On 4/1/2013 9:37 AM, Chris Mason wrote:
Actually the operational cost in the UK is higher. They have had
health insurance for some time, the US did not invent it. Taxes are
higher, in fact the US has one of the lowest tax rates in the OECD.
Once the US moves to 1000V there will be little cost difference, I am
pretty certain of that.
1000V is definitely coming and we are trying to keep costs as low as
possible.
And, before this has to go to another group that I can't post to, I have to
agree with most of what Dan says about operating in the US.
It is looking like it is only going to get worse to manufacture in the
US. I hope we can
keep the made in the USA label keep coming. A lot of made in USA
equipment is
already only a final assembly and not a significant portion of the
products manufacture.
For example, circuit board assembly in China and then put the rest
together here.
It's not always "what" the restrictions are, (example: health care,
taxes), but "how"
those are implemented.
I have heard of American companies moving to the northern UK Ireland or
Scotland)
because it was cheaper for them to operate there but might be because of
some tax loophole ?
I'm sure that hole will be plugged soon.
We will do our best to keep our products significantly built in the USA.
boB
On Mon, Apr 1, 2013 at 11:32 AM, Exeltech <exelt...@yahoo.com
<mailto:exelt...@yahoo.com>> wrote:
Conductors rated for 1000V and the same power you have in mind
for the 600V conductors (hence lower current) can indeed use smaller
wire, thus potentially saving on that aspect of the cost, and possibly
making it lower in cost for a given system than the lower-voltage
higher
current counterpart.
If the European hardware you bought is fully certified to the required
UL Standards for use in the USA, then product size is simply a matter
of design differences. Could also be product volume since they are
way ahead of us in the 1000V category.
Issues we as manufacturers in America face when trying to compete with
firms in other countries are: 1) numerous additional costs related
to things
like Workman's Comp insurance, social security (for every dollar
you have
withheld, the employer matches it), now mandatory health insurance for
some (depending on company size), and so forth. 2) Strict
environmental
regulations that foreign companies may or may not have. Even if
they DO,
we often find enforcement of those rules to be very lax,
especially in Asia.
3) Cost of living, thus higher wages in the USA.
.. to name a few. Ends up being higher-cost products.
Dan
--- On *Mon, 4/1/13, Chris Mason /<cometenergysyst...@gmail.com
<mailto:cometenergysyst...@gmail.com>>/* wrote:
From: Chris Mason <cometenergysyst...@gmail.com
<mailto:cometenergysyst...@gmail.com>>
Subject: Re: [RE-wrenches] Cable tray
To: "RE-wrenches" <re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org
<mailto:re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org>>
Date: Monday, April 1, 2013, 9:23 AM
With regards to 600V costs Vs 1000V costs, once 1000V
equipment becomes the norm, it is likely not to cost
appreciably more, and the lower cost of copper will offset any
increase.
I bought 1000V SolarBos combiners which are huge, too big to
use on my installation, so I bought the same item from the UK,
which are tiny and easy to install, and half the cost.
Something is wrong with the US approach to 100V equipment and
switchgear in general. Why is the european equipment so much
smaller for the same switching current.
--
Chris Mason
President, Comet Systems Ltd
www.cometenergysystems.com <http://www.cometenergysystems.com>
Cell: 264.235.5670
Skype: netconcepts
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