riogrande5761Your saying Atlas flex was $8.49 for 5 pieces?
I missed the "1" when typing. I fixed my original post, but I was too slow for you not to catch it!
-Kevin
Living the dream.
Your saying Atlas flex was $8.49 for 5 pieces? That comes out to about $1.70 per piece. I don't think it even sold for that years ago. Are you sure? I recall mail order prices for Atlas flex more like 2 and change some 20 years ago.
Rio Grande. The Action Road - Focus 1977-1983
riogrande5761Looks like we'll be paying higher prices regardless.
When I bought my "lifetime supply" back in March, 2020, it was cheaper in 5 packs than 25 packs from MBK, only $18.49 for five pieces. I bought 50 pieces, which should be twice what I actually need.
Suddenly, buying lifetime supplies of everything back in 2017-2020 seems like it was the right decision.
CSX Robert riogrande5761 davidmurray Perhaps it is time for ssome North American companies to bring production facities home! Sounds good at face value but domestic production costs would cause the turnout prices to be much higher.
riogrande5761 davidmurray Perhaps it is time for ssome North American companies to bring production facities home! Sounds good at face value but domestic production costs would cause the turnout prices to be much higher.
davidmurray Perhaps it is time for ssome North American companies to bring production facities home!
Perhaps it is time for ssome North American companies to bring production facities home!
Sounds good at face value but domestic production costs would cause the turnout prices to be much higher.
Lastspikemike Remarkably, Ivar is made in Sweden from sustainably grown softwood. How they do this so cheaply is a mystery.
Remarkably, Ivar is made in Sweden from sustainably grown softwood. How they do this so cheaply is a mystery.
Don't you have to assemble them yourself? I don't think there's much manual labor involved with manufacturing shelving and that's were the biggest savings is when having stuff made in China.
Would you be willing to pay the higher prices if it meant that you could actually buy them?
LastspikemikeAt port of Los Angeles there are 65 ships currently at anchor waiting for a loading berth to take off the containers, this is apparently a record.
According to a CBS Evening News story yesterday (9/20), containers are also piling up on the docks - stacked six or seven high. The report said the big issue in L.A. is a shortage of trucks and truck drivers - they just can't move the stuff out as fast as it's coming in.
riogrande5761 NittanyLion riogrande5761 Sounds good at face value but domestic production costs would cause the turnout prices to be much higher. Or it might not make a difference at all. I know people who work in US manufacturing, making stuff in the US, out of components made in the US. Except their boxes are printed overseas, so they can't ship in the first place. Not according to people like Jason Shron of Rapido. If there was no difference in production costs her vs. China, then why isn't more being produced here? Seems like a no brainer.
NittanyLion riogrande5761 Sounds good at face value but domestic production costs would cause the turnout prices to be much higher. Or it might not make a difference at all. I know people who work in US manufacturing, making stuff in the US, out of components made in the US. Except their boxes are printed overseas, so they can't ship in the first place.
riogrande5761 Sounds good at face value but domestic production costs would cause the turnout prices to be much higher.
Or it might not make a difference at all. I know people who work in US manufacturing, making stuff in the US, out of components made in the US. Except their boxes are printed overseas, so they can't ship in the first place.
Not according to people like Jason Shron of Rapido. If there was no difference in production costs her vs. China, then why isn't more being produced here? Seems like a no brainer.
I was referring to shortages and disruptions. There's no way to fully insulate your product from the global supply chain.
Perhaps the shipping costs are one reason, but I doubt it is the only one. What about lack of supply?
-- How they do this so cheaply is a mystery.
No mystery, for over twenty years nearly the entire Ivar line has been made in China or Vietnam.
Pretty much the last Ikea hard line furniture products available in North America and manufactured in Sweden are the Billy and Malm series.
Lots of upholstered products are also made in Sweden, but the number of Swedish country of origin SKUs are falling.
Everything is still designed in Sweden, but manufacturing has been shifted to the developing economies of the world. That is why they use the phrase "Ikea Design And Style" or something like that now.
dti406Ikea had a couple of hundred containers on that ship that got stuck in the Suez Canal. Who knows if they have ever been released.
From what I read, that was all settled.
Ikea had a couple of hundred containers on that ship that got stuck in the Suez Canal. Who knows if they have ever been released.
Lastspikemike I was at Ikea today to buy shelves for the train room. No Ivar shelves of any description. A month ago there were hundreds in stock. University students furnishing residence rooms or apartments maybe? If Ikea supply chains are getting disrupted we are in trouble, deep trouble.
I was at Ikea today to buy shelves for the train room. No Ivar shelves of any description. A month ago there were hundreds in stock. University students furnishing residence rooms or apartments maybe? If Ikea supply chains are getting disrupted we are in trouble, deep trouble.
Rule 1: This is my railroad.
Rule 2: I make the rules.
Rule 3: Illuminating discussion of prototype history, equipment and operating practices is always welcome, but in the event of visitor-perceived anacronisms, detail descrepancies or operating errors, consult RULE 1!
riogrande5761Sounds good at face value but domestic production costs would cause the turnout prices to be much higher.
The shelves are full at Home Depot.
All of the Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas seasonal items are already on hand.
There is no evidence the sky is falling.
Atlas used to make its track here...and there is always Mexico.
I saw this coming and bought acordingly. Also a lot of the delay is getting workers. On the west coast area I live In and Out fast food has starting saleries as high as $21 and no one else can find employees either.
When I order something from Amazon, if the expected delivery is more than a week, I figure it is coming from China and don't bother buying it. Haven't had to buy any MR stuff lately so this supply chain thing hasn't affected me.......so far.
In one article I read, one company stated rates for a container from China went from $4600.00 to $26000.00 almost overnight and have settled down a bit to around $15000.00.
I have owned containers in the past and received a guaranteed 15% minimum return and actually got about 18%. You can also own railcars for lease. Like anything, it is something you need to understand before going in. If I was a lot younger I would be looking at that industry a lot closer.
Brent
"All of the world's problems are the result of the difference between how we think and how the world works."
Train stuff is pretty high-value cargo, so the shipping costs have less of an impact than for low-value. Imagine how the folks feel who ship produce in refrigerated containers.
You can put, very roughly, 33,000 pieces of HO rolling stock or locomotives in a container. The increased shipping cost per unit is 26 cents. That's figured by volume. I ran it also by weight (for a locomotive), and it's (again) very roughly the same as for volume.
I suspect the problem is getting a container for your product AT ALL.
If I owned a container, I just might raise my rental rates to help out my retirement fund.
I don't think this is "the new normal". I think it's temporary, while the world adjusts itself to Covid.
Ed
Supply chain has been a mess.
Jason Shron at Rapido has made reference to this. I believe Rapido has four, maybe five* products that are still "on the water" awaiting landing.
(* I just reread the newsletter. There's actually a dozen products that have left the factory and have not arrived in a N.A. port)
The new normal —
Regards, Ed
I saw a business news item today with a chart showing Container shipping price indices. The indices were generally stable in the $2000 to $3000 range from 2011 through 2019, then shot up to a current $11,000, ouch! One would conclude that whichever entity is paying the freight (the manufacturer or wholesaler), they can't afford to do business with these shipping rates.
Jim