Going under at Donington?

Tits up again for a tax bill that would not buy a wheel for the big white elephant train that is HS2, new estimate is around £106 billion for a train nobody want. Apart from the big assed pockets boys. Go green ! If you could see the devastation around here, you'd move to the Amazon. Not bitter! Much. Tossers!!
 
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I think buying And setting up at Donnington ws a mistake, seemed like a lot of overhead to take on in the beginning.
 
Just read a story about Keanu Reeves possibly taking over Norton. The article cited how he is already a fan of the brand, but also how he has started his own motorcycle company with the Arch. Sounds like it would be a good match. Also , since he is Canadian, it could stay within the common wealth, if he were to go that route with giving it new lease on life.
 
Manufacturing a range of engineering products is not easy. However the Chinese don't seem to have problems. Perhaps the command economy and disregard for human rights, is better ?
 
Going under at Donington?
 
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Manufacturing a range of engineering products is not easy. However the Chinese don't seem to have problems. Perhaps the command economy and disregard for human rights, is better ?

I think the Chinese are happy to make things, as long as you have a minimum order of 5,000! Anything else is not worth their while, also there sometimes can be a language problem, although it is much better now than what it used to be.
 
That article does make one wonder. He is/was a real estate guy.....probably envisioned Donnington as the main thing and not the bikes.
 
That article does make one wonder. He is/was a real estate guy.....probably envisioned Donnington as the main thing and not the bikes.

By that you mean SG wanted a big house and become part of the English countryside land gentry. - Yes!
 
I think the Chinese are happy to make things, as long as you have a minimum order of 5,000! Anything else is not worth their while, also there sometimes can be a language problem, although it is much better now than what it used to be.

So the British cannot do volume production ? One of the things mentioned was that Norton owes money to a Chinese manufacturer of motors. I think there must be a psychological problem with the British. Surely the wages component cannot be that dramatic ?
 
So the British cannot do volume production ? One of the things mentioned was that Norton owes money to a Chinese manufacturer of motors. I think there must be a psychological problem with the British. Surely the wages component cannot be that dramatic ?

You misunderstand the answer. Of course the British can do volume production, most engineering firms have CNC machines for that, what they don't have is cheap Chinese labour cheap factory rates etc. A lot of production went from GB to the far east as cost saving, meanwhile the government has too many unemployed people, too many empty factories. There is now a trend in some sectors of firms ceasing orders to the far east and bringing them back home again, but where have the skilled labour gone?
I want some piston rings that are unobtainable, the factory in the far east will make a Minimum order of 5 000 , British firms included as they outsource my order to the far east! ; so what do I do with the other 4,998 of them? - make an expensive paperweight?
 
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Surely the wages component cannot be that dramatic ?
Al,
It depends where the workers live. £100 per week in India or China may well enable you to live in relative comfort but in Australia, Europe, USA this would put you into poverty. Hence why many call centres are now based in Asia - especially India, call centre workers are considered educated (they speak English very well) and are therefore well paid in relation to other workers - still only a small amount compared to the West

A quick internet search shows Indian call workers paid around 15250 Rupees per month = £165/320 AUD/$210 U.S.A
 
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'The Good Old Days' are gone forever..... Perhaps I was just getting too old to babysit others parenting failures. I'm glad to be retired
Say what you may about India, but I've set/assembled some splitters(towers), heaters, & such in plant construction and everything is done right & passes hydro every time. You just have to adjust your mind to working metric. Those folks build to spec.
 
I just read an article that says Stuart Garner sold the rights and tooling for the 961 to a Chinese company, about a week or so before Norton went into bankruptcy. Can we be expecting a Chinese Commando in the future?
 
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