Tuesday, May 03, 2005

More Manufacturing News

Ah yes. We can't compete any longer with overseas competitors in the old, low-tech areas like car manufacturing. You'll have noticed how car technology's been standing still for the last 20 years.

Good news, isn't it ? Leaves us free to concentrate on the high-skill, high added-value sectors, where the best-educated generation in our history will be such an asset.

Sectors like telecoms.


"Marconi reports annual results in two weeks and it is feared that executives could announce the first round of redundancies at the same time. Speculation has also centred on a potential bid for the entire business with Chinese rival Huawei, which did win business from BT, mentioned as a possible buyer.

The fact that BT failed to give a single one of the contracts to build its so-called 21st-century network to a UK business is also a cause for concern among Amicus leaders who fear that valuable research and development jobs will be lost from the British economy."


The news just keeps on getting better.

A pension fund deficit of £139m may restrict the amount a buyer would be prepared to pay for the company.

Meanwhile, a Chinese company with links to Marconi played a role in its downfall (does that sound familiar?). Huawei (pronounced "who-are-way") - which has a distribution deal with Marconi - was one of the eight companies to win a supplier contract with BT to build 21CN.

It is the first time the Chinese telecom equipment manufacturer has won a such a large, strategically important network contract in the West.

"It is inevitable that Chinese companies will enter the European market," says Parton.


Remind me - what products are we going to be making again ?

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