[Ailist] Industry Week article

[Roger Davies]

http://www.industryweek.com/articles/katadyn_bucks_trend_chooses_manual_labo
r_over_automation_20353.aspx

I know that such a publication will rarely get a mention on the list but I
thought the contents of the article might be intriguing to some. In 'Small
is Beautiful ' E F Schumacher proposes that it is socially more productive
for industry to employ people rather than to maximize profits. This company
seems to be doing both by considering whether globalization, extended supply
chains and the IT systems required to support the current manufacturing
trend is actually is beneficial and cost effective. 

I'm not saying this would work in very case (though it equally might) but
one does wonder if this is a potential model for our own economic recovery.
I imagine there is also an environmental benefit because the distance goods
have to be moved is probably greatly reduced. By extension that would bring
economic benefits by reducing the amount of fuel that needed to be imported
and/or making shorter range, alternatively fuelled vehicles a more realistic
alternative.

It's interesting though that a large proportion of the product is exported
to America. At what point would a relationship that allowed a similar
facility to be built in America be beneficial? Without focusing on large
companies what could be done to help small and medium sized enterprises
invest into other countries? Just some food for thought.

Roger