Genmar quits Florida for cheaper labor
 

Wayne.B wrote:
On Tue, 8 Jan 2008 21:10:13 -0500, "Eisboch" wrote:

"HK" wrote in message
...

Except for the job loss, this is hysterical. Florida is not a high-wage
state. I guess the good folks in Tennessee are now competing with the
Chinese.

It saddens me to find that you think this is hysterical.

As I said 10 years ago Harry, you are truly a piece of work.

Eisboch


Harry seems to have some rather deep seated problems with Florida for
some reason, possibly related to why he had to leave here.



Absurd. I love Florida, and travel there at least twice a year. Went
twice last year. When I retire, it will probably be to Hilton Head, the
Golden Isles, or North Florida, unless we go to Costa Rica. :}

Genmar quits Florida for cheaper labor
 

"HK" wrote in message
...
SammyJ wrote:
"HK" wrote in message
...
Gene Kearns wrote:
On 1/8/2008 8:32:12 PM, HK wrote:
Except for the job loss, this is hysterical. Florida is not a
high-wage
state. I guess the good folks in Tennessee are now competing with the
Chinese.






Genmar exits Florida, citing economic conditions

The high cost of doing business in Florida is driving out one of the
industry’s biggest players. Genmar Holdings today announced plans to
phase out its manufacturing operations in Sarasota in the next six
months.

“Unfortunately, negative manufacturing economic conditions in Florida
and the state of Florida’s complete lack of interest in attempting to
save these jobs has left Genmar with no other choice than to move such
operations out of the state of Florida,” said Genmar chairman and CEO
Irwin Jacobs in a statement.

He said Genmar, “has diligently attempted to preserve its
manufacturing
presence in the state of Florida, but it is just too costly compared
to
the other states where Genmar has existing manufacturing operations.”

Product models larger than 25 feet in length for its various sal****er
boat brands will relocate out of Sarasota and transfer to other Genmar
plants throughout the United States. The change involves three of the
company’s 14 boat brands: Hydra-Sport, Wellcraft and Seaswirl. These
three brands manufacture a total of 58 models; 19 of them will be
affected by the move.

Today, 67 percent of Hydra-Sports’ models are manufactured in
Murfreesboro, Tenn.; 52 percent of Wellcraft’s models are manufactured
in Cadillac, Mich.; and 75 percent of Seaswirl’s models are
manufactured
in Little Falls, Minn.

About 225 employees will be affected by this transition. However,
Genmar
says its Sarasota employees will earn special incentives during the
six-month transitional period. Also, to the extent possible, Genmar’s
other plants will offer jobs to several Sarasota employees affected by
the shut-down.

Genmar says it will continue to retain “a solid and experienced core
group” of boat designers, tool builders and other product development
personnel, along with its brand sales, customer service and management
in Florida, particularly in light of its proximity to this key boating
market.

“While the above decisions and changes have been very difficult to
make,
the opportunities created for the affected Genmar’s brands and its
other
facilities are very significant,” said Jacobs.

“We recognize we are entering the beginning of the annual retail boat
show selling season and all of our dealers can be assured that
supporting them with sales, marketing and product are our first
priorities,” Jacobs continued. “The transition referenced above has
been
carefully planned for a prudent and seamless transition as it relates
to
our dealers, their customers and our entire organization.”

Genmar, with about 4,000 employees and eight manufacturing centers,
builds 14 brands of recreational boats. These include Carver,
Champion,
Four Winns, Glastron, Hydra-Sports, Larson, Marquis, Ranger, Scarab,
Seaswirl, Stratos, Triumph, Wellcraft and Windsor Craft.

Anybody know what, "The high cost of doing business in Florida ......"
is a
euphemism for?

Not me. It sure isn't labor costs.

Corporate taxes and property taxes are at all time highs here in Fl.

Idiots like you think this is a good thing, obviously it's not.


That's how florida avoids personal income taxes. MAybe that is what is
biting it in the ass.

Brilliant! We'll raise taxes on the workers and then the Corp's will stay!

Thanks Hank!

Genmar quits Florida for cheaper labor
 

On Tue, 08 Jan 2008 20:32:15 -0500, HK wrote:


Genmar exits Florida, citing economic conditions

Economics beside the point, I wonder who the next "new" boat
manufacturer will be making a Hydra-Sports clone with old Hydra-Sports
molds.

It's not like that hasn't happened before. :)

Speaking of which, I was talking to a Mako rep today. Apparently, Mako
has moved out of Florida because of manufacturing problems and are now
making their large boats in the old Sea Pro factory in Columbia, SC.

I didn't know that.

Genmar quits Florida for cheaper labor
 

Short Wave Sportfishing wrote:
On Tue, 08 Jan 2008 20:32:15 -0500, HK wrote:


Genmar exits Florida, citing economic conditions

Economics beside the point, I wonder who the next "new" boat
manufacturer will be making a Hydra-Sports clone with old Hydra-Sports
molds.

It's not like that hasn't happened before. :)

Speaking of which, I was talking to a Mako rep today. Apparently, Mako
has moved out of Florida because of manufacturing problems and are now
making their large boats in the old Sea Pro factory in Columbia, SC.

I didn't know that.


When I visited Sea Pro, back in the days when it was family owned, the
factory was in Newberry.

"Manufacturing problems." Now that's interesting. Wonder what that means.

Genmar quits Florida for cheaper labor
 

On Tue, 08 Jan 2008 22:31:03 -0500, HK wrote:

Short Wave Sportfishing wrote:
On Tue, 08 Jan 2008 20:32:15 -0500, HK wrote:


Genmar exits Florida, citing economic conditions

Economics beside the point, I wonder who the next "new" boat
manufacturer will be making a Hydra-Sports clone with old Hydra-Sports
molds.

It's not like that hasn't happened before. :)

Speaking of which, I was talking to a Mako rep today. Apparently, Mako
has moved out of Florida because of manufacturing problems and are now
making their large boats in the old Sea Pro factory in Columbia, SC.

I didn't know that.

When I visited Sea Pro, back in the days when it was family owned, the
factory was in Newberry.

"Manufacturing problems." Now that's interesting. Wonder what that means.

Well, the story I heard was that the original Mako was sold several
times over and with each sale, the quality went down as owners tried
to build cheaper to make money. Eventually, Mako lost it's market
share because it's quality declined severely. Before Morris bought
the brand, it wasn't producing any boats and to bring the factory up
to snuff would have cost more than it was worth.

Now the boats are being made with new molds, new techniques and
apparently there are some new designs on the boards. The ones on the
market now are the result of the older molds - I saw one today that
was a lot better than the ones I saw at Bass Pro in Foxboro.

I was at the Sea Pro factory this summer - huge plant, all brand new
facility. Sea Pro is a good boat for what they are.

Genmar quits Florida for cheaper labor
 

Short Wave Sportfishing wrote:
On Tue, 08 Jan 2008 22:31:03 -0500, HK wrote:

Short Wave Sportfishing wrote:
On Tue, 08 Jan 2008 20:32:15 -0500, HK wrote:


Genmar exits Florida, citing economic conditions
Economics beside the point, I wonder who the next "new" boat
manufacturer will be making a Hydra-Sports clone with old Hydra-Sports
molds.

It's not like that hasn't happened before. :)

Speaking of which, I was talking to a Mako rep today. Apparently, Mako
has moved out of Florida because of manufacturing problems and are now
making their large boats in the old Sea Pro factory in Columbia, SC.

I didn't know that.
When I visited Sea Pro, back in the days when it was family owned, the
factory was in Newberry.

"Manufacturing problems." Now that's interesting. Wonder what that means.

Well, the story I heard was that the original Mako was sold several
times over and with each sale, the quality went down as owners tried
to build cheaper to make money. Eventually, Mako lost it's market
share because it's quality declined severely. Before Morris bought
the brand, it wasn't producing any boats and to bring the factory up
to snuff would have cost more than it was worth.

Now the boats are being made with new molds, new techniques and
apparently there are some new designs on the boards. The ones on the
market now are the result of the older molds - I saw one today that
was a lot better than the ones I saw at Bass Pro in Foxboro.

I was at the Sea Pro factory this summer - huge plant, all brand new
facility. Sea Pro is a good boat for what they are.

I thought so. I owned three Sea Pros.

Genmar quits Florida for cheaper labor
 

On Tue, 08 Jan 2008 22:11:27 -0500, Wayne.B
wrote:

On Tue, 8 Jan 2008 20:44:25 -0500, "Gene Kearns"
wrote:

Anybody know what, "The high cost of doing business in Florida ......" is a
euphemism for?

My guess is that taxes and insurance are involved in the equation, and
quite possibly Genmar was looking for tax incentives from local
government and didn't get them. Sarasota is a relatively expensive
area with high property values.

It might be something as simple as the CEO no longer wanting a home in
Florida, which was somehow subsidized by the plant location.
When Sears moved HQ from Chicago to Schaumburg there was plenty of
gossip the CEO did it to be close to home.
And as Don said, local govs are sometimes squeezed for concessions for
the jobs.

--Vic

Genmar quits Florida for cheaper labor
 

On Jan 8, 10:10*pm, Vic Smith wrote:

When Sears moved HQ from Chicago to Schaumburg there was plenty of
gossip the CEO did it to be close to home.


vic, I wish our glorious goveernor would take heed instead of flying a
State jet back and forth from Springfield to the 'burbs. just cause he
"wants to be home". Fully staffed governors mansion, and nobody home.

excellent savings to the tax payer!

Genmar quits Florida for cheaper labor
 

On Tue, 8 Jan 2008 20:43:31 -0800 (PST), Tim
wrote:

On Jan 8, 10:10*pm, Vic Smith wrote:

When Sears moved HQ from Chicago to Schaumburg there was plenty of
gossip the CEO did it to be close to home.


vic, I wish our glorious goveernor would take heed instead of flying a
State jet back and forth from Springfield to the 'burbs. just cause he
"wants to be home". Fully staffed governors mansion, and nobody home.

excellent savings to the tax payer!

Agreed. But there's way too much travel on them flying contraptions
anyway. A girl I worked with was flying someplace every weekend.
People are nuts.

--Vic

Genmar quits Florida for cheaper labor
 

On Tue, 08 Jan 2008 22:10:14 -0600, Vic Smith
wrote:

When Sears moved HQ from Chicago to Schaumburg there was plenty of
gossip the CEO did it to be close to home.

There have certainly been lots of NY corporations that moved to
Greenwich and Stamford, CT for that reason. I think it's less likely
in Genmar's case. Sarasota is a pretty good place to live even if
it's not a good place to manufacture.