Things are slow.

[beav700]

Most tool & die shops in Chicago area are working 40 hours or less in the last few weeks.

I've been working 70 hours for three yours straight and now I'm down to 24 hours a week.

Things don't look too good. Talk to the driver of a local heat treating company the other day and he said that his truck is almost empty after doing pick ups all over Chicago and suburbs.

Hope this economy will pick up soon.How are things else where?

[Michael Reynolds]

I work in Corning New York (between Rochester and Binghampton), and we're also VERY slow. But I've been in the business long enough to know that it's just a matter of time, and things will get better. Fortunately for me, I teach at a Community College, and when industry is slow, we're busy doin' the retraining thing.

But, as you say, I hope things pick up soon!!

Mike R.

[Kenneth Potter]

Here in Michigan is has died ! Most of my work is repairing & reworking cad data & contract nc stuff.Dont look to good for the shop floor guys for the most part. Time will tell.

Kenneth Potter

[mcoates]

I USED to work here in the east S.F bay area, near Silicon Valley in the semiconductor capitol equipment industry. A week ago me and one other of the four programmers along with machinists, assemblers, buyers, planners, and others were laid off. They say business has fallen 75%.

Things are really slow all over here.

Hope something happens soon, I don't think Mr. Bush's tax cut will be enough

Mark Coates

[cadcam]

hey ken you surface human modles?

how about uploading one of these modles so we can see one.

sounds really cool.

------------------

jay/ aka cadcam

Precision Programming

cnc programming &

Predator reseller

email: [email protected]

web: www.ppcadcam.com

[Elad]

And of course,when it's raining in the u.s,here in Israel we drown!

Things are really slowly here.

most of the products that made in Israel is for export to the u.s.

hope it'll get better soon

[Brian Ulrick]

This is my 20th. year in business and I've never seen it this slow. All the local shops large and small are the same. I think old " Alan " tweaked the interest rates to much to often. Probably won't see alot of change until September or so. Looks like we aren't alone from the the responses to the posted comment. It's interesting to know it's slow just about everywhere.

 

[Kenneth Potter]

Yes Jay

Human figures & lots of cartoonish like models, I use Alias Wave Front & Soft Image

Kenneth Potter

[Guest]

We've been doing 50-55 up here, but the shop is slow. Laid off a few people about a month ago, Friday's are optional now. My dad started at a new place beginning of May, he's already doing 6 10's and they wanted him to work Sunday's. The work is out there, just need to find it.

[Brendan O' Regan]

Here in Ireland it has slowed down a lot.

My overtime has been cut by about 20 hours a week.

A lot of my customers are taking their holidays early this year.

Hopefully things will pick up soon.

[This message has been edited by ruffmut (edited 05-30-2001).]

[This message has been edited by ruffmut (edited 05-30-2001).]

[ChrisD]

This seems to work on a 10 year cycle.

Things slowed down here alot with the layoffs from two gigantic firms.

The gravy train had to end sometime. Now hopefully, with wiser spending habits and ALOT less frills for their "star employees" they (i mean everybody-suppliers included) will come back down to Earth.

But live and learn I guess.

We're doing mostly prototype work now, which is not too bad. Things will pick up though.

[KMaynard]

We are in semiconductor and were slow too ..we are down to every other friday off and mandatory shutdowns

[Bill]

We do mostly protype work, military, computer, and occasional medical. It started last December and in February they laid a bunch of guys off. I had been working less than forty up until a month ago. It has picked up a little but the jobs are quoted low and the hours even lower, we are on 50 for now. 50 works for me I have done enough of those 3 year stretches of 70+. I like my weekends off. If I could just get my mortgager to understand I would work 32 all the time

[This message has been edited by Bill (edited 05-30-2001).]

[gary dunn]

here in texas, it got really slow. i worked

only 40 hours/wk for about 3 months. that was the first time i worked a part time job in over 20 years for more than a week anyway.

but it has now started to pick back up. i hope it does the same everywhere else.

 

[Guest CNC Apps Guy 1]

I'm seeing slowing in certain markets(Moldmaking) and chickens with their heads cut off in others (Aerospace, Prototype). The shops that are busy say there is plenty of work out there but you just have to hunt for it. Also, some big companies are paring down their supply chain so the business isn't coming directly from the "big 'uns", it's being spread out by the Tier 2 and Tier 3 folks.

Just an observation in a diverse mfg. zone - Southern California.

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James M.

[jenks]

Here in the heart of the biomedical industry things are still going well. Saturdays paper had help wanted ads for CNC operators; $16.00 to $20.54 per hour. CNC machinists with Mastercam or Pro E experience; $19.50 to $24.94 per hour. No one is laying off, and the two biggest employers are adding about 800 jobs between them over the next year or so. All of which is CNC machining work. Myself, I don't work in the biomedical industry, yet!

[cadcam]

all right someone has work..

i am real busy myself, Thank god or someone.

lets check back next month.

------------------

jay/ aka cadcam

Precision Programming

cnc programming &

Predator reseller

email: [email protected]

web: www.ppcadcam.com

[Guest CNC Apps Guy 1]

jenks,

How is Cummins doing? I used to work for them out here in SoCal. They had a ReMan facility here and I was a machinist there. I worked for them until NAFTA kicked in and sent our plant to San Loius Potosi, Mex. That was a real bummer. I'd probably still be there if it weren't for that. Oh well, things happen for a reason. It was a good company to work for.

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James M.

[bc0169]

Hi I'm in quebec canada and it is real slow here to but we kind of follow the american market anyway.

[beav700]

Hi jenks.

I just moved from Indiana to Chicago a month ago for a job requiring Mastercam & ProE. When I was hiring the entire shop was doing 70 hours a week. Three weeks later , they ran out of work. Guys that've been here for years said that this is the first time they work less than 56 hours( ten hours a day and six on saturday). That was the minimum for last few years. It looks like I just walked in at a bad time.Wish I had a crystal ball.

[cadcam]

Beav I was afraid you were going to say they let you go after 3 weeks and you just made the move and all.

That would suck.

 

------------------

jay/ aka cadcam

Precision Programming

cnc programming &

Predator reseller

email: [email protected]

web: www.ppcadcam.com

[This message has been edited by cadcam (edited 05-30-2001).]

[biss03]

Here in Western Michigan things for the most part have been slowing down in manufacturing. but apparently retail is booming because I have 2 fairly good size malls going up around me, as well as numerous restaurants. My company specifically isn't doing to bad, but we have an inhouse salesman willing to travel where ever it takes to get new jobs. He basically saved our shop last year when 75% of our business shut down and went overseas.

oh well, the jobs are out there- just have to be lucky enough to find them (and good enough to get them)!

[jenks]

To James Meyette:

I believe Cummins is still doing fine, they are located in the opposite end of the state from me. I believe I did hear some rumblings from the voters in Columbus moaning about supporting Cummins with their taxe dollars. But, ain't it that way everywhere.

[Charles Davis]

I've seen a slowdown in several industries in my area, especially the chip businesses. We are pretty diversified now, so some wireless, medical and aerospace has slowed, but not died.

1999 was my best year ever, and having lived through the depression in San Diego in the early 90's (when we were all defense and aerospace, till all that moved out), I knew it couldn't last.

I think the slowdown will last in California thru 2001, until we get more electric plants on line.

This is a normal business cycle; not pleasant, but a necessary thing to wring inefficiencies out of the economy. I'm taking advantage of the time to get ready for the next up cycle, and quite frankly, take some vacation that I haven't had in years.

Look for things to pick up late 2001 or early next year.

[Rekd™]

Charles Davis is right, this is a trend that happens almost every year here in San Diego. (Some years are worse than others) And while business does slow, it never stops. I can't remember EVER not seeing jobs in the papers for machinists/programmers.

I guess we as machinists/programmers are lucky that way, to have a job almost anywhere in the world.

This holds especially true for me today, as this is my last day at my current job. I have known for 2 or so weeks that I was going to be leaving, and didn't go out looking for a job until 2 days ago. I found one the very first place I went. Working 4 10's, for real good money and nice bennies. Plus, no more 45 minute commute in nasty I-15 traffic. It's 7 minutes from my house, no freeways!! Yays!!

So although things are slow, they have never stopped or gotten to the point where good programmers can't find work. Hope it's the same in your neck of the woods.

I don't think I have ever regretted getting into this line of work. My dad said I'd never go hungry as a machinist. I may never get rich either, but I'll never go hungry!

[This message has been edited by Rekd (edited 05-31-2001).]