More HVAC products to come from south of us

[BaldLoonie]

Rheem announced Thursday (June 23) the company will move 250 jobs from Fort Smith to an expanded manufacturing plant in Nuevo Laredo, Mexico, during a phased plan expected to last three years.
Rheem’s Fort Smith plant now employs about 1,100 hourly and 300 salaried workers. The company’s Fort Smith employees were notified of the decision Thursday morning.


The 290,400-square-foot plant expansion in Mexico is expected to be finished by spring 2012. The plant now produces air conditioners and heat pumps, and will begin to produce residential heating and cooling equipment now produced in Fort Smith.

[HVACTechNC]

I think that HVAC equipment manufactured in Mexico is great for my service department... Not for much else, but I am a silver lining kind of guy...

[whec720]

Ahhh...the benefits of NAFTA.

[tinner73]

the quality will not get better moving there.

will the prices go down now that the labor is cheaper?

time to look for another brand to push. how's Gooman?

[duguay320]

I worked on an open faced ojeda display fridge a few weeks ago.. It was an odd (and uncalled for) double compressor set up. However the controls were easy to work with and program and the unit it's self was a dream to work on. Face plates are all set in with no screws and you didn't have to removing the entire shelving system to get into it.

[Jpro]

It doesn't matter where my heating & ac equipment is manufactured. It's going to look like it went through a trash compactor when we open it up with the way these shipping companies have been. Terrible.

[ammoniadog]

I wonder if even the Mexicans (who live in Mexico) would want to buy a unit that was made in Mexico if given the choice.

When I was a little younger I used to try to avoid things that were made in the USA, since it semed like everything this country made was garbage. I wanted things that were made in Japan or Germany. Then one day, even though most USA made things were still of lower quality and often more expensive, I came to the conclusion that our country can't survive if we keep outsourcing everything. Now, it may be too late, but when I need to buy something, I will look for and try to buy stuff that has the "Made in USA" label on it. It is sad, but I almost view it as giving money to charity (although it does seem like the quality level of alot of our products has been going up recently). Some people give money to homeless people or to cure diabetes, I buy products that are manufactured in the country that I live in.

[thes]

basically the problem is johnny homeowner is on a budget, I.E. short on cabbage! so he's looking for the best ( cheapest ) price he can get. so he beats up the contractor, who beats up the wholesaler, who beats up the manufacturer! so the mmanufacturer moves the plants to south of the border!
the way i see it is the fastest growing segement of our buisness is the
CCM, market! CCM , stands for the cheap skate charlie market!

[jpb2]

the quality will not get better moving there.

will the prices go down now that the labor is cheaper?

time to look for another brand to push. how's Gooman?

WW

I disagree. From what I have seen the warranty claims are less on the units with a "W" than "F" or "M " in the serial number.

[mike dixon]

isnt Rheem, and Rudd owned by the Japenese anyway?

Ive started offering Whirlpool in some cases, they offer a lifetime replacement on the unit. Yes, they will give you a new unit if your compressor ever fails. When the customer pulls out 3 more comfortmaker bids, i just upsell them to the whirlpool. if i dont, the only thing i can sell is price, and we all know thats a losing prop.

[coolwhip]

More change we can believe in!

[BaldLoonie]

WW

I disagree. From what I have seen the warranty claims are less on the units with a "W" than "F" or "M " in the serial number.

Except N coils with TXVs

[thes]

isnt Rheem, and Rudd owned by the Japenese anyway?

Ive started offering Whirlpool in some cases, they offer a lifetime replacement on the unit. Yes, they will give you a new unit if your compressor ever fails. When the customer pulls out 3 more comfortmaker bids, i just upsell them to the whirlpool. if i dont, the only thing i can sell is price, and we all know thats a losing prop.

rheem isn't owned by the japanese!