Uncreative Labs

Joined: 02 Oct 2004 Posts: 594 Location: Western NC

I've said goodbye to the place I've been working. Crying or Very sad

It's been a very bittersweet time in my life, but I'm looking forward to a new position as a Manufacturing Engineer for a different company starting this coming Monday. Very Happy

If anyone's curious about photos:

http://s241.photobucket.com/albums/ff48/epicsmt/

My manager is taking myself and my department to lunch later today, so they'll be more photos later.

(BTW---I'm the guy hugging all the women and in the tie & coat---didn't want to leave with they're last impression of me as "the guy who wore t-shirts and shorts" all the time.... Razz

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Joined: 22 Apr 2007 Posts: 264 Location: Ohio/USA

What made you pack up and leave?

Joined: 02 Oct 2004 Posts: 594 Location: Western NC

Quote:

What made you pack up and leave?

Well, it was more like they're leaving me (or all of us, I should say). Without getting into specifics and naming names (something I'd rather not do on a public web-forum), or going into another "Wal-Mart/China/Mexico/U.S.-becoming-an-economic-3rd-World" sermon/tirade like my recent outburst on OCHL (something everyone else would rather I not do), it amounts to a company off-shoring it's electronic manufacturing in the name of greed and mis-management at the top level; in spite of the loss of quality by doing so. Personally, I, myself, am lucky by finding something in the area (well, within driving distance, anyway) that appears to have somewhat of a future (albeit with a much smaller company---which presents its' own challenges). The bitter pill is watching approximately 260 other hard-working folks lose their income/insurance/livelihood because of greed and mis-management at the top level; in spite of the loss of quality by doing so. Many of those employees having worked at that location for 20+ years...

Evil or Very Mad

BTW--photos updated as of 8:45 p.m.

Joined: 27 Jan 2007 Posts: 274 Location: USA

So what now? ...electronic manufacturing is pretty much all done in poor as dirt 3rd world countries... sorry if i pissed someone off. Is there evan a computer company that still makes its products in the good ol USA? ALL of my american made equepment outlived all my foriegn stuff. American just build stuff realy well

Joined: 02 Oct 2004 Posts: 594 Location: Western NC

Quote:

ALL of my american made equepment outlived all my foriegn stuff. American just build stuff realy well

Well, if it's any consolation, we (or the company I just left today) did have several customers "buck the system" when they found out their products were going to the "new location". And almost all of them increased their line loads (i.e.--orders) so they could tide themselves over until their products move (with their disappointment/disapproval) to the "new location", or they find someone in the US to pick it back up. They'd already seen what the "new location" puts out, and didn't want any part of it. Rumor (albeit uncertain) has it that one of the largest ones has already started legal action to prevent their stuff from going to the "new location". Could be that where I'm going to work may pick some of those customers up (they've already acquired one before now due to this Very Happy

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("new location" used to protect the innocent----i.e. me Cool

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Joined: 03 Feb 2006 Posts: 488 Location: pennsylvanai

I worked for a electronic instrument company back in the 1960's that is still around. that busness wit it's ties to defence electonics is somewhat locked into the usa.
Fairchild made unique IC's and the us government forbade a Japanese company from buying it stating security issues

Tosiba saw and copied out submarinne silent propeller technology and sold it to the russians. toshiba only ]got as slap on the wrist./

I think this sent a wake-up call to companies.

presend day CEO's only see the bottom line
and not the true picture. HP has a woman accountant as CEO, not an engineer ( either male or female) this was a serious error. HP whjere i worked is lonhg gone. a radical church is there now.

Kodak is letting film pay for it's digital revamp and when film is gone and the digital transformation is gone, where will they get their dollars?

ITT who was originally the mail telephone company in parts of the world outside the usa, sold that moneymaker off. when I worked for them In NJ thay could not keep me or others steadily employed with the defence contract business.
I worked in the old FADA radio plant that ITT was renting FADA was LONG gone.
Now ITT is gone with houses condos and a shopping makk replacing the buildings and microwave tower.

It's been the same story with several places I worked, they all seem to find a way to die and go away.
us companies start vast projects with HALF-VAST ideas. spend a lot of money and then .....

seems management has less sense that a air headed kid.. the air-headed kid would be more suxcessful.

Lear - siegler was a prime defence contractor and sold out to Smiths ( read the name on a jaguar speed0) they didn't ever realize that they COULD NOT BE a prime contractor if forieign-owned

Joined: 02 Oct 2004 Posts: 594 Location: Western NC

Quote:

that busness wit it's ties to defence electonics is somewhat locked into the usa.

Don't count on it. One of the customers is a defense customer, and they're being shipped to the "new location". Something that I didn't even think would be possible just a few months ago: a "large-medical" contract is going there as well (apparently the FDA has no testicles anymore---the defense stuff wouldn't be considered "mission-critical", but the medical one would be). It would be an entirely different matter if what was leaving could be built as well as it is here, but even after taking some of our most simple stuff (no QFP's, PLCC's or BGA's), it comes back to our (well, where I "used" to work's) repair department looking like it had been assembled and soldered by the blind (no offense to the sightless intended). Not sure what they're gonna do when we're not around to repair their crap (not that it should really matter to me anyway---never mind, beginning to get my dander up again)....

Joined: 02 Oct 2004 Posts: 594 Location: Western NC

Update: Feb 4, '08....

Well, after the job I took back in October didn't work out (stayed there only 7 1/2 weeks) I finally accepted one today which is very similar to my old one that left for "south of the border". Even better, I'll be working with some of the folks at the old plant (and at the end of this month, all of it will be gone). It's a 10 minute longer drive (~1hr. total), and the pay is less; but it's something much more in-tune with what my expertise is in.

Very happy