JustAnotherProle Posted November 12, 2010 Share Posted November 12, 2010 (edited) Well here we are, close to the Olympics in 2012 and the true state of British manufacturing has hit the headlines! Of the 446 items for sale on the site, 67% are made in China and 18% in Turkey, while only 8% bear the hallmark "Made in the UK".China not only manufactures the largest number of products, but the most popular ones - including the Olympic and Paralympic mascots, Wenlock and Mandeville. So, it seems that our output is so screwed we can't even make the badges and trinkets that advertise our own Olympics hosting in the UK. 2.45 million unemployed and we dont have the ability to make badges.... Edited November 12, 2010 by JustAnotherProle Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bloo Loo Posted November 12, 2010 Share Posted November 12, 2010 government stimulus not only collected from productive business in the form of tax and deficit spending, but much handed out to offshore interests. i hear that its hard to speak English and be understood at the multi layer security access points. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Realistbear Posted November 12, 2010 Share Posted November 12, 2010 How thoroughly symbolic. I am trying my best not to buy Chinese goods and was appalled a couple of months ago when I took delivery of what I thought was a made-in-the-West-Country Allen & Heath mixing desk. Yep--it was made in China. A&H were among the last companies in the sound business to keep making stuff here. I suppose HPI out West forced them to China. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maihem Posted November 12, 2010 Share Posted November 12, 2010 China not only manufactures the largest number of products, but the most popular ones - including the Olympic and Paralympic mascots, Wenlock and Mandeville. Actually, it's chinese slaves that do it. Nobody really wants these trinkets so they can only be manufactured cost effectively by slaves (or by people earning a pittance). As slavery is illegal here as is paying a pittance... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billybong Posted November 12, 2010 Share Posted November 12, 2010 The brown envelopes would likely be made in the UK. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OnlyMe Posted November 13, 2010 Share Posted November 13, 2010 92% of London 2012 Olympics cr@p made abroad Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billybong Posted November 13, 2010 Share Posted November 13, 2010 (edited) Souvenir badges £5.00. Cost to put them on the shelves 5p max.? Similar things can be bought in retail outlets anywhere in the UK for 50p max. Olympics 2012. Pay through the nose 2012 more like. It's not really an "Olympics" though is it. Maybe they should have an "Olympic" event for profiteering. Maybe they already do. As for the Cyclops in a Flower Pot Man suit. Edited November 13, 2010 by billybong Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Executive Sadman Posted November 13, 2010 Share Posted November 13, 2010 Pipe down children, you too can buy into the great economic event that is the olympics - house prices around Stratford are set to scale incredible heights, BUY BUY BUY. Although those too, will probably be built by 92% foreigners. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
South Lorne Posted November 13, 2010 Share Posted November 13, 2010 Actually, it's chinese slaves that do it. Nobody really wants these trinkets so they can only be manufactured cost effectively by slaves (or by people earning a pittance). As slavery is illegal here as is paying a pittance... ...if this is the case they should not have tariffs on them ...they should be banned ....we built an empire on child labour within in GB ...but this is now against the law and banned ....why let slavery win the 'tat' for the Games in this age....ban them and certainly don't buy them if they are proven to come from the output of slave labour..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SNACR Posted November 13, 2010 Share Posted November 13, 2010 There is little capacity for any significant volume non-food manufacturing in the UK. This was a report that government needed to listen to over a decade ago. The supply chain is irrevocably broken we just simply couldn't make the products like toys even if we wanted to. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ParticleMan Posted November 13, 2010 Share Posted November 13, 2010 (edited) I can't remember if I read it here or if perhaps I just dreamt it. Regardless, the solution to this debacle in the making is obvious. Lease the rights to run this to some Chinese quasi-state-run company. If they can build a fifteen story hotel in six days then I'm quite sure they could flatten some hapless island in the South China Sea, and construct a series of Potemkin villages on it designed to look close enough to the real thing to fool the (high-def, 3D, and Chinese-made) television cameras. Or perhaps they could find some failed holiday resort owner a little nearer home and do much the same thing. Either way, goodbye problem, hello solution - the UK might even net a win, assuming of course (and this may be where things break down) that the Chinese actually pay up on the royalties due. Edited November 13, 2010 by ParticleMan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
libspero Posted November 13, 2010 Share Posted November 13, 2010 The supply chain is irrevocably broken we just simply couldn't make the products like toys even if we wanted to. +1 Watching the presenter filming the small factory with people hand stamping, enamelling, decorating and finishing individual items made me wonder: 1) Could they really accept an order for <plucks figure out of air> 5m units 2) Could they really make a profit from the £5 price tag I expect no, and no. With a bit of research what perhaps could have been done would be to offer a separate line of limited edition "hand crafted in UK" gold/silver/bronze collectors versions in smaller quantities with a much higher price tag. Easy to say with 'captain' hindsight though.. Another anecdotal.. Apparently, since our spending reviews of CERN / ESRF / other Euro collaborations.. these organisations have been very keen to start using British companies for fear we may pull out altogether (previously for every pound the UK put in, we got about 12p back in contracts). From what I hear despite the new positive bias in our favour the ratio is still hopeless. The reason? We either simply can't full-fill the contract, or we can't offer it at a price that makes us remotely competitive. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cinnamon Posted November 13, 2010 Share Posted November 13, 2010 We either simply can't full-fill the contract, or we can't offer it at a price that makes us remotely competitive. Well, given that the taxman is a silent partner to everyone in everything we do, to the tune of 60%+... of course not. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SarahBell Posted November 13, 2010 Share Posted November 13, 2010 Actually, it's chinese slaves that do it. Nobody really wants these trinkets so they can only be manufactured cost effectively by slaves (or by people earning a pittance). As slavery is illegal here as is paying a pittance... Slavery only illegal recently according to QI last night Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bloo Loo Posted November 13, 2010 Share Posted November 13, 2010 (edited) +1 Watching the presenter filming the small factory with people hand stamping, enamelling, decorating and finishing individual items made me wonder: 1) Could they really accept an order for <plucks figure out of air> 5m units 2) Could they really make a profit from the £5 price tag I expect no, and no. With a bit of research what perhaps could have been done would be to offer a separate line of limited edition "hand crafted in UK" gold/silver/bronze collectors versions in smaller quantities with a much higher price tag. Easy to say with 'captain' hindsight though.. Another anecdotal.. Apparently, since our spending reviews of CERN / ESRF / other Euro collaborations.. these organisations have been very keen to start using British companies for fear we may pull out altogether (previously for every pound the UK put in, we got about 12p back in contracts). From what I hear despite the new positive bias in our favour the ratio is still hopeless. The reason? We either simply can't full-fill the contract, or we can't offer it at a price that makes us remotely competitive. Its not too late...My hand crafted Famous Precision Olympic Edition House Price Prediction Kit is available to any well monied VI ( book and pay for yours now for delivery by 2012) and its available for and guaranteed to work in any language. Edited November 13, 2010 by Bloo Loo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
winkie Posted November 13, 2010 Share Posted November 13, 2010 (edited) I used to shop in M&S when it was 100% quality British made. Edit to add...if the cost of a basic home and utilities took up less of a working persons income people would have more to spend on British goods so could pay the British workforce more....just a thought. Edited November 13, 2010 by winkie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bloo Loo Posted November 13, 2010 Share Posted November 13, 2010 snip Edit to add...if the cost of a basic home and utilities took up less of a working persons income people would have more to spend on British goods so could pay the British workforce more....just a thought. THAT is what the interest rate tool in the BoE toolbox was supposed to acheive. but hey ho, who cares that any excess is ploughed back into ponzi housing, we all became millionaires. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ruffneck Posted November 13, 2010 Share Posted November 13, 2010 How thoroughly symbolic. I am trying my best not to buy Chinese goods and was appalled a couple of months ago when I took delivery of what I thought was a made-in-the-West-Country Allen & Heath mixing desk. Yep--it was made in China. A&H were among the last companies in the sound business to keep making stuff here. I suppose HPI out West forced them to China. I thought they were still making the high end stuff in the UK and the cheaper stuff was O/S I'm trying to find a circular saw blade and the only brands at the hardware store are stanley Irwin and Ozito which are all made in China.Looks like i will have to import one over the net , i refuse to buy China crap. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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