"Local sneaker firms are making it in Indonesia; Eager to expand new footwear foothold as costs in China climb" by Jenn Abelson, Globe Staff | May 29, 2010
TANGERANG, Indonesia — That ubiquitous “Made in China’’ tag stamped or stitched on almost everything you own may become a lot less common.
Make room for “Made in Indonesia.’’
Footwear and apparel brands, in their endless pursuit of keeping down costs, are shifting manufacturing to this island nation, drawn by a large labor pool, stable wages, and fewer regulations....
Local companies are among those leading the trend as a way to cut back costs....
So much for those good manufacturing jobs, Americans.
China once lured American companies to build plants in its economic zones near its large coastal cities with low costs and a seemingly endless number of workers, but it is becoming a more challenging place to do business for some industries. Chinese are getting more skilled, and are finding business opportunities inland, so fewer people are moving to the zones.
And the labor shortage is driving up costs: Workers there now earn up to $160 a month, compared with laborers in Indonesia who make roughly $100 to $120 a month. (By comparison, wages range from $11 to $12 an hour, along with full benefits, for workers at New Balance’s factory in Lawrence.)
Ain't globalization grand?!!
All so SOME SHOE COMPANY can BOOST its BOTTOM LINE!
But it’s not simply the expansive labor pool and stable wages that are giving Indonesia an edge these days. The US dollar goes further here, there is less bureaucracy, and there are not the same counterfeiting problems that are pervasive in China and cut into company profits, according to Sameer Kumar, a professor of operations and supply chain management at the Opus College of Business in Minneapolis. Although China still leads the market as the number one producer of athletic footwear, Indonesia, ranked number three, is poised to increase its market share.
The pressure to improve profits and keep prices competitive helps drive sports apparel manufacturers to seek inexpensive labor overseas. This is especially true during an economic downturn, when shoppers are particularly thrifty. To meet shoppers’ expectations — along with those of investors in the company — businesses are looking for ways to trim costs all along the supply chain....
Human rights groups, however, note this comes at a cost.
No one cares.
While more stringent labor laws have resulted in better working conditions in Indonesia compared with China, factory workers are still earning “poverty wages,’’ according to Jim Keady, founder of Educating for Justice, a not-for-profit that has exposed alleged labor abuses by Nike and other businesses.
But I got a cool pair of Air Jordan's for a $100!!!
“These expanding brands are helping to decrease unemployment in Indonesia, but these are not good jobs,’’ said Keady, who said he has interviewed Indonesian factory workers employed by Nike, Reebok, Adidas, and other brands.
No?
We would take them back here in AmeriKa.
While some apparel and footwear producers have set up factories in Vietnam and India, Indonesia, the world’s fourth most populous nation, is becoming a destination of choice. Its roughly 240 million people offer an ample supply of skilled laborers, and that working population is growing, according to Jim Castle, founder of CastleAsia, a business consultancy based in Jakarta. Apparel manufacturers for brands like Victoria’s Secret are expanding, along with Japanese sportswear company Mizuno.
The easy access to workers is critical for athletic footwear manufacturers....
And WHAT ABOUT the MILLIONS of UNEMPLOYED Americans, Boston Globe?
Talk about shoe-shining a turd!!
And PAGE ONE to boot!!!
Looking outside China has taken on a greater sense of urgency with a growing number of countries in Europe and South America imposing “antidumping’’ tariffs on Chinese goods. These duties are imposed when a country exports a significant amount of goods to another at prices lower than domestic market prices....
So what can you where with your new sneakers, readers?
Tight pants ban takes effect in Indonesia
And you can't ran through a Muslim country without bumping into you-know-who, folks.
"Indonesian assassination plot foiled; Terrorist attack targeted president, foreign leaders" by Ali Kotarumalos, Associated Press | May 15, 2010
JAKARTA, Indonesia — Police foiled a plot to assassinate the president and other top officials, massacre foreigners in Mumbai-style terrorist attacks, and declare an Islamic state, an official said yesterday.
PFFFFFT!!
“They were confident that all state officials and dignitaries would be there,’’ Danuri said. “Killing all the state officials would have accelerated the transition from a democracy to a state controlled by Islamic Shariah law.’’
Yeah, sure, that will do it. Sigh.
Indonesia, which has the world’s largest Muslim population, stipulates religious freedom in its constitution.
News of the terrorist plot comes weeks before President Obama was expected to visit Indonesia in June after postponing a trip earlier this year.
The plot also included taking over hotels and killing foreigners, especially Americans, in a commando-style assault similar to that on Mumbai, India’s financial capital, that left 166 people dead in November 2008, he said.
Police and military targets were also chosen in Aceh Province, Danuri said.
“Their plan was also to launch attacks in Jakarta against foreigners — especially Americans — and attack and control hotels within certain communities, imitating what happened in Mumbai,’’ he said. “If we had not detected them and their military training had been successful, then they would have assassinated foreigners.’’
Details of the planned attacks were revealed during interrogations of dozens of suspects arrested in a series of raids since February, when authorities broke up a training camp run by new terror group Al Qaeda in Aceh.
Whooooeeeee!
Yeah, I SMELL the BULLSHIT!
ANOTHER "Al-CIA-Duh," huh?
So which "Al-CIA-Duh" would that be, huh?
The made-up "Al-CIA-Duh?"
Related:
Prop 101: Al-CIA-Duh and the OSI
Prop 101: Al-CIA-Duh's Greatest Hits
Prop 101: The "Terrorism" Business
New York Times Admits War on Terror is U.S. Creation
Oh, AmeriKa's MSM KNOWS ALL ABOUT and yet STILL PUSHES the CHARADE, huh?The armed assault plan seems to be a departure from the bombings favored by militants in many previous Indonesian attacks. Terrorism specialist Al Chaidar said terror networks are relying more on their background of military-style training as explosives become more difficult to acquire.
“They have left the suicide bomber-attack style and are shifting to a kind of Mumbai-style attack against a selective target . . . such as international schools, foreign companies, diplomatic offices, hotels with many foreign guests,’’ Chaidar said. “They see the armed attacks as a way to carry out more operations.’’
Well, at least you know where the government and its intelligence agencies are going with this thing.
