Easton made in China

[BK 0]

I picked up a new z-carbon cnt today and plastered right on the blade is "Made in china". I knew that easton outsourced, but honestly.. what is the benifit of transfering your production over to China, vs keeping it in the US and Canada? Does it really save that much money?

[DamnLocust 0]

it's also on the synergy II blades.

[Aussie Joe 0]

Does it really save that much money?

You answered that question yourself really. In terms of setup, labour and shipping costs it far outways anything anyone in the US can provide. Why do you think the vast majority of corporations worldwide do it?

[Tyler B 0]

my synergy st had made in mexico on it. personaly i could care less where anything is made... if it works then use it.

[mew1838 0]

compare the $8 minimum wage here and the $0.50 they pay people there.

[DEATHTRON 19]

They used to use Mexico, but since have went to China...who knows, but to manufacture things in China is CHEAP!

Zach

[sharpie 0]

It really doesn't matter to me were it is maufactured as long as my son gets his sticks and he's happy with them its smooth sailing.

[Chadd 916]

They used to use Mexico, but since have went to China...who knows, but to manufacture things in China is CHEAP!

Zach

Yet the price didn't go down. Benefit to the consumer = $0.

[Chadd 916]

Yet the price didn't go down. Benefit to the consumer = $0.

Couldn't the same be said about Bauer's XXX Lite, TPS Response Armor, etc? It's not just an Easton thing.

And I've said the same about them as well.

[Chadd 916]

Yet the price didn't go down. Benefit to the consumer = $0.

Couldn't the same be said about Bauer's XXX Lite, TPS Response Armor, etc? It's not just an Easton thing.

And I've said the same about them as well.

An argument that could be made to this would be that by making the product in China, it keeps the price the same. If you were to try and find a manufacturer to do it domestically (US, Canada, Mexico), then consumers would be paying more.

In the case of TPS, the fact that the Adrenaline and Adrenaline Control haven't increased significantly in cost would appear to refute that arguement. Then again, I don't have access to their actual costs so it's all speculation on my part.

[hockeyherb 1]

They used to use Mexico, but since have went to China...who knows, but to manufacture things in China is CHEAP!

Zach

Yet the price didn't go down. Benefit to the consumer = $0.

The companies would tell you that the price didn't go UP either. With the cost of health care and many other uncompetitive levies you face by manufacturing in the US the benefit to the consumer is probably significant since they would have to charge even more for the sticks.

[JR Boucicaut 3804]

Actually, not to nitpick, but the Z-Carbon price actually did go down significantly. It's now a $45 instead of $60 blade. Regardless, the rest of the discussion is spot-on - so back to topic :)

[Chadd 916]

Actually, not to nitpick, but the Z-Carbon price actually did go down significantly. It's now a $45 instead of $60 blade. Regardless, the rest of the discussion is spot-on - so back to topic :)

Good for Easton and good for consumers. I haven't used a Z-carb in a long time so I wasn't aware of the drop.

[BK 0]

Actually, not to nitpick, but the Z-Carbon price actually did go down significantly. It's now a $45 instead of $60 blade. Regardless, the rest of the discussion is spot-on - so back to topic :)

I did notice that.. My lhs had the CNT and last years ZCarbon. Last years model was $55 and this years was only $49.

[DarkStar50 679]

For example, if Easton makes a stick in Mexico for $50(their cost) and then ships to USA for distribution for $2 per unit while the same stick made in China costs Easton $35 but costs $17 per unit to ship halfway around the world to USA, then its not only where its made at what cost but add in the shipping costs from the plant to the USA distribution center before you think you know where the stick is made "cheaper." China is not part of the North American continent. Shipping costs are very expensive and time consuming.

[kredmore 2]

Good point when comparing labor cost markets, but lower cost to produce and shipping is still less in many places (SouthEast Asia, Mexico, etc.) than manufacturing in the US for most goods. Just look at the trade deficit - most of the consumer products we buy are made outside of the US.

[Chadd 916]

For example, if Easton makes a stick in Mexico for $50(their cost) and then ships to USA for distribution for $2 per unit while the same stick made in China costs Easton $35 but costs $17 per unit to ship halfway around the world to USA, then its not only where its made at what cost but add in the shipping costs from the plant to the USA distribution center before you think you know where the stick is made "cheaper." China is not part of the North American continent. Shipping costs are very expensive and time consuming.

Shipping product from China is FAR cheaper than you think.

Especially when shipping in large quantities.

[Chadd 916]

Especially when shipping in large quantities.

Well, any of the manufacturers are going to do large quantities, however, you'd be shocked to find out what as little as 500 sticks would cost to ship from China.

I've seen quotes on slightly smaller shipments and you're absolutely right.

[shute 4]

For example, if Easton makes a stick in Mexico for $50(their cost) and then ships to USA for distribution for $2 per unit while the same stick made in China costs Easton $35 but costs $17 per unit to ship halfway around the world to USA, then its not only where its made at what cost but add in the shipping costs from the plant to the USA distribution center before you think you know where the stick is made "cheaper." China is not part of the North American continent. Shipping costs are very expensive and time consuming.

wow if it costs $17 to ship a stick over we wouldn't have any more illegal immigrants coming over cause it'll cost to much.. :lol:

[flaming_june 2]

agreeing completely with the previous few posts, i've worked in the financial business and with some chinese developers from mainland, it is just insanely cheap to ship mass building matterials from china.

i just have something to add;

no matter how much we ignore it, the fact is china is still a communist totalitarian regime with many labour camps like the gulags in the soviet days (maybe parrallel to the camps in the nazi days). its economy heavily depends on their exports to sustain itself. spends a great deal of their per annum on keeping their people in line, from military to news censorship of sensitive subjects, propaganda etc. (as you may heard on cnn, chinese police opening fire on peasant protestors as an example).

so unfortunately, the great deals that we get, from coffee pots to electronics, from a soccer ball to skate laces, if made in china, in someway directly or indirectly supports the communist and their persecution against the people. (the arguement here is a bit strong, however, since this is an opinion piece i think you mods will allow it, ;) )

there are many things we can debate on and argue over, but i really feel we can't escape that fact. i feel very strongly about the situation especially for the people, but unfortunately, my labtop that i'm typing this on, is indeed made in china.

[DarkStar50 679]

I have no idea about actual shipping costs from China. I'm sure you are right when you say it costs less to ship from China than Mexico. However, China is still on the other side of the planet so it has to take more time to get the product from

China than Mexico. The reaction time to demand in the marketplace is then obviously slower for the dealer and consumer. This is bad news when a vendor says 60-90 days delivery. Oh, its Easton so it will never arrive anyway. Its amazing what you forget at 6:13 AM.

[Dante2004 0]

I used to work for a company (auto manufacturing) that moved to China. As an engineer, one of my last duties was to re-calculate the manufactuing cost of the products I was over. Believe me, it IS cheaper, BY FAR to manufacture most products over seas and ship to the US. Big bulky products, like car seats or something like that, will probably be fairly safe, but smaller components are very economical to move to China (or anywhere else).

Here is an example to chew on. It costs GM/FORD/WHOEVER $60-$70/hr to employ a "fully fringed" union worker (including the cost of benefits). This same labor can be done in Mexico for ~$6/hr (or less) and can be done in China for less than $1/hr. Even non-union labor in the US is expensive. You can pretty much double the persons salary (that they see) and you will approximately get the cost to the company to employ that person. Overhead, insurance, salary, benefits, etc. It all adds up.

And guys...shipping is no where near as expensive as some of you have quoted on here. At least not for the manufacture. YOU might have to pay a large sum to do a one time shipment of 500 sticks, or 50, or whatever you ordered, but a large company has an established shipping vendor. Quantity, established route, business relationship, etc....

Even if is is shipped UPS and the receipt says $50, the company isn't actually paying that much. They will get a discount on the "regular price" based on their shipping volume. I used to ship stuff that I sold on e-bay all the time through our company UPS account (added perk of the job). The receipt would say $19.50 (for example). I would then take this total and find it on our discount chart to find out how much I really owed our company. It might end up being only $10, or something like that. But the discounted price never showed up on the invoice that the customer would see, or the label that printed out of the machine.

Don't get me wrong, I want to keep jobs in the US and think it is a shame that we are losing all this business, but from an economic standpoint, can you really blame the companies?

[kredmore 2]

Maybe off topic, but good posts.

I always enjoy the simple example of the $200 TV at a large chain retailer. Of course, it's made outside the US in a cheaper market. If made in the US, it might be $300. No one wants to pay that, but everyone wants jobs to stay in the US. Happens across millions of products.

[DarkStar50 679]

Just to clarify, my shipping cost examples were just made-up numbers, not real world numbers at all. This thread has been interesting and I have learned a lot again. Thanks.

[Oggie Grip 0]

It really doesn't matter much to people these days, but.....

Just want to add that we are proud to say that our Oggie Grips are still made in the good ole' USA.