Nearing retirement and having the benefit of a lifetime of working in manufacturing on a management level, I can tell you that it is a rare industry where US and Canadian manufaturers cannot compete profitably.
There is a secret though - you have to be competent and willing to look in the mirror for the source of your problems. There are a number of shopworn and frankly BS scapegoats that are thrown out by incompetent manufacturers ... government regulation, environmental regulation, unfair foreign business practices, etc, etc ad nauseum. The truth is that to succeed today you have to be good - really good. Learn to listen to your customer and take responsibility for your own success or failure - todays consumer has no time or inclination to listen to you whine about why you can't fill their needs - they want someone to solve their problems and help them succeed.
And yes, if you talk the talk about wanting access to quality domestically produced product, than be willing to pay for it. There ain't no free lunch.
Rant over.
Last edited by OregonCoot; 10/11/12.
