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Originally Posted by heathkit tv
Thanks Carmine. Me, Sandy G and you (along with a dog named Boo) are probably the only ones here who give a rat's patootie! LOL
Anthony
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Anthony,
Not true. I care. I've been on both sides of the automotive fence, Big 3 and now parts supplier. There's no doubt that Briggs was a controversial figure and could and should be considered a scoundrel! But the U.S. auto companies got even with the suppliers long ago. Today, suppliers are asked to reduce costs by 3% to 5% per year. And many times they're asked to do it up-front; ie: if the value of the contract is $50 million over the next 3 years, they want $2 million, in cash, up-front, right now. The continuous push for unfounded cost reductions have forced a major consolidation of suppliers and has run many out of business and most into bakruptcy. Something's got to change. There are only so many ways that you can make a widget, and many of us have knocked almost all of the labor and capital eqpt. costs out of a part and we still can't make any money on them. Plus, we look forward to several more years of 3% to 5% reductions.
To be sure though, I like the auto industry. That's why I stayed in the Detroit area. For all its shortcomings and heartaches, it's still what's near and dear to my heart. Most of my friends work for the Big 3. About half of them are members of the UAW and the other half are in middle to upper management.
In fact, Carmine, it wasn't that long ago that I was in the Mack 2 plant, looking at the coolant system installed there. OK, time to get off of my soapbox.
Back to that TV set. The TV chassis' were pretty easy to get back in shape, but that radio, man, that was a different story all together....