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Steel Pricing

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AV8R
Join Date: Oct 2003
Posts: 882 North Central Wisconsin
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2004-03-30          81598

It has started, we are now getting back denials on steel request for quotes (RFQ's). Some sizes can not be bought for love or money as of today. The size we use for the C-NH Super-steer frame rails will not be available to quote untill August!

Just thought I'd continue a thread started on the Boomer forum.


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harvey
Join Date: Sep 2000
Posts: 1550 Moravia, NY
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2004-03-30          81607

It's funny we use 4 different vendors. Call and ask for price. Then ask how long the price is good for (used to be 30 days) now it's "until I hang up"! ....

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beagle
Join Date: Jan 2004
Posts: 1333 Michigan
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2004-03-30          81640

We buy structural shapes daily. We get letters from the mills weekly posting new surcharges and delivery charges. This is insane. We have to guarantee our proposals for 60 or 90 days, and don't have a clue what shapes are going to be listed at in a week. The price lists are useless, because you are charged at time of delivery, not at time of order any more. The industry has gone mad!! Blame it on the Chinese, they bought all our scrap so we can buy all their junk. ....

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jeff r
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 428 burton. michigan
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2004-03-30          81657

Beagle,

Look on the good side. All the yesterdays farmers with 50 year old rusted farm equipment and junk cars in there fields can make some money. I just helped my neighbor load 2600 pounds of scrap to the salvage yard and he was paid 130 bucks. It was 20 bucks per ton a year ago. This scap steel buying happened in 1939 when the Japanese bought all the American scrap steel and they returned it to the USA in the form of Zero fighter planes and Yamato battleships. ....

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harvey
Join Date: Sep 2000
Posts: 1550 Moravia, NY
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2004-03-31          81665

HUMMMMMMMMMMMM I think most of it is on the bottom of the ocean. ....

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hardwood
Join Date: Dec 2002
Posts: 3583 iowa
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2004-03-31          81668

I checked on the price of a piece of shop eqipment a few days ago, and unless it's a the dealers warehouse, which it wasn't, it's built on an order basis only, they would'nt quote me a price. So I'll just go without. Yes, this is a serious situation, if too many people take my position and just don't buy, the trickle down effect to the people who actually build, truck, repair, or whatever their job has to do with the equipment will suffer in the form of layoffs. Since hearing about all the big time crooks involved in corporations that I used to respect, I have no sympathy for the greedy corps, or their overpaid top dogs. Frank. ....

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TomG
Join Date: Feb 2002
Posts: 5406 Upper Ottawa Valley
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2004-03-31          81672

Don't know. My brother in law thinks it has to do with a surcharge on imported steel but his grasp on economics can be selective. If his take is accurate maybe the blame should be shared with government although I can't see much difference between rich exploiting and vaguely criminal corporations and government these days. I think the Chinese are selling junk mostly because they're building to Walley World specs.

There's a bunch of the 'ordinary folks take it in the neck to pay for Roman splendor for the few' going around. Getting tired of it myself. Here in Ontario there's a debate about whether a major steel producer is insolvent and can meet pension fund obligations. Can't buy steel there and producers are going out of buz here--go figure.

A useful perspective is that the idea of 'Government By and for The People' originally meant for the rich since only significant property owners could vote. Looks like it's just getting back to basics nowadays. ....

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hardwood
Join Date: Dec 2002
Posts: 3583 iowa
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2004-03-31          81677

TomG; When you mention Wally World I start to build a head of steam. I'll admit I go there just like everyone else. Iowa has 99 counties and the county seat towns in two thirds of those 99 are probably in the 2000 to 6000 population range. It kind of gives me a sick feeling when I remember the localy owned main street business places who took pride in what they sold that have been forced out of business by a giant corporation who takes all the profits out of town. Frank. ....

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TomG
Join Date: Feb 2002
Posts: 5406 Upper Ottawa Valley
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2004-03-31          81688

There's a recent story about an area in Vermont that was left with virtually no place to shop. Several communities got together to form sort of a co-op and were trying to buy an abandoned chain discount store. I've lost track of how it came out.

I've also lost faith that the larger things now tolerated in society take care of my interests. I figure I have to do it myself and the Vermont thing is likely in my future. A rich person on TV is still a rich person no matter how they dress up. I just don't believe them--of course I don't hear them either since I turfed TV.

I remember riding around with my cousins in Nebraska and Iowa and they'd almost run out of gas trying to make it to the CoOp Station. Their parents and mine lived through the reasons why. I only have an understanding of why but maybe I'm starting to live through the same reasons. ....

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Murf
Join Date: Dec 1999
Posts: 7249 Toronto Area, Ontario, Canada
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2004-03-31          81698

A neighbour at the cottage wandered over on Saturday morning to see what was going on when he heard my 'Bota working. He is a retired GM employee, worked there his whole life, only job he ever had. He has always been rather loud and firmly opinionated, sometimes he's even right.

He got onto the subject of my Japanese tractor, why didn't I buy North American? I replied I merely bought a good tractor, and in my opinion, the best value for the money, if it had been North American I would have bought that.

Then he said something that made me stop and think.

He said when he started working for GM in the early 1960's he was making a mere pitance, but he got into the union and his wages increase fairly quickly & did so until his retirement, and even though he's retired now his benefits still continue.

Then he commented on how times change, and even with his discount his new truck was still a LOT of money.

When I commented on how if he and his union brothers had maybe been a little less gready and settled for just a 'fair wage' and 'good' benefits, and not the most money and best benefits in the industrial WORLD maybe they wouldn't be losing so much business to them "damned foreigners" that were happy to have any job, let alone a really good job, he nearly lost it.

Then he sort of chuckled and admitted I was probably right.

Best of luck.

....

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brokenarrow
Join Date: Jan 2004
Posts: 1288 Wisconsin
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2004-03-31          81749

Murf
I just called a Farm an Fleet store near my acreage to get a qoute on a disk. Of course they did not have the one I wanted and would have to order it. he gave me a price on one of the two I wanted and said he ahd to call the manufacturer for a price on the other since it was not listed on his sheet. He called me back and told me the price and also told me he miss qouted me on the price of the other one. The new price was almost 300 bucks more! Ouch. Now I grew turnips last year but never fell off the truck! He did not miss qoute me, that is going to be the new price on any disk ordered (If I am wrong on my speculation I will say I am sorry) But $300 is 30% and that is what I am hearing alot of now a day that the price will reflect. Tomaroo I am going to my local Farm and fleet and buy the disk (be it it is one size smaller than I really want) but I cant afford to pay the new inflated price.
Now to get to the off topic conversation; I am a union worker, been on both sides of the fence in my life also in management at one time for 6 years. Its a new world out there, that is all I can say! The day of take care of the young and they will take care of you (IMHO) are gone. It's now take all we can and the new hires can fight for what they get. (At least that is the last contract and it seems like this one will be the same (This may). Your buddy who is retired may be a dieing breed (30 yr retirement from one place) The wage paid to us is a small cost of the tractor, it is in healthcare, and all the other benifits that our cost skyrockets. Health care for the retired employees has got to be a HUGE!!! chunk. I dont know how much longer that can go on.
My policy is that when poised to buy 2 compareable products and one in USA made, I buy it only if it is a fair price and also if I can afford to spend the money (CASH!!!) on it. I do shop wally world and (one reason is) I owe nothing on credit cards. The govt. needs to fix this problem because the few USA ONLY buyers out there is not going to affect the bottom line. Also alot of people just cant afford some of our products anymore with what they are making. We need to remember that alot of the younger people out there not only have to support a familly but need to SAVE for their own retirement that was something that (in the old day) was not an added burden and the few extra bucks could be spent and not socked away for retirement. Its a vicious circle, I am not saying either side is wrong!!! so dont mis qoute me, what I am saying is that this fella that is retired with full pension (and maybe health care) is on a "YACHT" while some others may be just hoping to be on a "dingy" at retirement.
What is good for one person may not ok for anouther. That is why I say the Govt. needs to step in (if possible) and stop this undercutting of American made products. They are not playing (forign country's) by the same rules when making the products that we are.
Ahhhh thats enough of this political talk I am ready to ride the tractor, bring on some snow melting weather!!! ....

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