Posted on 04/11/2022 2:05:39 PM PDT by Oldeconomybuyer
UNIVERSITY CITY, Mo. (AP) — When the coronavirus pandemic first hit the U.S., sales of window coverings at Halcyon Shades quickly went dark. So the suburban St. Louis business did what hundreds of other small manufacturers did: It pivoted to make protective supplies, with help from an $870,000 government grant.
But things haven’t worked out as planned. The company quit making face shields because it wasn’t profitable. It still hasn’t sold a single N95 mask because of struggles to get equipment, materials and regulatory approval.
“So far, it has been a net drain of funds and resources and energy,” Halcyon Shades owner Jim Schmersahl said.
Many companies that began producing personal protective equipment with patriotic optimism have scaled back, shut down or given up, according to an Associated Press analysis based on numerous interviews with manufacturers. Some already have sold equipment they bought with state government grants.
Though federal stockpiles have been replenished, shriveling domestic production has raised concerns that state governments, medical facilities and others could again get stuck scrambling for gear during a future pandemic.
The AP identified more than $125 million in grants to spur production of pandemic supplies made to over 300 business in 10 states — Alabama, Hawaii, Indiana, Kansas, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Missouri, New York and Ohio. It’s possible that grants were awarded in additional states, but there is no central clearinghouse to track them.
(Excerpt) Read more at apnews.com ...
I make custom quilts and in Wyoming it’s not a big deal. But in California there’s all sorts of compliance things you have to do and that’s just for quilts! I can’t imagine how hard it would be to make medical equipment!
Sadly, these people would probably find the regulations fewer, the costs lower, and the approvals faster if they simply bought the stuff from China and distributed in the USA.
For that to change, we will need a very big re-organization of US government, its purpose, and its thinking.
Our Democrat RULERS undoubtedly wish to keep all production of essential supplies, NOT just medical supplies in their benefactors homeland-China.
You need protective tariffs. You’re not going to be profitable competing against Chinese made goods. Except when they cut us off.
That they cut us off is exactly why we should never be dependent on them for anything critical.
Wouldn’t you rather wear a pre-contaminated mask make in china?
This makes about as much sense as importing oil.
and regulatory approval.
Surprised?
” It still hasn’t sold a single N95 mask because of struggles to get equipment, materials and regulatory approval.”
Thirty years ago a sophisticated vertical supply chain for components would have existed in the United States for almost any manufactured item. However, when the Chinese went to war with US manufacturing, they strategically attacked the entire supply chain as they targeted industries one by one. Therefore, if you need fabric or filters to make masks, you have to source them offshore. If you then need elastic and trims, you have to find a supplier offshore. Most components must be sourced outside the US because they are not longer produced here.
Many manufacturing processes require specialized equipment or modifications to equipment. The manufacturing machinery used to be made in American but is no longer. Therefore to get into production a US manufacturer must locate an offshore equipment supplier and arrange for customization at that supplier. Often language can be a significant obstacle in purchasing customized equipment and raw materials. If a face to face meeting is required, no longer can you call up the US supplier and count on a salesperson or technical person being at your factory with hours or days. Now you must send someone to Asia to qualify and work with the supplier. The extra coordination and travel increases costs and lead times dramatically versus 100% sourcing components and machinery inside the US.
The article also mentioned “regulation”. Once you have invested in the tooling and materials to make the product, you produce a small run to obtain your government approvals. You are then at the mercy of government regulators who know virtually nothing about the raw materials and manufacturing process. They may force an arbitrary change in specifications, that adds nothing to public health or safety. Making changes adds more cost and time.
Starting a manufacturing process from scratch, using raw materials, components, and machinery obtained out of the US is no easy proposition. It took over 100 years to create America’s efficient, high quality, vertical domestic supply chains. It took 20 years to destroy them. Rebuilding them is no simple proposition and requires signifiant investment in time, money and skills across multiple industries.
Remember also, when US manufacturing was sent offshore, the best US factory and technical support workers were sent overseas to train the Chinese factory employees. The Americans trained their replacements and were then fired. Many of those skilled Americans displaced in the 1990’s and early 2000’s are retired and unavailable to support new manufacturing startups in the United States.
What is the probability Chinese factories will be sending their experienced people to the United States to train American factory workers so they can replace the production currently sourced in China? Sadly for entrepreneurs trying to reestablish US manufacturing, the Chinese aren’t that stupid.
Shades of Solyndra under Obama.
These guys did it. Obstacles-getting products certified and most places have contracts or directives who to use. Their story is great. My family and nurse friends get N95’s from them. Hopefully institutions are now ordering from them. Getting meds, PPE, etc from enemies just plain stupid. https://www.unitedstatesmask.com/blogs/news/two-guys-start-a-d-fw-mask-factory-but-can-t-catch-a-break-forget-made-in-texas-china-always-wins
Very interesting. Thx for posting
Meanwhile in china, no regulatory crap and there's video out there of several workers sitting on a concrete floor working on masks, tossing them in a pile on said floor. Looked like a janitor's closet they were in. And stupid Americans strap them on their faces without a second thought.
Even surgical masks do not prevent the spread of respiratory virus. They run their course no matter what you do. If you don’t want what is going around, self isolate from the sick ones.
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