Originally Posted by Bladecutter
I have to ask:
Who's out of a job?
Their job in their shop is to DESIGN and TEST the headers/exhaust system.
Once they have done that, then they see if there's a market for their product at a specific price point. That's when they sell them to us for $xxxx.
Once they know they can sell the parts to a reliable client base for $xxxx, then they send the parts off to someplace else that can build the parts for cheaper than they can, and then they sell them to us at a higher profit margin, which means that these guys sit at home and collect a paycheck for no additional work, as long as the parts continue to sell.
So, no one's out of a job.
This is what they want to do, and how they make money in the long run.
BC.
I agree..... And this hits home on a personal level. My Aunt and Uncle have owned and operated a machine shop in Chicago for 35 years. They have huge corporate accounts (ie. Tootsie Roll Candy Company) and small accounts a like. If they design a part, product it, and it works, even they sublet out to China. They make their money on repairs and design, not mass production. When it comes down to it, one can not compete with China in the fabrication and tooling industry.