In consideration of Trade and Tarrifs
Updated, also fixed last link
This past weekend, I was in North Adams, Ma. We did some exploring of the area and came across a company started in 1837 that still exists today in Buckland. It no longer produces there, as it has moved to Westfield, Ma. It’s only move in 178 years. However, it has not survived the trend of Capital Investment companies. Though, their being purchased does not appear to be a bad thing based on their website.
This picture I took is why I am posting.
The letter struck me as to what we are and have been discussing for decades now: globalization, off shoring, tariffs, industrial policy, etc. In particular, it is this sentence from the letter:
It affords me special pleasure to see American manufacturers succeed in making those things which are generally articles of import.
There has always been global trade. What appears to have changed is the nature of the competition event. Look up North Adams. Arnold Print Works. They had offices in New York and Paris France.
At its peak in 1905, Arnold print works employed more than 3,000 workers and was one of the world’s leading producers of printed textiles. Arnold produced 580,000 yards or 330 miles of cloth per week. Arnold had offices in New York City and Paris. In addition to printing the textiles, Arnold Print Works expanded and built their own cloth-weaving facilities in order to produce “grey cloth”, which was the crude, unfinished textile from which printed color cloth was made.[5]
Update: There is this one other line regarding Arnold Print Works which reminded me of another prior post.
In 1942 Arnold Print Works was forced to close its doors and leave North Adams due to the low prices of cloth produced in the South and abroad,…
My prior post is (11/28/08) regarding a past Democratic Senator, Ernest F. “Fritz” Hollings. He hated unions. He hated “free trade” (off shoring of jobs). But he failed to see that his work of promoting the South as a cheap labor nonunion region was exactly the same thing he was hating regarding the off shoring of jobs.
This facility was followed by Sprague Electric. I recognize the name due to my guitars. As to it’s demise, there is this:
Also by the 1980s, many electronic assembly plants were overseas, and there was more inclination to buy local or from areas closer to assembly. This was an area Sprague Electric could not compete.
Which gets me to a past post of 9/13/09. As relevant and more so today as when I posted it. It is worth reading just for the understanding of the theory of “Stars, Cash Cows and Dogs”. A fable: The Guitar Player who sold his gear or, Bruce Henderson vs. Gordon Moore
What Arnold Print Works and Sprague Electric have in common is that these were companies that were founded on the idea of making a product. Arnold Print Works applied current technology. Sprague was actually a creator. Not a “job creator”. Just a plain old creative power.
Marginally on topic is Green and Carter UK. For over 200 years their sole product has been manufacturing and installing hydraulic ram pumps. They guarantee their pumps for the life of the pumps and keep all replacement parts in stock for any of their pumps built since 1800.
I assume you know where The Williams Inn along with William College being in Williamstown just down the road from North Adams. I think it was 1985? I was given a room in The Williams Inn by Sprague Electric and would interview with them the next morning. I was in my thirties then? It rained late that night and you could hear the thunder rolling through the mountains around it. The Dutchmen of the Half Moon playing Nine Pins and drinking Jenever.
The next morning I had breakfast and took out about Williams College campus. Asked a young student where something was and he answered me with a yes sir which surprised me. I met with the Personnel Manager and others as well. It was a natural fit. We walked over to William College and had lunch there and continued our conversation. I could see my three going to college there, the thoughts wandered through my head.
Earlier that day, we were off topic and were discussing works of art. I do collect and I have some nice pieces. He had told me one of the art museums had the second largest collection of Renoirs in the world. It was a great showing and I started to think of how we would fit in the area. and what my salary might be.
We went back to his office and talked for about 5 minutes and he was called out. He came back and started off this way; “I have to conclude this interview. It is not due to anything you said or did. We will not be able to hire you.” The bartender in The Williams Inn had, after giving me my bourbon, had made a comment, “Spagrue had been sold.” I did not think anything of it as she seemed like the town gossip.
It was the best interview I ever had that resulted in the worst conclusion. Sprague Electric was sold.
Fixed the last link and changed all to open in new tab.
Run: It really is a lovely place to visit. We did not get to Williamstown as we were there to do some ziplining in Charlesmont. Our time was spent in North Adams exploring and place east of there. We will be going back in September as the weather was not good for zipping.
Currently, the old Arnold Printworks/Sprague complex is now the Mass Museum of Contemporary Art. The same person who moved that project is doing another museum of Extreme Model Railroading and Contemporary Architecture. http://www.masslive.com/news/index.ssf/2018/02/a_look_inside_the_extreme_mode.html
I’ve always been into trains as I’ve got a soft spot for machinery. I really should have been born a bit earlier. 🙂
We love delving into local history when we go to places.