Another blow for the West Midlands.

[Alan2273]

On the news today was the closure of one of Jaguar/Landrover plants.

The decision will not be made till early next year, but either Castle Bromwich or the Loade Lane plant will close.

Soon there will be no manufacturing left in this country.

[catgate]

Soon there will be no manufacturing left in this country.

I am afraid that the most productive manufacturing plant in the land will never close. It is large building in Westminster, and it manufactures lies, in one form or another, 365 days per year.

[AlanHo]

British industry has been the victim of irresponsible union actions and poor management.

A business will only succeed and survive if it produces products that the buying public want, at prices that are affordable and with good after-sales support. Unfortunately the motor cycle and motor car industries have failed on every parameter. The unions have been irresponsible, products have lagged behind competition in performance, styling and reliability and have not been competitive, warranties too short and indifferent servicing.

The Japanese and Germans have shown us the way - and still do.

Land Rover and Jaguar have found themselves serving just a niche market that is fast shrinking. The credit crunch and environmental factors have hit them harder than the competition and they are doomed to become extinct sooner or later.

I agree that the UK needs a strong manufacturing sector - but that will require a major change in our educational system to attract students into science and engineering subjects, the reintroduction of trade apprenticeships, Government support for manufacturing industry in the form of tax incentives and financial support from Banks.

The UK has gone soft - our focus on service industries has been misplaced and we are on a slippery down hill slope.

[andsome]

British industry has been the victim of irresponsible union actions and poor management.

A business will only succeed and survive if it produces products that the buying public want, at prices that are affordable and with good after-sales support. Unfortunately the motor cycle and motor car industries have failed on every parameter. The unions have been irresponsible, products have lagged behind competition in performance, styling and reliability and have not been competitive, warranties too short and indifferent servicing.

The Japanese and Germans have shown us the way - and still do.

Land Rover and Jaguar have found themselves serving just a niche market that is fast shrinking. The credit crunch and environmental factors have hit them harder than the competition and they are doomed to become extinct sooner or later.

I agree that the UK needs a strong manufacturing sector - but that will require a major change in our educational system to attract students into science and engineering subjects, the reintroduction of trade apprenticeships, Government support for manufacturing industry in the form of tax incentives and financial support from Banks.

The UK has gone soft - our focus on service industries has been misplaced and we are on a slippery down hill slope.

Excellent post Alan. I too over the years as a rep have seen very many companies close down. Many of these companies were using very antiquated machinery and methods. Governments have not helped by imposing punitive taxes, starving these companies of investment capital. Union practices have frequently bordered on the absolutely ridiculous. Maggie was blamed by many for causing the mines to close, but the real cause was Arthur Skargill and his fellow thugs. Too many pupils at school and university are doing courses which will be of no help whatsoever in giving them future productive employment. Engineering has become a dirty word in many peoples vocabulary. At long last some companies are waking up and giving better after sales service, but they have a long way to go to catch up with some overseas car manufacturers who are giving up to five years warranty.

[Gandalph]

British industry has been the victim of irresponsible union actions and poor management.

A business will only succeed and survive if it produces products that the buying public want, at prices that are affordable and with good after-sales support. Unfortunately the motor cycle and motor car industries have failed on every parameter. The unions have been irresponsible, products have lagged behind competition in performance, styling and reliability and have not been competitive, warranties too short and indifferent servicing.

The Japanese and Germans have shown us the way - and still do.

Land Rover and Jaguar have found themselves serving just a niche market that is fast shrinking. The credit crunch and environmental factors have hit them harder than the competition and they are doomed to become extinct sooner or later.

I agree that the UK needs a strong manufacturing sector - but that will require a major change in our educational system to attract students into science and engineering subjects, the reintroduction of trade apprenticeships, Government support for manufacturing industry in the form of tax incentives and financial support from Banks.

The UK has gone soft - our focus on service industries has been misplaced and we are on a slippery down hill slope.

British Industry has been a victim of Thatcherism.

[catgate]

British Industry has been a victim of Thatcherism.

British industry was ruined long before Thatcher appeared. It was ruined by too many people wanting more out of it than they were putting in. Director, owners, shareholders and workers alike. Money does not appear out of thin air, it has to be worked for. And no amount of borrowing something that does not exist is going to put anything right.

[andsome]

British Industry has been a victim of Thatcherism.

British industry was ruined long before Thatcher appeared. It was ruined by too many people wanting more out of it than they were putting in. Director, owners, shareholders and workers alike. Money does not appear out of thin air, it has to be worked for. And no amount of borrowing something that does not exist is going to put anything right.

Agreed. A combination of greed all round. Remember the who does what strikes in the ship yards? I seem to remember one strike lasting about a year because a painter put a missing screw into a door before painting it instead of asking his foreman to ask the carpenters foreman to ask a carpenter to do it. I also remember Red Robo in the Midlands car industry. One brother in law used to work in the industry and he rarely completed a full weeks work without at least one stoppage. Remember Cecil somebody or other, in the gas industry, castigated for taking ridiculous pay and bonuses. Thatcher had a hell of a problem when she first came to power, as was usual, labour had left an almighty mess. It took a lot of suffering on everyones part before the corner was turned. In the end, it is true that she went too far and deserved to loose the election, but the country did NOT deserve what followed on after her. :D