Columns Retired Columns & Blogs |
O’Brien emphasized supply-line management and strong relationships with manufacturing partners. Efficiency in supply and manufacturing procedures allows more resources to be dedicated to design and development.
I can believe it --- those aspects of design matter to the bottom line just as much as the parts list and R&D time. And it's also my belief some companies who outsource labor would rather only do design and sales. Consequently, they have to outsource labor and supplies or they'd go under.
But what's ironic is that foreign-made equipment often retails for about what locally-built stuff does. Or I should say, could cost similarly perhaps.
Unrelated example? I was in Home Depot today. They sell Decore Grates designer air registers for the home. And then I checked out what Lowe's has across the street. They sell the allen+roth brand.
The Decore Grates were made in Canada and the allen+roth's in China. The former cost about $1-$2 less and looked every bit as nice as the imports. What does Decore Grates know that allen+roth doesn't?