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View Full Version : Farewell to another Aussie Icon



Mrs HMS
17-01-2007, 12:41 PM
Tas bootmaker to move operations offshore
ABC ONLINE

Tasmanian bootmaker Blundstone is set to move its manufacturing operations to parts of Asia within nine months.

The company, founded in the 1870s, broke the news to its Hobart workforce today.

Blundstone says the company can no longer compete against low-cost imports.

Tasmania's Labor Industry, Science and Research spokesman, Kim Carr, blames the Federal Government's industry policy.

"What action was taken by Commonwealth public servants to provide assistance to the company?," he said.

However, Blundstone's chief executive officer Steven Gunn says the company did not seek Federal Government help, as its plight is due to a changing global market.

"We're a country of 20 million people so there's a limit to what we can expect our Federal Government to do in terms of influencing the world," he said.

Mr Gunn says the company will appeal to the Commonwealth for assistance packages for redundant workers.

He says the company's head office and administration will remain in Hobart.

bigG
17-01-2007, 04:32 PM
i heard on the radio today .doesnt that **** ya ....and im wearing a pair right now

administrator
17-01-2007, 09:43 PM
Cant get blood out of a stone

administrator
18-01-2007, 08:09 PM
What makes me laugh is they will be made for little dollars and come straight back into the country put on the shelve at the same price .

haireyscarie
19-01-2007, 08:15 AM
no more shall i buy there boots ..
as i have been doing for the last 25 years
so NO MORE FROM ME

F**k them .if they make them some were else sell them there too

my 2 cents

ps ..clearance sale on every thing in OZ ..

what will be next..
i think we sell the goverment to some 1
say 25 cent for jonny and his funny little freinds
nar too much
give him away

:dean: :dean:

Mrs HMS
19-01-2007, 08:18 AM
Blundstone walks away from rescue package
Matthew Denholm and Richard Sproull
January 18, 2007

PLEAS for a rescue package to prevent the boot-maker Blundstone shifting production to Asia have been rejected by the company and the federal and Tasmanian governments.
The Textile, Clothing and Footwear Union of Australia flagged a push for a federal-state plan to save the 137-year-old Hobart factory and 300 jobs.
But senior government sources said the company had shown no interest in further assistance and appeared determined to shift to cut labour and material costs.

"I spoke to Blundstone management this morning and they are emphatic that a decision (to go offshore) has been made," federal Industry Minister Ian Macfarlane said. "It did not want, nor did it seek, any form of government assistance."

Mr Macfarlane said he would consider a multi-million-dollar fund to lure industries to southern Tasmania. Amid a backlash over Blundstone's decision to move its Tasmanian and New Zealand factories to Thailand and India, Mr Macfarlane said the company received "many millions" of taxpayers' dollars to adjust to tariff reductions.

The minister, frustrated at the company's inability to say when redundancies would be made, contrasted its behaviour to another boot and outdoor wear manufacturer, in Adelaide.

"RM Williams, for instance, have done very well. They've not only expanded their footwear range, but they've gone into a general fashion range and they've found markets overseas in 15 to 20 countries," he said.

"They are a company that have gone at it hard and used the TCF (government assistance) program to make investments. They've decided to sell on a premium product based on a brand and a reputation."

Rossi Boots managing director Dean Rossiter said he had decided against shifting his family business from Adelaide to Asia. "We really do think it's pretty important that Australia does have some footwear manufacturing capacity," Mr Rossiter said.

Like Blundstone, Rossi - which produces 250,000 boots a year, generates $12million in turnover and employs 90 staff - has received federal subsidies. Six years of assistance has been injected into machinery and developing its workforce.

Blundstone's decision opens a marketing opportunity for Rossi, Mr Rossiter said. "There is a strong realisation that there is less manufacturing taking place in Australia and there has been increasing support for locally manufactured product," he said.

Blundstone staff said they feared a lack of demand for their skills. "I've worked here as a machinist for 22 years. Now I don't know what the future holds," Leoni Foster said. "I'm not skilled for anything else."

Workers were shocked by the sudden announcement. "A lot of us spent up big over Christmas and quite a few used their credit cards," Ms Foster said. "Now they've got to pay them off and they're out of a job."

Mrs HMS
19-01-2007, 08:22 AM
Reclaiming our sole - boots and all
Kelly Burke and Phillip Coorey
January 18, 2007 - SMH

THERE are hundreds of American troops in Afghanistan scaling hostile mountainous terrain in Aussie boots, according to Gerry Frittmann.

"They swapped their guns with the Australians for Redbacks," said Mr Frittmann, an independent clothing, textile and footwear consultant in Sydney. "And get any American firefighter into a pair, they'll refuse to take them off. They go crazy over them … They're even buying them on eBay."

On Tuesday Australia's largest industrial boot manufacturer, Blundstone, announced it was moving its business offshore.

Mr Frittmann said the number of players now remaining seven years after the Australian Government lowered the tariff on imported footwear from 15 to 10 per cent could be counted on two hands. These included Redback and Victor in Sydney, Oliver & Stevens and Rivers in Ballarat, Baxter in Goulburn and Rossiters in Adelaide.

Mr Frittmann said the remaining manufacturers needed to avoid the mainstream footwear market and concentrate on the profession-specific sector - the fire, army and smelter boots for which Australia enjoys an enviable international reputation. They also needed to lead the way in technological innovation, he said.

The Industry Minister, Ian Macfarlane, said the industry had received $1.5 billion in assistance over recent years to cope with declining tariff protection and increased competition from low-wage manufacturing nations.

Blundstone's chief executive, Steve Gunn, said manufacturing in Australia was no longer a sensible option and further government assistance would not change his company's circumstances.

Construction workers could boycott Blundstone boots
Jano Gibson and AAP
January 17, 2007

Tens of thousands of construction workers across Australia could take part in a boycott of Blundstone boots following the iconic boot company's decision to shift most of its production to Asia.

The construction arm of the Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy Union is urging its 100,000 members to only buy Australian-made safety boots.

"We are calling for construction workers around Australia to exercise the choice of not buying Blundstones," CFMEU national secretary Dave Noonan said.

Mr Noonan said he was outraged this morning to learn that Blundstone would shift production to India and Thailand, where labour costs are a fraction of what they are here.

"Lots of workers will feel that it's a betrayal of a national icon to go overseas based on cheap labour costs," he said.

Trade policy blamed for Blundstone move

The textile union is blaming the Federal Government's trade policies for the imminent closure of Blundstone's boot factory in Hobart, and warns more jobs in the sector will go if changes are not made.

Blundstone will shut its doors within months after 137 years of operation and move to Thailand and India to reduce high manufacturing costs.

Up to 300 workers in Tasmania and 60 in New Zealand will lose their jobs.

The company says rising costs have forced the Australian icon offshore.

"Since 2003, we have not been able to pass the price increases - fuel increases, inflation, and labour - on to consumers," Blundstone manager Steve Gunn told News Ltd.

"If we hadn't made this decision, the market would have determined Blundstone boots irrelevant in a relatively short period of time."

Mr Gunn said it was not worth asking governments for further assistance and said Blundstone would not be the last manufacturer in the sector to close onshore operations.

"I would make the point that we are not the first Australian manufacturer to make this call; there are others that have been identifying the need to do it," he told ABC Radio.

"I don't believe that manufacturing in Australia is a sensible option."

Tony Woolgar, national secretary of the Textile, Clothing and Footwear Union, said the Federal Government's trade policies were ruining Australia's manufacturing industry.

"We've got a Government hellbent on doing a free-trade agreement with China, we're allowing a flood of imports into Australia from China in the TCF sector, and unless the Government is prepared to change its policy on trade, then I think you'll see this sort of thing continue to happen," Mr Woolgar told ABC Radio.

Industry Minister Ian Macfarlane said the Government was disappointed, but said Australian companies found it difficult to compete with lower wages in Asian countries.

"The textile, clothing and footwear industry in Australia has been under big pressure since the mid-1980s and that pressure has come from right around the world, as other countries have moved and Australia's standard of living has continued to rise and ... wage rates rise, making this industry a little uncompetitive compared to that product coming out of Asia.

"We have committed almost $1.5 billion as a Government towards supporting the textile, clothing and footwear industry in Australia and the company itself has been a recipient of many millions of dollars worth of assistance."

All workers are expected to be paid their full entitlements

administrator
20-01-2007, 03:27 PM
Australian manufacturers dont understand the Australian culture
we buy the boots because they are Australian Made employing Australian Workers.
If they added ten dollars to the price of the boots we still would of purchased the boots because there Australian.They are a geat product

as you saw by the previous posts :aus-flag:

Australians dont sell out the country
The politicians and the so called powers of Industry sell out the Australian people.

Enough is Enough :confused:

Mrs HMS
20-01-2007, 06:59 PM
So it looks like Bata, Rossi or Mongrel boots for everyone from now on.

Still proudly Aussie made/owned and good quality.

We bought Tim a pair of Bata steel cap work boots today for under $50. They actually looked and felt better than the Blunnies!!

haireyscarie
20-01-2007, 07:46 PM
Bata not aussie...
they do make them here but not aussie..have a look
Bata Heritage (http://www.bata-australia.com.au/bata%20heritage.htm) ,,
so me thinks the good old Mongrel (http://www.mongrelboots.com.au/) IS MY NEW 1

chaplain
31-01-2007, 08:04 AM
How you think you can move your business offshore give foreigners a job at dirt cheap wages treat em like crap and then bring your scab labour boots back into this country and expect me to f;;;;;; buy it you have to be off your tree.

:aus-flag:

Mrs HMS
31-01-2007, 12:55 PM
Well the gods of "buy Australian" have bitten Tim on the bum for accidently buying boots that aren't dinky di Aussie made.

His new Bata's have given him the worst blisters and he's not happy.

bigG
31-01-2007, 03:05 PM
poor tim may he rest in peace lol :frightene

administrator
31-01-2007, 05:44 PM
Dinky die boots bit him on the bum and gave him blisters :laughing:


Feelin for u tim ;frosty;

Shepparton Lawn Care
31-01-2007, 10:55 PM
have been wearing steel blue lace up steel caps for over 6 years, great boot, light, made in w.a. I think still australian owned and operated :i dunno:


ADDED INFO
Our company, Footwear Industries, has experienced strong growth since operations began in 1995 with the launch of the first Steel Blue™ products. Our goal to manufacture and market the most comfortable safety footwear in the world is an ongoing project through our premium Steel Blue brand and is backed by our money-back 30 day comfort guarantee.

In 1997, we launched a mid priced, value for money brand called Howler™ to service more price conscious markets. Howler™ is a robust brand made with a dual PU/TPU density sole with a shock absorbent PORON® insert in the heel called Softshock™. Howler is now sold in many countries around the world.

Next off the production line was a budget brand called Krushers™, introduced in 2000 and now widely available throughout Asia. Krushers is a tough, no frills brand, featuring a long-wearing dual density PU/TPU sole.

We believe in the quality of Steel Blue, Howler and Krushers so much that we sell them all with a 6 Month Manufacturers Warranty™ against faulty materials or workmanship.

We have always prioritised the R&D of new cutting edge products, technology and customer service to expand the business into a world-class company. In 2001, we moved to larger premises within Western Australia to meet the growing demand for our products as we expanded our national and export markets and increased our local market share.

Our philosophy however has always remained simple and short. "We want to be the best, not the biggest". The four Founding Directors are extremely proud of what we have achieved and how well our products are accepted in the market. We have formed strong relationships around Australia and throughout the world with our distributors and their customers who we greatly appreciate and thank them all for their support and loyalty.

We have also been fortunate to have received national recognition as a progressive and extremely well managed business through various industry and business Awards. Our success at these awards is an endorsement of the high calibre and quality of Footwear Industries’ management and staff and their dedication to cutting edge technologies in R&D which enhance the overall well-being, safety and comfort of the company’s clients.

To our future customers we say welcome, please try our footwear, we are confident you will be 100% satisfied with the comfort and durability of our products. If you are not entirely satisfied there are no hard feelings, at least you gave them a go. Through our appointed distributors we will gladly stand by our manufacturer's warranty and Steel Blue money back comfort guarantee.

"What do you have to lose?"

Yours sincerely

Peter Nichols
Marketing & Export Director

BUY A PAIR IF THERE NO GOOD RING THAT GUY LOL

ian
31-01-2007, 11:06 PM
i also found with the one and only pair of bata boots i brought that when i was standing on a ladder the soul flexed in the middle very uncomfortable

administrator
08-02-2007, 03:03 PM
100 PER CENT AUSTRALIAN BOOT COMPANY WELL FOR ANOTHER 5 MONTHS ANYWAY
The REDBACK is our most popular selling safety boot.
This boot has a steel cap for safety, a full comfort inner sole and a new outsole.

FEATURES: COMMERCIAL
High abrasion resistant sole
Crack resistant sole
Translucent outsole
2.7mm leather (30% more than others)
Acid and oil resistant sole
Reinforced heel
Recommended by leading podiatrists
Steel safety toe
Elastic sided
SALE PRICE INDY MOWING $85.00 MEMBERS ONLY POSTAGE EXTRA

I CHECKED UP ON ALL BOOT MANUFACTURERS NONE OF EM ARE ALL AUSTRALIAN MADE
TOP PARTS COME FROM INDONESIA THEN ASSEMBLED HERE
SIGN OF THE TIMES I GUESS

IF ANYONE KNOWS OF AN ALL AUSTRALIAN MADE BOOT PLEASE LET US KNOW

administrator
28-02-2009, 08:23 AM
PACIFIC BRANDS JUST ANOTHER COMPANY GOING OFFSHORE TO MAKE THEIR PRODUCTS CHEAPER AND THEN IMPORT BACK TO AUSTRALIA TO SELL TO THE PUBLIC AND THE SAME RETAIL PRICE

GUESS WHAT DONT BUY THEIR PRODUCTS ANY MORE .

administrator
28-02-2009, 12:11 PM
Theres a million Ned kellys running around cant shoot them all lol

Islandhead
28-02-2009, 12:32 PM
I'm with you 100% on that one admin.

As for the 'sick' bonuses they gave their CEOs... don't get me started ;dealers;

Islandhead
28-02-2009, 12:42 PM
http://news.ninemsn.com.au/national/758498/pacific-consider-rethinking-job-cuts

We can only hope they come to their senses and do the right thing.

BLACK BEAR
28-02-2009, 05:51 PM
I'm with you admin & island, and it seems many of my clients are too. I think everyone is starting to get more than just pissed off with the attitudes of these companies, hopefully they start to vote with their $$ more so we can all "stick it up them"

Bluey
28-02-2009, 07:29 PM
I hate to say this but I reckon we will see a lot more go off shore in the next couple of months. They have probably been wanting to do it for ages but were not game enough to make the jump. Now they can blame the economic downturn a shoot the manufacturing off shore.

It makes good business sense for them to do so. I don't support it but I can see why they would want to do it. If you can make the same thing fro a fraction of the price why wouldn't you. Most of the consumers couldn't give a rats if it was made here. They are looking at the cost

geoff
28-02-2009, 07:45 PM
well bluey maybe so..in melbourne theres been a huge response to the bonds people...no one is buying there stuff and they are going to get hard with no sales....i believe the company is now looking to reverse the decision because hey the power of the people may win in the end ..funny u know the consumer may have a say

Bluey
28-02-2009, 08:11 PM
I would be glad if they did but can they hold out against their competitors. My daughter and I were discussing it last night and she said to me they were just too dear. Moneys tight and people will go chasing the bargain.

ian
01-03-2009, 12:53 AM
checked out the bonds products in my draw guess what all made in china and these were brought more than 3 months ago so i would say the reason there so expensive is to pay pat rafters fee :)

danz
01-03-2009, 03:23 PM
haha nice one Ian,, Very true and wonder how much they pay the blonde chick sarah whats her name? the hot one :i dunno:

Mrs HMS
02-03-2009, 06:00 PM
Thought you may all be interested in an email I received from Mongrel boots. They were responding to my question about were they really 100% Australian Made.

I emailed them on Sunday and got the reply today....



Thanks for your enquiry re boots.

We manufacture in Australia ie cut , stitch, last and inject the sole or otherwise manufacture the whole boot. We do have to source most of the components from overseas or from Australian companies that import them.

No Australian manufacturer can produce a boot without imported components as there are no components made in Australia, e.g. tanneries or 99% of other components.

It is unfortunate that this is the way of manufacturing in Australia however that is the only way to do it at present. We would consider ourselves to be one of The most Australian of the remaining Safety boot manufacturers, the likes of Blundstone, Oliver, Steel Blue , King Gee ,Yakka have based all or nearly all of the manufacturing 100% off shore.

Thanks and Regards

mowjoman
02-03-2009, 08:54 PM
Very interesting Joanne.
Anyway...at least we still have Vegemite....Oh wait no we dont.
Ahhhhhh...Good ol' Arnotts...Oh wait....
Oh well at least I know I was made in Oz...
:D :aus-flag: :aus-flag:

Countrymile
02-03-2009, 09:20 PM
We still have Akubra Hats here in Kempsey. :aus-flag: :aus-flag: :aus-flag: Still a family run business, with a strong involvement in our local community. Go and buy one!!!!!
Shannon

Bluey
03-03-2009, 08:29 AM
Very interesting Joanne.
Anyway...at least we still have Vegemite....Oh wait no we dont.
Ahhhhhh...Good ol' Arnotts...Oh wait....
Oh well at least I know I was made in Oz...
:D :aus-flag: :aus-flag:

What the government should be doing instead of shelling out cash to the dole bludging drop kicks is injecting money into Aussie owned businesses and legislating to make it a fairer playing field so that fully Aussie owned business can actually produce out here and are not forced offshore.

Ohh.....silly me.... we cannot do that because it might upset our trading partners. I am sure that the recently retrenched workers would mind upsetting a few Chinese workers and see a few of them laid off if they could have kept their jobs.

geejay
03-03-2009, 09:34 AM
unions calling for workers to boycott the wearing of brands that are moving overseas.

administrator
03-03-2009, 11:44 AM
The world is in trouble .

In the past months, about 70,000 factories nationwide have closed. Beijing official Chen Xiwen estimates about 20 million migrant workers have lost jobs. Tens of thousands of villages in the countryside depend on migrant workers' income.

China analysts say the spike in unemployment has caught China off guard. "The central government is now telling local governments to provide help and job training, re-employment," says Wenran Jiang, a political science professor and China expert at Canada's University of Alberta.

Vice Minister of Commerce Jiang Zengwei says China is offering "a one-off subsidy of 100-150 yuan ($15 to $22) to 74 million low-income people ... for temporary relief." Still, it will take some time before such measures make a difference. Watch few job hopes for Beijing grads »

Shipping around the world

Shipping has dropped by 92 percent see Baltic exchange dry index this is the best way to see how bad things have got .

Bluey
03-03-2009, 02:07 PM
unions calling for workers to boycott the wearing of brands that are moving overseas.


lol.... might get a tad cold in winter then

administrator
22-03-2009, 12:12 PM
What a load of cobblers .They will produce in China and put back on the shelves at the same price .

So as for buying cheaper she is full of it and as for 3 million a year in wages what a fkn joke .

God these bulldusters ****e me .



Pacific Brands CEO Sue Morphet says all Australians must take some responsibility for her company axing nearly 2000 jobs.

YES ITS OUR FAULT

The boss of the company behind iconic brands such as Bonds and King-Gee has not spoken publicly since laying off 1850 employees last month.

Ms Morphet breaks her silence — and says all Australian consumers bear some responsibility for the decision.

"Long, long gone are the days where actually Australians are prepared to pay more for Australian-made goods," Ms Morphet said.

WELL LETS SEE IF THE BUGGERS BRING THE PRICE DOWN WHEN THEY SHIP THEM FROM CHINA TO OUR SHORES

"The only way that we'll pay for Australian-made goods is if they’re giving us something that buying elsewhere or cheaper isn't giving us."

Ms Morphet also said she can't guarantee the jobs of Pacific Brands' other 7000 employees.

SHE CANT GUARANTEE THE 7000 JOBS BECAUSE SHE KNOWS SHE WILL BE SACKING MORE

"I can only guarantee their jobs if we run a good company," she said.

THEY HAVENT RUN THE COMPANY VERY WELL IN THE PAST

"If this company isn't run well, no jobs are safe. My job's not safe, no one's jobs are safe."

IF SHE GETS RETRENCHED SHE HAS 40 YEARS OF AVERAGE WAGES IN THE BANK

While she admitted to suffering sleepless nights before announcing the jobs would be moved to China, Morphet maintained it was a necessary decision.



"If you’re going to be angry then I’m the person that you’re going to be angry with because I’m the face of the decision, I am the decision," she said.

SHE IS THE DECISION

"My job is to ensure this is a strong vital company … and if I have to cut off something unpleasantly so then I must do that."

SO THEN CUT YOUR WAGES ABOUT 2 MILLION HEY LADY MIGHT BE UNPLEASANT BUT OH WELL

But the CEO has found a high-profile ally in business magnate Gerry Harvey.

GERRY HARVEY NEEDS TO PROOVE THAT HE SELLS 80 PER CENT OF IHS STOCK AS AUSTRALIAN MADE .

The Harvey Norman chief says Morphet has been unfairly treated and "doesn't deserve this sort of crap she’s been getting".


wELL WE WILL GIVE HER MORE CRAP GERRY WHEN SHE SENDS THE COMPANY INTO RECESSION .

BECAUSE ITS OUR DECISION TO GIVE HER CRAP