I'm old enough to remember when Mitutoyo was considered "junk" !

It was funny... I sort of tooled up before Mitu came out. We all had Starrett, B&S, Federal, Tumico, Lufkin... what other ones am I forgetting? If someone wanted what was considered by some the best, they bought German or Swiss like Etalon and Helios the other one I can't remember.

But new kids started in the business and just like today when you go to MSC Direct you can find the import sets 0-3 for half the price or less. Had to get by and they didn't make enough to invest in the best. The only thing was "Mitutoyo" was the import of poor quality and and we laughed at the kids who bought them. Many guys younger than me laugh when anyone  buys a Chinese set today. Same thing.

Sometimes being around awhile gives a better perspective.

Quote from: Ron on July 21, 2011, 07:49:16 AM

"The crux of Moser's argument is that if U.S. manufacturers take into consideration the "total cost of ownership" for products made in China but destined to be sold in America -- transportation costs, reject rates, foreign wage inflation, potential intellectual-property theft and other factors -- the United States compares favorably with China and other so-called low-cost countries..."

China made products will always ruin the brand name.
Regardless of where it was bought.
They never produce high quality products.

If that were literally true then then North America would lose no more jobs since the world will know that we make only quality products. The buyers of quality would buy ours and the buyers of junk would buy theirs and we sould have a work force producing quality and would have almost zero unemployment.

Of course that is not literally true. One only has to study post war Japan to see that quality in emerging manufacturing nations comes over time. They will soon make the highest quality products in my opinion.

http://www.industryweek.com/articles/the_pied_piper_of_manufacturing_25169.aspx


"The crux of Moser's argument is that if U.S. manufacturers take into consideration the "total cost of ownership" for products made in China but destined to be sold in America -- transportation costs, reject rates, foreign wage inflation, potential intellectual-property theft and other factors -- the United States compares favorably with China and other so-called low-cost countries..."