I'm sure business would be more than willing to comply.

[Cardinal]

Originally Posted by Captain Eddie

I absolutely could not afford $200 to $400 per plane, so I would have to go with other choices.

The figures of $200 and $400 mentioned in an earlier post are purely speculative and detract from a considered debate on the issue. Perhaps someone in the industry could give a general estimate of what costs would be if die-cast were mass produced in a higher-wage economy using the latest high-tech and innovative production methods available. The costs may not be as prohibitive as one would necessarily think.

(Somewhat related, I recently read a report that even the US military is becoming increasingly concerned about the outsourcing of component manufacturing for their sophisticated weaponry, specifically to countries that may not have their best interests at heart sometime in the future and who may 'bug' electronic components so that they would have limited usefulness if used against them in any future conflict. Apparently, consideration is being given to develop sophisticated scanning technology to detect any such 'redundancy' features that may be installed illegally by offshore component manufacturers, although preference would be to manufacture in local facilities at greater cost.)

[Merritec]

Originally Posted by Cardinal

The figures of $200 and $400 mentioned in an earlier post are purely speculative and detract from a considered debate on the issue. Perhaps someone in the industry could give a general estimate of what costs would be if die-cast were mass produced in a higher-wage economy using the latest high-tech and innovative production methods available. The costs may not be as prohibitive as one would necessarily think.

I also want to reiterate that I threw the $200 to $400 amounts out just to get people talking. But to speculate would be very hard. Making these palnes are very labour intensive, and probably don't translate well to automation and high tech production. The time delays of reprogramming the robots every 1500 plane runs would be stagering. Plus the cost of robotics would be prohibitive as a start up cost. The robot would have to be very high quality stringing wire struts or attaching a propeller. On the other side, putting as many Unionised US workers as are used in China on an assembly line would send the cost through the roof. (Not a knock on the US as I am sure it would be just as much or more in Canada or the UK)
So the $200 to $400 may be a high estimate or may be a low ball estimate.

[Hoverbug]

Originally Posted by Cardinal

The figures of $200 and $400 mentioned in an earlier post are purely speculative and detract from a considered debate on the issue. Perhaps someone in the industry could give a general estimate of what costs would be if die-cast were mass produced in a higher-wage economy using the latest high-tech and innovative production methods available. The costs may not be as prohibitive as one would necessarily think.

(Somewhat related, I recently read a report that even the US military is becoming increasingly concerned about the outsourcing of component manufacturing for their sophisticated weaponry, specifically to countries that may not have their best interests at heart sometime in the future and who may 'bug' electronic components so that they would have limited usefulness if used against them in any future conflict. Apparently, consideration is being given to develop sophisticated scanning technology to detect any such 'redundancy' features that may be installed illegally by offshore component manufacturers, although preference would be to manufacture in local facilities at greater cost.)

It's worse than you know. Much of the software coding for things like aircraft autopilots and even sensitive defense systems has been done in India and elsewhere in the Far East. Our military and other sensitive hardware may be "made in America", but much of it is programmed in countries that are not our Allies by any stretch of the imagination. The Pentagon has looked at recoding some of the more sensitive material, but it is simply not cost effective to do it in this country.

[jim]

In the national interest I think, to use the words of a starship pilot, the USA should "make it so".

Originally Posted by Hoverbug

The Pentagon has looked at recoding some of the more sensitive material, but it is simply not cost effective to do it in this country.

[Hoverbug]

Originally Posted by jim

In the national interest I think, to use the words of a starship pilot, the USA should "make it so".

I suspect, the big problem is one of capacity. The "grunt" type of coding (the IT equivalent of digging ditches) they are doing has simply been outsourced to the point there aren't enough U.S. companies willing to take it on.

[timbo]

Originally Posted by Hoverbug

I suspect, the big problem is one of capacity. The "grunt" type of coding (the IT equivalent of digging ditches) they are doing has simply been outsourced to the point there aren't enough U.S. companies willing to take it on.

No it's purely bottom line. In my business an off shore technical consultant will cost $15 -$30 per hour. Hiring the same consultant here will cost $90 - 150 - Big difference, and these sure add up fast.