So is it slowin down? (business/mfrg)

[Thunderjet]

Um, the thread title is in regards to the Manufacturing business, not America burning.

Your post has little or nothing to do with the discussion.

America is NOT going to burn.

Stop being a drama queen, and take a seat ......Karen.

 

[Achemy Imagineer]

Things were going great guns the beginning of covid which I thought was odd. Since the beginning of this year,,,super slow.

 

[AM-PRECISION-RMA]

It is definitely slowing down in Windsor, Ontario / Detroit, Michigan area. It's just hard to tell if it's the usual summer slow down or something bigger than that. Seems like everyone is waiting for new work to be released...but than again, I've been hearing about that for the past couple of months now, so who knows really.

 

[DanASM]

I can imagine anything Automotive is going to slow way down with these gas prices.

I keep getting orders from new customers about once a week. Regulars are still sending jobs at the same or better pace than last year.

I went through 2009 and had all my chips in one big basket and when they pulled out we had nothing to do for a few years.

This time I made sure to diversify as much as possible. I probably have 40-50 customers who send me work each year. Once they repeat, I end up with them for life pretty much. Its good peace of mind, thats for sure.

 

[lucky7]

Things were going great guns the beginning of covid which I thought was odd. Since the beginning of this year,,,super slow.

What area are you working in?

 

[Mathew Molk]

So 'round these parts I have been hearing rumblings of shops gettin' slow..........few local truckers have voiced concern sayin' trips/loads are way way down. They seem a bit on edge. Vendors are back to normal turnaround time or even faster............Material is actually in stock................I'm gitt'n inundated with emails/phone calls from machine dealers sellin' machines that would normally wouldn't need much effort movin'........Lotsa auction emails lately too..........I guess I live in a bubble as my customers are still hummin' right along......................How's everyone doin' out ther

So 'round these parts I have been hearing rumblings of shops gettin' slow..........few local truckers have voiced concern sayin' trips/loads are way way down. They seem a bit on edge. Vendors are back to normal turnaround time or even faster............Material is actually in stock................I'm gitt'n inundated with emails/phone calls from machine dealers sellin' machines that would normally wouldn't need much effort movin'........Lotsa auction emails lately too..........I guess I live in a bubble as my customers are still hummin' right along......................How's everyone doin' out there?

Our work has actually pick up in the last couple of months. (East side of Cleveland) Our Steel supply house has a lead time of 10 to 14 days just to get a 2' piece of 1-1/2" 4140 cold finish. --- and that have tons of stock! What they are screaming about is they cannot hire anybody. Even the kids that they can get "Work" a day and a half and they never see them again after lunch on the second day. ,,,, It[s the same everywhere in industry and construction here. Nobody wants to work. They are hounding the crap out of the skilled trades retired guys to come back to work. ,,, I put this on the commie teacher's unions that ended industrial arts and pushed the kids into degree programs in fields that make them unemployable The parents that never instilled anything close to a work ethic in theses kids didn't help the situation much either.

Can't explain why work volume in your area is going down. but in Cleveland it's not having anybody to do the work we got.

 

[Mathew Molk]

In the last month the local steel service center has gone from a month lead time for a little guy like me to next day no problem. Even though I don’t need it fast, Cheaper too. And the non ferrous guys return my emails quickly...

fwiw, I’d call opinions based on my experience and the other posts a lagging indicator of how the economy is doing.

180 degreees out in Cleveland. - What we used to get in a day is now 10 to 14 and the price of 4140 (we use a lot of it) has close to doubled. We have had to raise our prices, but the orders are still coming in.

 

[Mathew Molk]

180 degreees out in Cleveland. - What we used to get in a day is now 10 to 14 and the price of 4140 (we use a lot of it) has close to doubled. We have had to raise our prices, but the orders are still coming in.

 

[snowman]

Nobody wants to work. They are hounding the crap out of the skilled trades retired guys to come back to work. ,,, I put this on the commie teacher's unions that ended industrial arts and pushed the kids into degree programs in fields that make them unemployable The parents that never instilled anything close to a work ethic in theses kids didn't help the situation much either.

No...nobody wants to work for bullshit wages in dead end jobs that expect 10 hour days with no benefits.

I just put notice in yesterday. I have people hounding me to come work for them. When I tell them what I've been getting paid I hear "that's a little high". Ten years experience in the same field, I can think for myself, I can sell and I can work circles around someone half my age and 17% more than entry level wages is "a little high".
Steel shops are hiring people that have substance abuse problems that should be pushing brooms for $12-15/hr, then complaining that they can't read tape measures and don't show up past day two.

Oh, and the "commie teachers unions" don't set curriculum. If anything, I've never met a single teacher that's anti vocational education. Teachers are employees that teach to a curriculum standard that is supplied by the state. Curriculum standards and funding are set by your state (and federal) government. By cutting funding for vocational education and increasing expectations of academic performance (ie, no child left behind), they have completely alienated any students that don't fit the standard college preparatory curriculum.

 

[Mebfab]

No...nobody wants to work for bullshit wages in dead end jobs that expect 10 hour days with no benefits. This is it right here. I just had an open house at work (community college, trades) employers HR departments "we are having to pay people more then they are worth.... we have people quitting as they take a job for less but its close to home... etc, we cant find anyone who will work..... " They are paying $14 hour, some of the employers wanted actual skills and poor working conditions for $15 (yes, a few paid better and some positions better, but not many). . Mcdonalds is paying $14 with a meal. Harbor freight is paying $16. Walmart warehouse is over $20. A bunch of other big warehouses are the same. One of my recent grads had an interesting take. "I can stay home and not send my kids to daycare, cook meals from scratch instead of eating take out, share a single car with spouse who works full time and not have the other car payment. It ends up breaking even roughly vs going to work and I can see my kids grow up." We have gotten to a point in society where the wealthy fly into space for fun. But the rank and file see no benefit in going to work as the cost of entry is so high vs the wage its not economically viable.

Oh, and the "commie teachers unions" don't set curriculum. If anything, I've never met a single teacher that's anti vocational education. Teachers are employees that teach to a curriculum standard that is supplied by the state. Curriculum standards and funding are set by your state (and federal) government. By cutting funding for vocational education and increasing expectations of academic performance (ie, no child left behind), they have completely alienated any students that don't fit the standard college preparatory curriculum. This commie teacher union BS is exactly that BS, i ignorant or hate filled talking point. I just hosted 18 middle and high school teachers in a tech camp. They are very much commited to getting the kids into trades. And so are the ones who didnt come (95% probably, I see them all the time) These people went into the field to make a difference. They know what student debt is. They dont want that for the kids. Its society, often the parents that are the issue. We have our own councilors in the schools to make sure they know they have an option. The curriculum standards and no child left behind.... I am not touching that... But we bus students from the HS to take trade classes in the afternoons. And its free to take college class with the adults while in HS outside of that time. Also programs for recent grads, apprenticeships, state money, grants, scholarships. Lot of options with little or no out of pocket, often student gets a little $$ to cover expenses.