Industrial News

“The best way to improve the U.S. economy is to work together and stimulate the powers of creativity and innovation that define much of American history. We must form strategic alliances between unions, manufacturers, workers, small businesses and consumers to make America competitive in today’s world. We need to think “outside the box” and keep our feet planted on the ground at the same time.”

This announcement starts with a big question: "Can General Motors, Ford, Chrysler and the UAW win back America?"

The Big Three are losing sales, market share and money. They are shutting down plants. GM has used worker buyouts to reduce costs. U.S. auto and truck makers are once again reduced to relying on that old self-destructive standby; ‘Buyer Incentives” (a.k.a. “kickbacks”.)

The United Auto Workers (UAW) suffers shrinking membership and declining dues. Thousands of UAW members face unemployment. Many Big Three factory towns face plant closings and hardship.

Foreign made auto parts become foreign brand cars and trucks in stateside plants. The U.S. balance of trade deficit grows.

The Big Three spend money on non-productive items like buyouts, “incentives” and plant closings. They suffer negative relations in their factory towns.

The UAW spends money on organizing drives to make up for lost auto and truck plant membership. They incur costs helping their downsized workers.

Demand for decent affordable housing keeps expanding. The supply in the U.S. and abroad is not keeping up.

A new All-American Industry can arise from these problems: U.S. WheelHouse™. The basic idea is to assemble building materials into components and house kits in closed auto and truck factories. In-plant construction (“automated building”) insures maximum quality, minimum waste and ultimate cost efficiency.

Former auto workers and other community people will operate the line. The UAW chartered production union will work with building trades unions. Our union partners will promote mortgage funding for our factory-fabricated houses in the union pension fund community. This will help pull sales through.

Building trades journeymen will be in-plant instructors. Workers can enter building trade apprenticeships and work up to higher pay on setup crews that install house packages.

Workers will be well paid, but not at UAW journeyman level. We plan on worker profit sharing, stock ownership and other performance rewards.

Modern technology and in-plant efficiencies allow quality building components at very competitive prices. They will be sold to housing and light construction markets in the U.S. and abroad. The U.S. WheelHouse house/vehicle package will create new markets for the Big Three marketing partners. The consumer can buy a car or truck while buying a home and finance them together.

No-cost government help in two areas will insure success for this business. Factory built components should be approved under the national pre-emptive H.U.D. building code. Also, U.S. trade officials should persuade other nations to reduce their trade surpluses by importing house and house/vehicle packages. Make trade a two-way street.

The inevitable industrialization of the housing business has been just around the corner for the greater part of a century. Nobody has ever disputed the cliché: “You wouldn’t build your car from a few pallets of parts on your driveway.” The time for this idea has come.

The Society for American Industry offers the U.S. WheelHouse™ concept as a Magnet Project to spearhead our Industrial Comeback. The Society augments the vital work of Manufacturers’ Associations and other trade groups. Day to day the Society provides specific programs to improve productivity and increase sales. Members will want to take advantage of the listings for machinery, sites, bid requests, jobs, licensing, joint ventures, etc. Charter Members will enjoy special benefits.

Parent of the Society for American Industry is SAI WorldWide, LLC (www.SAI-International.com), formerly Sales Analysis Institute (SAI™). SAI™ has trained over 500,000 management and sales people from chairman to foreman since 1932. Over 125 Fortune 500 companies and many small businesses (www.sai-international.com/35202.html) have used timeless SAI™ Methods to solve tough problems, replace conflict with cooperation and increase productivity, profitability and sales (www.sai-international.com/22401.html).

To help U.S. manufacturing thrive, interested parties should join the Society for American Industry (www.SocietyforAmericanIndustry.org). Our highest purpose is to devise a few Magnet Projects to mobilize and revitalize American Manufacturing. Our second goal is to increase our sense of the American community and promote the new Buying American ethic. These things must be done for national salvation.