Made in Mexico?

[Wolfgang]

rudeney - 7/11/2005 10:48 AM
As for the wiring harness, you might be surprised to learn that there were only a few different harnesses made for the W163. There were different ones for right-hand vs. left-hand drive, and a few revisions for various model year changes. Otherwise, all ML’s have the same harness, regardless of options. A good example is if you pull your dash panel, you will find the wiring for options like the third-row ventilation windows and seat heaters, even if you did not buy those options. They decided it was less expensive to include some extra unused wire rather than teach the assemblers how to install different types of harnesses.

- RODNEY

Here's some info about the W163 harnesses, just about a dozen or so and with INDIVIDUAL wire labelling. The W164 is different...

[rudeney]

BETO - 7/11/2005 9:44 PM
As far as the Tennesse decline in unemployement, that's because the population moved to Mexico[:D]
We in America depend on countries in which labor is cheaper, look at your name brand designer clothes, where are they made? Funny how japanes manufacturers are opening factories here instead of importing them.

Even through the last two economic downturns, the unemployment rate here in Birmingham has remained fairly low. Our economy is fed largely by the medical industry, so we seem to have more elasticity in the labor market than many cities. Our problem is in finding basic wage labor. Because of this, we are gaining a huge immigrant population, mainly from Mexico. Other than plumbers and electricians, most construction jobs are staffed with immigrant labor. Almost all restaurant kitchen staff as well as most cleaning staff is, too. Just last week, I took my granddaughter to the Visionland amusement park, and more than half the workers there were Polish! So far, the MBUSI plant still seems to be staffed mostly with native Alabamians, though.

- RODNEY

[LOCHS 2]

[quote]BETO - 7/11/2005 8:44 PM

As far as the Tennesse decline in unemployement, that's because the population moved to Mexico[:D]
[quote]

If jobs were not created or made avaialbel in time then workers seeking work went out of state to get a job--or they work in other states if they live on the edges of Tennessee. The migration of immigrants [from many countries not just Mexico] to fill certain jobs is happening everywhere--and has happened for many years! Someone has to do the work when Jack and Jill are away at college or refuse to work a certain job for less than a certain wage.

[dracul00]

I have heard a lot of people complain that many jobs are lost because of NAFTA, in my opinion Nafta does not have anything to do with the lost of those jobs, in many cases those manufacturing jobs where created in the beginning because the gov wanted to help those companies and gave them tax brakes if they decided to keep manufaturing in house, when those tax brakes are gone those factories look somewhere else like Mexico. Why? because the minimum wage in Mexico according to the mexican goverment is $4 for an 8/hour day, so no company/worker or nobody in the US will work for that money. remember that is no $4 an hour, is really $.50/h who wants a job like that? would you ba able to afford your ML?

for that simple reason make the great american icons to go somewhere else to manufacture everything: Nike, Ford, Chrysler, GM, coke, marlboro and Hewlett-Packard just to mention a few.

That is the same case for othe countries and many things that you might think are made in germany are actually made in mexico, brazil and china: like VW, BMW security, Mercedes (who just open 2 more plants in mexico) and many other Jap cars like honda, or electronics like sony.

So yes if it is not made in china is probably made in mexico.

so mclasser it is shocking to me that you did not realize this before, look at everything you own even your clothes and you will soon realize that not even 10% is made in USA, and even if it is, you can go to the plant and yell "la migra" and realize that even if it is made in USA is not by american hands.

[cmitch]

dracul00 - 7/18/2005 12:47 AM

I have heard a lot of people complain that many jobs are lost because of NAFTA, in my opinion Nafta does not have anything to do with the lost of those jobs, in many cases those manufacturing jobs where created in the beginning because the gov wanted to help those companies and gave them tax brakes if they decided to keep manufaturing in house, when those tax brakes are gone those factories look somewhere else like Mexico.

It is interesting how NAFTA can be ignored as a significant factor in loss of employment, especially if those who don't think it was lived in an economically depressed area because of it. Perhaps my previous stats of our large local job loss due to NAFTA wasn't read or maybe no one understands that these companies were mainstays in textile manufacturing for DECADES! There were no tax incentives to keep them here. Any incentives would have long expired. Most of these companies left a few months or a couple of years after NAFTA was signed. NAFTA made it easier for companies to move to Mexico for cheaper labor because tariffs were removed for free flow of trade.

Whether any one agrees or disagrees what NAFTA done, the facts of what it done here are inarguable. But it seems that the poly-titions that are in charge do not care whose job is lost so long as their posh employment is preserved and unaffected by the deal.

Now for the good that has come Afta NAFTA (yes, I recognize this as well).

Mercedes Benz builds M-Class plant in Tuscaloosa

SCA tissue plant built in Barton Riverfront Industrial Park

Toyota built engine plant in Huntsville, AL and has expanded it.

Other auto manufacturers are looking for sites.

As I said earlier, most who lost their job because of NAFTA are better off today than they would have been if they had stayed at their previous jobs. However, does that excuse the 1/3 who were too old to retrain but too young to retire.

[dracul00]

ok I am lost here now:

how mercedes, sca, toyota or other car manufacturers are touched by NAFTA? (north american free trade agreement) meaning USA, Mexico and Canada. (not Germany, Sweeden or Japan)

I think that you have a confussion about other treaties with other countries, or maybe you should do a little more research about what nafta means, and the impact that has had in the other 2 countries involved in it, so you could stop saying that USA got the worst deal of it.

Canada for example went into a permanent branch plant economy, and mexico wages have decreased 20% because there are more low skill jobs that even children can do, so even children explotation has increase in mexico since Nafta. Farmers in mexico went out of bussines because the heavy agriculture subsidies.

After seen all this I think Nafta can be ignored as a significant factor in loss of employment in the States, and I lived in mexico for many years so I know what Nafta has done, but I can tell you one thing, it has not hurt this country by any means.

[Noodles]

Someone in the thread wondered where the plastics are handled. I am assuming that means he interior bits like the dash, door panles and such.
Johnson Controls built a plant near the Alabama plant and builds the interiors for all the MLs. The dashes are all pre-assembled and bolted in on the production line. Same with the center console and armrest compartment. Johson Controls also makes the plastic pieces for the door panels. They build the seats to MB specs. Initially there were a ton of QC issues, but by 2000 they had gotten the bugs worked out.

[Wolfgang]

Noodles - 7/19/2005 12:28 PM

Someone in the thread wondered where the plastics are handled. I am assuming that means he interior bits like the dash, door panles and such.
Johnson Controls built a plant near the Alabama plant and builds the interiors for all the MLs. The dashes are all pre-assembled and bolted in on the production line. Same with the center console and armrest compartment. Johson Controls also makes the plastic pieces for the door panels. They build the seats to MB specs. Initially there were a ton of QC issues, but by 2000 they had gotten the bugs worked out.

And the parts shown above were made by Arkay in Prattville, Alabama. [:)]

http://www.arkayindustries.com


Arkay's Zeiss


Arkay's Keifel Vacuum Forming Machine and Cladding Tool used to clad
Mercedes Benz's Lower Instrument Panel Retainer with Benecke TPO (foam backed)

BTW, the S-Class uses Benecke TPO foil now too. [:D]

[cmitch]

dracul00 - 7/19/2005 12:00 AM

ok I am lost here now:

how mercedes, sca, toyota or other car manufacturers are touched by NAFTA? (north american free trade agreement) meaning USA, Mexico and Canada. (not Germany, Sweeden or Japan)

After seen all this I think Nafta can be ignored as a significant factor in loss of employment in the States, and I lived in mexico for many years so I know what Nafta has done, but I can tell you one thing, it has not hurt this country by any means.

The whole idea of NAFTA was to allow lower skilled jobs to be "exported" as we could say, so that companies that made textile and other products could more easily compete with imports from other countries like China. In turn, the theory went, these low skilled workers could be retrained to do more higher paying jobs when they became unemployed because of NAFTA.

The U.S. Government KNEW people would become unemployed because of NAFTA so an assistance program was set up to retrain workers with college or other vocational skills so that they may find satisfactory employment. THOUSANDS of workers in our area alone took advantage of this program with hopes they would gain employment related to their training. Most did, some did not. Some had to relocate to NISSAN in Springhill, TN. Others waited out the storm taking whatever job they could work until SCA came along. Most employees of SCA are transplants from the textile industry. Others relocated to MERCEDES for employment and a good many were hired at TOYOTA in Huntsville. See the trend? You can say that NAFTA benefitted these workers because they are now making more money than they would have ever made in textiles. NAFTA gave these workers a proverbial kick in the pants to go find a better job with better benefits. So it's been beneficial to about 2/3 of those who were unemployed. the other 1/3 consisted of those who couldn't perform skilled labor or were a few years from retirement. Too old to be a desirable employee and too young to retire. Many of these 1/3 lost their homes and benefits. Foreclosures were so rampant in this area that our local leaders actually started a campaign to attract retirees from the north to live here and that campaign continues to this day. Our city schools consolidated into one school because of the loss of people and their children relocating for a better job.

One of the reasons MERCEDES located in Alabama was because there was an abundance of labor, an abundance that did not exist when the textile industry was here. This meant wages would be lower than say, for example, Michigan. There are also other automotive manufacturers looking to locate in the south because of the sucess of those plants that are already here.

I have done my research, I have family members that were toyed with because of politicians who think they know better for us than we do and I know what I'm talking about.

dracul00, just like you lived in Mexico and seen the harm of NAFTA exploiting children for slave wages, I live in the south where I can say NAFTA has been fairly destructive to our local economy. The textile plants fell like dominoes when NAFTA was passed.THOUSANDS were unemployed within months. So I can say with certainty, it did hurt this country significantly unless the south is not considered part of the country.

Since we both have seen negative effects of NAFTA, then why would we want to take a chance on CAFTA?

[Wolfgang]

Noodles - 7/19/2005 12:28 PM

Someone in the thread wondered where the plastics are handled. I am assuming that means he interior bits like the dash, door panles and such.
Johnson Controls built a plant near the Alabama plant and builds the interiors for all the MLs. The dashes are all pre-assembled and bolted in on the production line. Same with the center console and armrest compartment. Johson Controls also makes the plastic pieces for the door panels. They build the seats to MB specs. Initially there were a ton of QC issues, but by 2000 they had gotten the bugs worked out.

Here's more about Johnson Controls Cottondale plant. What I have not figured out yet, which tannery supplies that nice perforated W163 leather to them?

"<B>Johnson Controls Expands Manufacturing Plant in Alabama to Supply Interior Systems for Mercedes-Benz Models
Fortune 100 supplier will supply products for automaker's 2006 R-Class and M-Class models</B>

"A trip to the Mercedes factory in Alabama is well worth the time spent getting there. When a new M series is scheduled to be built and the order is entered into the MB factory computer that same message is sent to a computer at the Johnson Control plant where they begin assembling the parts nessasary to fill an order for a specific M series which is being born "on the line" back at the MB plant. Then at a pre-determined moment, the Johnson Controls completed assemblies are loaded on a shuttle delivery truck that arrives and is unloaded directly onto the assembly line at the MB plant "Just-in-Time" to be meet up with and be installed on the very vehicle the parts were originaly ordered for just minutes earlier...pretty cool.


COTTONDALE, Ala., May 5 -- Automotive interior supplier Johnson Controls recently expanded its manufacturing plant in Cottondale, Alabama to supply interior systems for two vehicles to be assembled by Mercedes-Benz.

The facility's size was nearly doubled -- expanding from 168,000 square feet to 320,000 square feet -- to handle new business and additional automotive seating and interior product lines.

In December 2004, Johnson Controls launched production of a number of interior systems and components for the 2006 Mercedes-Benz M Class sport- utility vehicle. The company currently supplies automotive seat systems, door panels, overhead systems, hard trim, compass modules and its HomeLink(R) Wireless Control Systems for M-Class vehicles. Since the Cottondale plant opened in 1996, Johnson Controls has been manufacturing products for M-Class models assembled in Vance, Alabama.

Beginning later this year, the facility will supply a number of automotive products for 2006 Mercedes-Benz R-Class Grand Sports Tourer vehicles. For the all-new model, Johnson Controls will produce seat systems, door panels, overhead systems, hard trim, second-row floor consoles, compass modules and its HomeLink(R) Wireless Control Systems. The R-Class will be the second vehicle manufactured by the automaker at its Vance assembly plant.

The automaker will receive shipments of seats and other interior systems -- manufactured on a "just-in-time" basis at the Johnson Controls plant -- as they are required on vehicle assembly lines. The expansion of the Johnson Controls facility in Cottondale created approximately 500 new jobs at the site.

"As a primary supplier of automotive seating and interior products to Mercedes-Benz in North America, we look forward to expanding our manufacturing operations in Cottondale," said Brian Kesseler, group vice president and general manager, North America for the Automotive Group of Johnson Controls. "Johnson Controls is committed to the community and to providing world-class products for our customer."

Currently, Johnson Controls supplies seats, overhead components, electronics, other interior components and batteries for a number of popular Mercedes-Benz models in Africa, Asia, Europe, North America and South America. They include the A-Class, C-Class, CL, CLK, CLS, E-Class, G Model, M-Class, S-Class, SL, SLK, SLR, Sprinter, Vaneo and truck.

Johnson Controls is a global market leader in automotive systems and facility management and control. In the automotive market, it is the largest supplier of integrated seating and interior systems, and batteries. For non- residential facilities, Johnson Controls provides control systems and services including comfort, energy and security management. Johnson Controls , founded in 1885, has headquarters in Milwaukee, Wisconsin." end of quote