Ladder-maker Werner Co. to close Louisville plant, ship jobs to Mexico

[katsung47]

Ladder-maker Werner Co. to close Louisville plant, ship jobs to Mexico
Chris Otts Aug 21, 2018

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) – Werner Co., the maker of ladders and other products, will shutter its plant in the Jeffersontown area and lay off all 118 workers by March of 2019.

The Greenville, Pennsylvania-based company said in a statement Tuesday that it would transfer the work to its Juarez, Mexico plant, which has excess capacity and makes similar products.

Lori Bremick, the manager of the Louisville plant, cited “business pressures” in a letter dated Monday notifying state officials of the closure.

She referred a reporter to the company's statement, which does not address whether the aluminum tariffs imposed earlier this year by President Trump were a factor in the plant closure.

https://www.wdrb.com/news/business/...medium=website&utm_content=link&ICID=ref_fark

 

[Bilal9]

Ladder-maker Werner Co. to close Louisville plant, ship jobs to Mexico
Chris Otts Aug 21, 2018

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) – Werner Co., the maker of ladders and other products, will shutter its plant in the Jeffersontown area and lay off all 118 workers by March of 2019.

The Greenville, Pennsylvania-based company said in a statement Tuesday that it would transfer the work to its Juarez, Mexico plant, which has excess capacity and makes similar products.

Lori Bremick, the manager of the Louisville plant, cited “business pressures” in a letter dated Monday notifying state officials of the closure.

She referred a reporter to the company's statement, which does not address whether the aluminum tariffs imposed earlier this year by President Trump were a factor in the plant closure.

https://www.wdrb.com/news/business/...medium=website&utm_content=link&ICID=ref_fark

This is indeed sad news but the onus was on the manufacturer (Werner) to realize that these simple items could be made in China/Mexico at one-third the cost or less (and are sold at Walmart for that lowered price which is what the American consumer expects).

No buddy of mine is going to be sad that we don't make cheap ladders in the US anymore. Where is the competitive spirit needed to lead on specific niche product areas?

Specialization of labor is where it is at. Let's look at Germany and how they have concentrated on making niche items in their mittelstand economy with smaller agile companies that can be sold to specialized industries worldwide. They have to justify their rate of labor - which is high. I assure you, very few German companies make these cheap items like ladders anymore.

Let's look at Jungheinrich in Germany who uses the higher tech intellectual capital (available at higher labor costs) to make much higher value-added products like Forklifts, Electric Pallet Jacks & Reach Trucks.

http://www.mcfa.com/en/jungheinrich/forklifts-pallet-trucks/order-pickers#

One does not need expensive American labor to make simple items like riveted aluminum ladders. One however expected a company like Werner to have moved upmarket into niche markets (and higher value added products like Jungheinrich makes) some two decades ago, into digitally controlled order pickers, of which there is enough demand globally (even locally) to keep hundred some American workers employed in Louisville.

Leave the cheap ladder-making to the Chinese and the Mexicans.

 

[Hamartia Antidote]

This is indeed sad news but the onus was on the manufacturer (Werner) to realize that these simple items could be made in China/Mexico at one-third the cost or less (and are sold at Walmart for that lowered price which is what the American consumer expects).

No buddy of mine is going to be sad that we don't make cheap ladders in the US anymore. Where is the competitive spirit needed to lead on specific niche product areas?

Specialization of labor is where it is at. Let's look at Germany and how they have concentrated on making niche items in their mittelstand economy with smaller agile companies that can be sold to specialized industries worldwide. They have to justify their rate of labor - which is high. I assure you, very few German companies make these cheap items like ladders anymore.

Let's look at Jungheinrich in Germany who uses the higher tech intellectual capital (available at higher labor costs) to make much higher value-added products like Forklifts, Electric Pallet Jacks & Reach Trucks.

http://www.mcfa.com/en/jungheinrich/forklifts-pallet-trucks/order-pickers#

One does not need expensive American labor to make simple items like riveted aluminum ladders. One however expected a company like Werner to have moved upmarket into niche markets (and higher value added products like Jungheinrich makes) some two decades ago, into digitally controlled order pickers, of which there is enough demand globally (even locally) to keep hundred some American workers employed in Louisville.

Leave the cheap ladder-making to the Chinese and the Mexicans.

I have a ladder very similar to this Werner one with a COSCO label on it.

 

[Bilal9]

I have a ladder very similar to this Werner one with a COSCO label on it.

I realized I have the exact same folding Werner except mine has max 17' extension (one way).

Be careful though - you need to buy side stabilizers for these things, because you can fall down sideways and 17' is pretty high. Better safe than sorry.

This is a standoff and might be a bit cheaper

 

[Hamartia Antidote]

I realized I have the exact same folding Werner except mine has max 17' extension (one way).

Be careful though - you need to buy side stabilizers for these things, because you can fall down sideways and 17' is pretty high. Better safe than sorry.

This is a standoff and might be a bit cheaper

Don't worry I have never climbed up the side of the house...and I don't plan on it. When we had to touch up some paint on the second floor we used a telescoping pole with a brush on the end.

Actually another dangerous thing is I have a light fixture above my first floor staircase with two burned out lightbulbs. There is no way to get at it without putting the ladder on two of the steps. Even with it fully extended reaching the light would be a stretch as it is about 14 feet above the step. It's a disaster waiting to happen. Have to call a pro and watch him get killed.