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g zero

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We all gripe about the economy and all the jobs that have been lost to foreign workers . With that should Vans consider building their quick builds in the good old USA ? I think they should .
 
They don't because it would not be economically feasible. Not very many folks would pony up the extra $$$ required to build them here. Part of the reason China has an industrial revolution going on right now,,,,,,cheap labor. Its very sad. You should see all the abandoned factories here in Detroit and the metropolitan area.
 
Great in theory, but the new retail price would be around $30k for the wings and $25k for the fuselage.

A substantial increase in the cost of the kits.
 
FresnoR said:
Great in theory, but the new retail price would be around $30k for the wings and $25k for the fuselage.

A substantial increase in the cost of the kits.
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I don't think this true one bit! Really, how long would it take for a couple well trained assemblers to put a set of wings together if they have nice fixturing and assembly line setup? And they wouldn't have to making union pay scale wages.
 
Buy a slow build like many of us did. Then take the difference in cost between sb and qb and pay a nearby American builder cash. Guess where most of that money will be spent. Here in the U.S. Of course most gets spent on non-U.S. mfd goods, but better than nothing.
 
Zero4Zulu said:
I don't think this true one bit! Really, how long would it take for a couple well trained assemblers to put a set of wings together if they have nice fixturing and assembly line setup? And they wouldn't have to making union pay scale wages.
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By the time a shop is set up with the capability to handle Vans' volume and pay skilled workers with the benefits and liability protection expected, the kit prices would no doubt be considerably higher.

You can rest assured if Vans could figure out how to build QB's less expensively here they would have already done it. Vans knows how to stretch a dollar 'til it screams..... ;)
 
Thats the problem with our economy , we all want everything cheap but want top dollar for our time . Eventually we will build nothing ,sad.
 
Without getting all political, I hate when good, hard working families lose their income because of economic downturns. Sucks and the cause is way outside your or their control.

China has had double digit prosperity for over a decade now. The US pay is down 10-percent on average. This has evened out the gap. Add to this that the labor force in china is shrinking due to their former " one child policy" and you have the US primed for job creation. For example, Lenovo has just announced a new factory to build computers in the US.

Unfortunately there are other countries that still have a low labor rate. If Vans built the QB's anywhere, Mexico is more likely, assuming most kits are purchased in the US.

Labor rate is not really the issue to building a QB in the US. It is the stability of the workforce willing to work at those wages in an area that could support that workers cost of living.

So, I do hate when people lose their jobs, but China is heading for a big downturn. So they will soon be in our same boat.

Anyway you look at it, this is now a global economy. So, the question of where to build? To me it doesn't matter. You can take it from a different perspective. Vans is a US company with a US based workforce and profits. If Vans makes more money by out sourcing, the net is that those profits come to the US, for it's employees to spend. Most likely here in the US. This gives others here a job.

How about building in Europe? They seem to be doing worse than the US.

Mods, please delete if you feel this is too political
 
Not looking to get political . We built thousands of airplanes in WW2 with a labor force of people that never built anything . I wonder what the cost of a quick build would be if it was done here paying $10 to $15 per hour ?
 
Why aren't quick build built in the US??

Ask a lawyer. Then thank a lawyer. If NewBalance can make tennis shoes in the US - which some are - then why not these airplanes? Liability.
 
If it were sheetmetal guys and gals making $15/hr, I believe we could do it here just fine. When you add in management, rent, legal, cpa, electric, phone, water, workers comp, insurance, taxes of all kinds...that is where the cost would shoot through the roof. Could it be done in Aurora? If so, I bet they would be doing it.
 
g zero said:
Not looking to get political . We built thousands of airplanes in WW2 with a labor force of people that never built anything . I wonder what the cost of a quick build would be if it was done here paying $10 to $15 per hour ?
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$10 to $15 an hour, is just what the worker is paid. Add the cost of buildings, utilities, equipment, insurance, taxes, paid holidays, some office personnel for book keeping, a forman or two, vacation, more insurance, some extra for mistakes, etc...........and it's far beyond ten to fifteen.

L.Adamson
 
Wayne Gillispie said:
If it were sheetmetal guys and gals making $15/hr, I believe we could do it here just fine. When you add in management, rent, legal, cpa, electric, phone, water, workers comp, insurance, taxes of all kinds...that is where the cost would shoot through the roof. Could it be done in Aurora? If so, I bet they would be doing it.
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Okay............so I was typing my reply, & didn't see yours. I'm a sheet metal guy. I wouldn't work for $15 an hour! :D
 
L.Adamson said:
Okay............so I was typing my reply, & didn't see yours. I'm a sheet metal guy. I wouldn't work for $15 an hour! :D
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You would if you were hungry enough. I am a chiropractor and I would happily build planes for $15 an hour if I had to. Would I be able to feed my family of 5, uh no, would I be able to pay my mortgage, uh no, would I be able to fund my retirement, uh no, would I be able to send my kids to college, uh no, would I be able to afford a vacation, uh no, would I be able to afford health care, uh no. Wait a second. I take back what I said. I think the unions would need to get involved so I could get paid a fair wage of 35 bucks an hour plus full benefits and paid time off. Sheesh what was I thinking. No wonder Vans won't build in the US. Its to DANG EXPENSIVE! Everything is to dang expensive. We're in deep folks and if we don't change it soon, I'm afraid of where its headed.
 
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