In 2002, I went to the SEMA AAPEX Show in Las Vegas. The aftermarket auto accessory industry was there along with all of the auto service industry folks. It was a combined show, and it was absolutely huge. Someone stated that there were 26 miles of exhibits, and that makes sense because at the end of four days I had blisters, and I was completely burned out. You must understand that I am a former athlete, a runner, so I'm not sure how some of those older folks made it.
Nevertheless, I do remember at the Sands Hotel in Las Vegas where the AAPEX show was, the exhibit hall was easily five or six football fields worth of area and on the bottom floor, well, it was filled with companies that made auto parts, equipment for the industry, or other industry related trinkets. Most of the place was filled with Chinese manufacturers, and they were selling knockoff parts. That is to say they were selling copies of genuine GM, Ford, and Chrysler parts including body parts for cars.
This was my second rude awakening to all of the intellectual property and patent pirated theft going on. Previously, having been around the personal electronics industry and computer industry I was amazed at the number of parts inside of computers and laptops, and personal tech devices which were made in China, all copies of US technology. But when I saw all those vendors selling copies of US parts for cars, I was appalled. Why wasn't anybody doing anything about it? That's crazy. I had half a notion to contact our commerce secretary that weekend. Although I'm sure he realized what was going on.
Has anything changed? No, even General Motors and other companies in the United States want their vendors to give them the "China Price" in other words they want all of their vendors and suppliers who manufacture parts to give them the price that they would receive if they manufactured those parts in China. In essence they are telling their vendors they need to move their factories to China so that they can lower the price otherwise they're not interested in buying. Isn't this the real problem with jobs in Ohio?
On November 6, 2012 there was an interesting article titled; "US Unlikely to See Cars Manufactured in China Soon," by Alisa Priddle. Interestingly enough, that was election day and I imagine the article was written to counteract what Mitt Romney had said regarding the future of the former Chrysler "Jeep" Brand being manufactured in China. Consider if you will how many parts are in a modern American made car, parts which are already made in China. Even if the cars are put together here, those parts didn't come from here. You see that point?
Nevertheless, I do remember at the Sands Hotel in Las Vegas where the AAPEX show was, the exhibit hall was easily five or six football fields worth of area and on the bottom floor, well, it was filled with companies that made auto parts, equipment for the industry, or other industry related trinkets. Most of the place was filled with Chinese manufacturers, and they were selling knockoff parts. That is to say they were selling copies of genuine GM, Ford, and Chrysler parts including body parts for cars.
This was my second rude awakening to all of the intellectual property and patent pirated theft going on. Previously, having been around the personal electronics industry and computer industry I was amazed at the number of parts inside of computers and laptops, and personal tech devices which were made in China, all copies of US technology. But when I saw all those vendors selling copies of US parts for cars, I was appalled. Why wasn't anybody doing anything about it? That's crazy. I had half a notion to contact our commerce secretary that weekend. Although I'm sure he realized what was going on.
Has anything changed? No, even General Motors and other companies in the United States want their vendors to give them the "China Price" in other words they want all of their vendors and suppliers who manufacture parts to give them the price that they would receive if they manufactured those parts in China. In essence they are telling their vendors they need to move their factories to China so that they can lower the price otherwise they're not interested in buying. Isn't this the real problem with jobs in Ohio?
On November 6, 2012 there was an interesting article titled; "US Unlikely to See Cars Manufactured in China Soon," by Alisa Priddle. Interestingly enough, that was election day and I imagine the article was written to counteract what Mitt Romney had said regarding the future of the former Chrysler "Jeep" Brand being manufactured in China. Consider if you will how many parts are in a modern American made car, parts which are already made in China. Even if the cars are put together here, those parts didn't come from here. You see that point?
In other words, if you are buying a car it already has Chinese parts, and it hardly matters if it is a Japanese automaker, or one from Europe, or even one made here the United States. The same thing is true with any of the personal tech toys that you buy. It might say Apple on it, but all the components were made elsewhere, and the case of Apple its final production; that is to say putting it all together there, so it was "Made in China". The reality is it won't be long until the entire car is made in China.
It also will not be long until there are Chinese cars and Chinese dealerships, and Chinese banks financing those automobiles here. It's already happening, and if you doubt this you are not paying attention, or you don't know what you're talking about, or you are a political operative, or you have your head in the sand and will not face reality. Indeed I hope you will please consider all this and think on it.
Lance Winslow has launched a new series of eBooks on the Mobile Auto Services Business. Lance Winslow is a retired Founder of a The Oil Change Guys, a Nationwide Franchise Chain, and now runs the Online Think Tank; http://www.worldthinktank.net
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