Another kick in the pants for our area

[DECK SWABBER 58]

In our already devastated local economy this was a sad day for Southern Illinois.

http://thesouthern.com/news/local/b...cle_9c56032e-fedb-11e1-9eeb-0019bb2963f4.html

 

[Summer Fun]

Re: Another kick in the pants for our area

Out here things aren't any better, Places are folding up quicker that you can blink your eyes. .

I'm so glad that I'm retired.

 

[kenmyfam]

Re: Another kick in the pants for our area

Sorry to hear that. Not getting any better is it ??

 

[sam60]

Re: Another kick in the pants for our area

Bad news, sorry to see that.

 

[sschefer]

Re: Another kick in the pants for our area

Bad news, sorry to see that.

I agree, it is bad news but if the company can't make enough money to keep the plant open then yes, the decision to close it down was an intelligent business opportunity. I think it was honorable that they tried hard to sell it to Brunswick but Brunswick can't take on any more debt than it already has or it's funding sources could start calling it in.\

The only other option Bain had would be to continue to build sport boats it couldn't sell and stack them up in the parking lot. Not a lot of sense in that.

EDIT

 

[MH Hawker]

Re: Another kick in the pants for our area

Its very sad that the age of people who do blue collar work is ending.

 

[emoney]

Re: Another kick in the pants for our area

It's more than sad, it's a little scary. Not sure what the "next generation" is going to do.

 

[Bigprairie1]

Re: Another kick in the pants for our area

Industries like these, rooted in recreation (ie: extra 'fun' money) will unfortunately feel the brunt of any downturn first. Industries that continue to hold their ground with offering good employment and expand their operations are those rooted in 'essentials'.
Companies around these parts that are still doing well include some 'paper' based companies (ie: toilet paper, paper towels), food and/or beverage (ie: milk, water, bottling).
The blue collar worker has a world of opportunity.....but without a high school education and specific skills or a trade, he is a dead man walking these days.
My two bits.
BP

 

[TilliamWe]

Re: Another kick in the pants for our area

What boats were they actually making there, Deck Swabber?

 

[DECK SWABBER 58]

Re: Another kick in the pants for our area

What boats were they actually making there, Deck Swabber?

In August of 1995, the company purchased Celebrity Boats, manufacturers of LRV watercraft, Celebrity runabouts, and Fishawk fishing boats. Two years later, the first Sea-Doo jet-driven boat rolled off the line in Benton, which promised to offer customers the most innovative, most exciting and most responsible boating experience possible. Since 1997, BRP has produced more that 75,000 Sea-Doo boats. Today, BRP's Sea-Doo brand remains the best buy in boats.

 

[TilliamWe]

Re: Another kick in the pants for our area

So no more "boats" from SeaDoo? ANd just yesterday in another thread, a guy said SeaRay is going to introduce a line of jet boats? Sounds like that's destined to fail, doesn't it?

 

[generator12]

Re: Another kick in the pants for our area

With all due respect to the posters on this thread, Illinois has a lesson to learn that seems to be hard in coming. (I lived in Cook County for about 16 years and still do some business there.)

If you make it costly to do business in your location, businesses will find somewhere else where the cost is lower. Simple enough, isn't it?

"He gave tax breaks to big corporations" is the big political cry this election year, but the flip side is never mentioned: the fact that this is what keeps big corporations operating in your district. Like it or not, Illinois just continues to increase taxes on business and consumers, and so creates a relatively hostile environment for both.

A general economic downturn pushes some over the brink, and it appears that it has happened in this case.

 

[bruceb58]

Re: Another kick in the pants for our area

Its very sad that the age of people who do blue collar work is ending.

Its called evolution! Blue collar workers need to change their skill sets or get left behind. Its the facts of life.

It's more than sad, it's a little scary. Not sure what the "next generation" is going to do.

Its called go to school and learn a tech trade or college degree in something other than liberal studies. If they don't they are destined to fight over the few blue collar jobs that are left. There are only so many truck driver ditch digger jobs out there and there will be more people competing for fewer jobs all the time.

I am an electrical engineer and our college interns that we hire over the summer, that have yet to enter their senior year, are making $35/hour without having their degree yet. What amazes me most is that it is extremely difficult to hire US born engineers. A good half or more of the people I work with were born in Asia or Europe.

If you make it costly to do business in your location, businesses will find somewhere else where the cost is lower. Simple enough, isn't it?

Not only an Illinois problem but a US problem.

 

[Thalasso]

Re: Another kick in the pants for our area

Its called evolution! Blue collar workers need to change their skill sets or get left behind. Its the facts of life.

Its called go to school and learn a tech trade or college degree in something other than liberal studies. If they don't they are destined to fight over the few blue collar jobs that are left. There are only so many truck driver ditch digger jobs out there and there will be more people competing for fewer jobs all the time.

Maybe it's the ambition or lack thereof of the American students. My boy went to Carnegie Mellon University and studied in Therorectacle Physics. ( spelling) He has no ambition to peruse his education in this field.

I am an electrical engineer and our college interns that we hire over the summer, that have yet to enter their senior year, are making $35/hour without having their degree yet. What amazes me most is that it is extremely difficult to hire US born engineers. A good half or more of the people I work with were born in Asia or Europe.


Not only an Illinois problem but a US problem.

Maybe it's the ambition or lack thereof of the American students. My boy went to Carnegie Mellon University and studied in Therorectacle Physics. ( spelling) He has no ambition to peruse his education in this field.
I think they need to bring back the draft for the reason it builds character and the ability to make decisions. Something the younger generation lacks

 

[Bigprairie1]

Re: Another kick in the pants for our area

Its called evolution! Blue collar workers need to change their skill sets or get left behind. Its the facts of life.

Its called go to school and learn a tech trade or college degree in something other than liberal studies. If they don't they are destined to fight over the few blue collar jobs that are left. There are only so many truck driver ditch digger jobs out there and there will be more people competing for fewer jobs all the time.

I am an electrical engineer and our college interns that we hire over the summer, that have yet to enter their senior year, are making $35/hour without having their degree yet. What amazes me most is that it is extremely difficult to hire US born engineers. A good half or more of the people I work with were born in Asia or Europe.


Not only an Illinois problem but a US problem.

....its not much to do with being blue collar or not. It has to do with having a credible, marketable and most of all.....valuable skill that has some sort of accepted accreditation.
I've been thinking about this and hearing a lot about this emerging issue lately because this is a very big issue up around these parts....maybe in the U.S as well?, and I was thinking of trying to articulate a thread around this.
Interesting stuff.
BP

 

[bruceb58]

Re: Another kick in the pants for our area

Maybe it's the ambition or lack thereof of the American students. My boy went to Carnegie Mellon University and studied in Therorectacle Physics. ( spelling) He has no ambition to peruse his education in this field.
I think they need to bring back the draft for the reason it builds character and the ability to make decisions. Something the younger generation lacks

I have a friend whose son is brilliant at math and computer science. He joined a program that gets these type of students to become teachers. After 3 years of teaching and having to deal with students that don't care, unions that protect older non-productive teachers and having to basically find a new postion at a new school every year because of the seniority rules, he has had it and is quitting teaching. We have big problems!

 

[Tail_Gunner]

Re: Another kick in the pants for our area

I have a friend whose son is brilliant at math and computer science. He joined a program that gets these type of students to become teachers. After 3 years of teaching and having to deal with students that don't care, unions that protect older non-productive teachers and having to basically find a new postion at a new school every year because of the seniority rules, he has had it and is quitting teaching. We have big problems!

I could not agree more and will leave it at that.............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

 

[DECK SWABBER 58]

Re: Another kick in the pants for our area

So no more "boats" from SeaDoo? ANd just yesterday in another thread, a guy said SeaRay is going to introduce a line of jet boats? Sounds like that's destined to fail, doesn't it?

It's just the plant in Benton, IL. that's closing. They have plants all over the world.

And the way this thread is starting to go I'd say it will be closing soon too.

 

[nwcove]

Re: Another kick in the pants for our area

Maybe it's the ambition or lack thereof of the American students. My boy went to Carnegie Mellon University and studied in Therorectacle Physics. ( spelling) He has no ambition to peruse his education in this field.
I think they need to bring back the draft for the reason it builds character and the ability to make decisions. Something the younger
generation lacks

i dont think its a lack of ambition , but when the average educated person struggles to find work, then if they are lucky enough to find work in a chosen field , they struggle to pay the bills, then they look the at statistics.....why bother being a go-getter? 3% of the population has 97% of the wealth in north america. and that 3% plans to keep it that way!!.....how many kids do 4 years of university and end up flipping burgers at the golden arches???.....way to many!!
( sorry if this post ends the thread, but its a reality)

 

[Tail_Gunner]

Re: Another kick in the pants for our area

Well time to come down to the states and visit a few burger joint's..They are not attended by college grads with a liberal art's degree..nor are the manager's. But i will try to be positive we all start somewhere just not at the top...