Posted on 12/04/2012 12:12:51 PM PST by lbryce
Robert LeTourneau, a roving American evangelist and inventor, decided in the mid-1930s that a plot of lakefront land a mile and a half northeast of downtown Peoria would be a fine place to make earth-moving equipment. Skilled labor and suppliers were plentiful; transport links were good.
Nearly eight decades later, Japan's Komatsu Ltd., which owns the plant, still thinks Mr. LeTourneau chose the right location—even though most giant mining trucks made there are shipped overseas to Latin America, Australia, Asia and Africa.
The U.S. may not be much good at making small things like smartphones, but it is still a global leader in some of the biggest products, such as mining trucks as big as a two-story house and capable of hauling 400 tons of ore, James Hagerty reports on the News Hub. Photo: Daniel Acker for The Wall Street Journal.
About 80 miles south, in Decatur, Ill., rival Caterpillar Inc. makes its large mining trucks, most of which are exported. Caterpillar, No. 1 in this market, and No. 2 Komatsu account for roughly 85% of global sales of these trucks, roughly the size of two-story houses.
Their presence has created a cluster of skills and suppliers that feeds the industry. At a time when politicians are hoping for a job-creating revival of American manufacturing, this is one area where U.S.-based plants are still global champions.
(Excerpt) Read more at online.wsj.com ...
> Nearly eight decades later, Japan’s Komatsu Ltd., which owns the plant,...
In the U.S. but not owned by an American company?
One of the advantages the US has is our railroad system. We might not have the best passenger system, but we are the envy of the world when it comes to cargo. That comes in handy.
Sure. Nothing new about that. Nothing wrong with it either, that I can see.
Japanese corporations have historically overpaid for US assets.
See Firestone Tire...
Apple may take exception to this.
[I know they're assembled in China]
Yeah, but that's only because we prefer our cars and there's a plane leaving, oh, I don't know, like now.
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