U.S. Bridges, Roads Being Built by Chinese Firms

[Gangman036]

What's next??
Somewhere in the video, a guy makes an excuse that the Chinese have more welders than we do and can work faster.

http://abcnews.go.com/WNT/video/us-bridges-roads-built-chinese-firms-14594513?tab=9482930?ion=1206853&playlist=14594944

[Momz]

It so ridiculous and sad that we have given up our nations industrial and manufactering base.

Well as consumers we have only our selves to blame. It started on the consumer level when we started purchaseing goods at Kmart and Walmart in the sixties.

[fon1961]

i get sick of politicians (from all parties) saying one thing and allowing another to happen.  lack of welders...bs...if they weren't available, train them, if training is not practical those companies would've found them and brought them in.  there's no way that this should've made it through the approval process.  they need to move these folks offices down to the unemployment office waiting room, put a big sign above their desks that says "we gave thousands of jobs to the chinese because you couldn't do the work, you and your families don't count".   shovel ready jobs...yea right.

[f6john]

It so ridiculous and sad that we have given up our nations industrial and manufactering base.

Well as consumers we have only our selves to blame. It started on the consumer level when we started purchaseing goods at Kmart and Walmart in the sixties.

     I think it goes deeper than that. It's our open trade policies with other countries. Our car industry is said to be on the rebound but look at where they are being made. Some of the most popular models are being built in Canada and Mexico, Even Buick felt it needed to build a "world class" car in Germany and then import it to America. Nothing against Canada or Mexico but I don't live there nor pay taxes there either and as far as I know they don't contribute to our operating budet. I have sworn off buying from Harbour Freight, and nothing against them as a company but I am going to buy American when ever and where ever possible. We don't have a choice in a lot of products but some things I will just do without.  

[NCGhostrider]

There is no lack of welders...it is cost and "fair trade"  (tongue in cheek).   From what I have seen of Chinese manufacturing in oilfield related equipment, I wouldn't want them welding any bridges I drive across.  The equipment is bought cheap and brought over knowing it will have to be reworked, rewelded etc.  Somehow it is cost effective, so it gets done.  One thing that amazes me, is  how good the paint looks on this stuff when it comes over.  Most of the welds have a bondo product glazed over them, once you remove it.   The truth comes out, and it is not good.

I would be interested in seeing the engineering/weld certs that sign on off on these jobs.  I am hopeful that they will have to be held to the U.S. standard of bridge building and testing at least.


Craig
NcGhostrider
99 I/S

[fon1961]

"Somehow it is cost effective, so it gets done"
 
i respect your opinion but cost effective is a relative term.  i'm not convinced that it's true in this and many other cases.  i deal with gov't contracts quite a bit.  common sense does not always enter the equation when it should.  i don't want chinese companies and workers taking jobs from americans.  politicians talk about it but they still let it happen.  i would definitely be concerned about the compliance of the end item.  maybe there's a clause that only warrantees it if chinese cars are driven across it 

[NCGhostrider]

I think we are saying the same thing.  I probably wasn't clear on it "being cost effective".  I don't see how we can ship something from there to here, cut it apart and rebuild it in many cases, and save money.  My guess is, that the savings isn't realized over the long term, or the savings is so insignificant that it is not justifiable.

I agree, the jobs need to utilize our skilled labor, and should not take precedence over U.S. citizens with qualifications or the ability to have the "supposed qualifications". 

But, I am getting old, am in Texas where we all are prejudiced, living in trailers, stopped school in the 3rd or 4th grade and married our cuzin.   

On a slightly related subject to chinese cars... a friend of mine that travels to China a good bit for business, was telling me that one of the favorite cars in China is a the Buick.   I thought that was interesting! 

See ya.

Craig
NcGhostrider
99 I/S

[hubcapsc]

One thing that amazes me, is  how good the paint looks on this stuff when it comes over.  

There's a particular pattern of cast iron chairs and benches they've been making for
years... maybe 100 years or more... I've got a couple of old ones, and man do I like them.

Not long ago I found where to get a new one in the same pattern, made in China. It weighs less,
I like to imagine that it is made out of nuclear slag waste instead of cast iron  , but man,
the paint job on it rocks! The Chinese one is the green one...



-Mike

[junior]

i blame the unions and the union workers

[Bob E.]

I couldn't watch the video due to my incredibly slow internet.  So I couldn't hear the specifics of this particular case.  If someone could point me to a printed report on this, I'd love to read it.  However, my experience as a professional engineer who designs roads and bridges for a living makes it a little hard to believe...at least as far as state and federal contracts go.  I did notice that the subtitle mentioned cities...so, unless the project 100% locally funded, I don't see how it could happen.  All projects that I have seen and been involved with that have any federal money involved have a "buy American" clause in them...meaning all materials must be American made.  This can be difficult on certain structures...steel pipe for instance...there are not many shapes, especially larger thicker-walled pipes, that are made in USA any more.  Similarly, we have problems specifying larger rolled structural shapes...especially if it needs to be hot-rolled for strength.  And it practically takes an act of congress to get a waiver to use foreign steel...let alone labor.  Furthermore, here in PA, all labor on state highway contracts is paid at "prevailing wage".  This means that union or non-union...the project pays the same amount.  So I'm not sure where they would get any savings.

Now, there are provisions for minority-owned businesses. Typically these have a requirement of 5-15% of the contract must be held by a minority-owned business.  But these would still be businesses owned by Americans, whether they be women, Asian-Americans, African-American, or whatever.  But it didn't sound like this was the case...at least from the headline.

The only thing I can guess is that this is a result of what has become known as P3, or Public-Private-Partnerships.  This is where the government contracts with some private entity for the development of some project...like a toll-road or bridge.  In this case, private money is invested by a developer (sometimes foreign), then that private entity is granted the right to collect the tolls in return for their initial investement.  We recently have gone through this debate in PA where the state was considering leasing the PA turnpike to a private company.  It turns out that the only companies that were interested were foreign.  The highest bidder was from Spain, I believe. This company would then be responsible for maintaining and improving the highway and in return, they get to collect the tolls...and I believe they had the authority to set the tolls for the next 50 years.  I really hate this sort of thing because it is a direct selling off of our public infrastructure for a short-term gain in the public coffers.  But there has been a movement within our country, generally but not entirely by the GOP, to cut gov't in favor of privatization...whether that is prisons, education, infrastructure, whatever.  And one of the consequences of that is going to be foreign companies/developers buying up American industry on American soil.

[BF]

Remember that "new world order" George Bush Sr used to talk about?  You're starting to see some of it.   

[ricoman]

I tend to think that we have become a nation of people who do not do their best. (easier to take/expect/demand something for nothing rather than to work for it).
If we all did our best, sending work out for bid would result in getting a wiining bid from a US company. Instead, we allow/accept/agree with workers who expect/demand what they are not willing to earn. Consequently, the low bidder may not be us. Time to take a hard look.
Just my humble opinion.

[Master Blaster]

Brazils Embrier is making our new fighter jet for the Air force.  Tell me that there is nothing wrong with this picture.  Manufacture used to be the forte of this country.  I suppose that we have to get the steel for our infastructure from China because EPA and the unions have chased the steel makers overseas.  We will soon be forced to obtain all our energy from abroad due to the same reasons.   China is moving in on our offshore resources as we speak.   Our country is fast approaching the melt down point that cann.ot be overcome.   Our leaders seem to be driven to bring the country down,  By the way the only company that is booming in the gulf is BP.   In all areas impediments are being placed to insure business cannot compete or innovate.  Our way of life is under attact and on life suppport, and the sad thing is the multitudes that cant recognize it.

[sugerbear]

well, if they can't beat us militarily, they beat us financially.