I was born in late 1946. Growing up in the 1950's, the Lehigh Valley was teeming with factories. Near my home in South Allentown was Mack Trucks and General Electric. Lehigh Structural Steel was along the river, and just beyond was Western Electric. Dozens of sewing factories employed thousands of women. Up to 30,000 people once worked at Bethlehem Steel, which stretched from the Hill To Hill Bridge down to Hellertown.The next generation of business, like Kraft Food, was less industrial, and located here because of location and the ethic of the residual work force. Yesterday, we learned of a proposal to tear down Kraft, and replace it with warehouses. If not for our central location in the dense northeast, I fear we would be in dire straights. We are now becoming a major distribution center. Too bad that almost of the products being distributed are made in China.
above reprinted from June of 2016
Correct, most all these warehouses distribute good made off shore, It also leads to a transfer of real wealth offshore.
ReplyDeleteThis country is now living on debt at all levels. We can expect the day of reckoning is near.
Kraft Food, was less industrial, and located here because of location and the ethic of the residual work force...
ReplyDeleteHaving worked at Kraft for 33 years I can honestly say we outperformed most of their other plants. When equipment failed to perform they shipped it to LV where we made it work to their wonder.
The main problem is Kraft failed to live up to their marketing potential and operational skill sets resulting in the demise of the Lehigh facility. Not the lack of skill nor productivity. I learned this first hand from some of the corporate visitors who where honest enough to share this personally with me.
Kraft corporate itself was the problem, not those who worked "FOR" them who led to the demise of the LV facility. What a waste of potential success they could have had with continued operations of this facility.
To clarify .. I meant to say "skill sets " in other manufacturing facilities
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