Toys: Chinese manufacturers safe, America designs dangerous?

Well the US has started a confrontation with another country and this time over Barbie Doll parts. The lead paint was not as serious as Mattel first announced and the magnet problem was from their own design flaws. But look what they have started over ignorance of the problems that exist between the manufacturing in China and the US companies. Mix in some defensive pride and you have a situation that is leading to China bashing. A factory owner who had his products recalled hung himself in his own factory because he was financially ruined. And making accusations of the magnitude that Mattel did, and at the sensitive time that they did, caused a lot of damage that will be ongoing. But lawsuits, problems and even shameful design are not new to toy companies. However, they should know enough to hire better designers, better quality control, and relax their suppliers enough to tell them when there might be a problem in the process. The Chinese culture is not set up to point out problems that they perceive, even if they found them. They do as their clients tell them. As I have been working with industries on both sides of the Pacific, I have warned them of the issues related to manufacturing in China and that they need to have their processes down to an artform. My forthcoming book China by Design will help US companies understand how to get their processes in top form before they even approach a Chinese supplier. China by Design will also help the Chinese manufacturers work with the US suppliers, to the point of being able to point out problems in their design requests. China is growing much better by the moment in product design and will soon be able to tell companies like Mattell that their designs have a problem and they need fixed. Maybe Mattel will be better off hiring more and better qualified designers and find they need less lawyers and PR people to repair the damage.

I think the Chinese knew what they were doing and just dont care about American's saftey.I am boycotting everything made in China.I am not a union guy but I am backing the UAW on their current strike.American manufacturing jobs have been leaving here in droves for China.When the CEO's jobs are outsourced,maybe then big business will notice.Its all about corporate greed.The Mattel CEO apoligized to China only because theChristmas rush will soon be here and they need their toys.I hope that on December 26th every toy store in the United States has a full stock of Chinese made garbage still on their shelves.

(to russ) But what evidence do you have to back up your conclusion? I have noticed that big companys have a real attitude problem when it comes to admitting they've made a mistake, it annoys me how a large company can't spend maybe just a few pennies to do a routine check on their own products which in the end can only benefit them when they produce happy smiling faces WITHOUT having to recall all of the toys again? A point that surprised me was this little line towards the end of the article:

"Mattel were not able to justify waiting until August 2007 to recall that went to market in 2003"

No matter who's to blame, why werent the toys recalled sooner than this? Just because some big shot company has too much pride to admit their mistake means that children have to have lead poisoning?

"I think the Chinese knew what they were doing and just dont care about American's saftey"

So, a Chinese woman working 18 hours a day on a production line for a couple of dollars a day is supposed to be as good as spotting unsafe toys as a trained American professional. Give me a break. Your average Chinese worker has no knowledge of US consumer law let alone what breaches them.

"I am boycotting everything made in China."

You have fun with that now, cos the main alternatives to China are places like Indonesia where things are just as bad.

"American manufacturing jobs have been leaving here in droves for China."

That's actually America's own fault. For example, America is just too expensive to manufacture in. All of that health and safety puts up prices, as does workers rights (minimum wage, etc). Then there are costs such as health care, pensions and so on. Most of which aren't an issue in China where workers are disposable.

"Its all about corporate greed."

Here, I agree with you.

"The Mattel CEO apoligized to China only because the Christmas rush will soon be here and they need their toys."

Actually, if Mattel hadn't apologized it would have been open to legal action.

"I hope that on December 26th every toy store in the United States has a full stock of Chinese made garbage still on their shelves."

I guess that your kids will understand. Have fun explaining to them why they're the only kids in school without the latest graze.

Give me a break.The liberal left is ruining America,illegal immigration is out of control.We cant afford to manufacture in the states because of health care costs.We should take care of Americans first and screw the rest of the world.You guys are communists and don't know anything about real freedom.The CEO apoligized about the magnets,how do you explain the lead paint.The paint used on the toys is 30% cheaper so it was switched on purpose.The car that Chrysler wants to import can't pass the pollution or the crash test.You are going to pollute your air and water supplies.Everytime there is a major tragedy anywhere in the world America is there to help with medical care,donations,etc.,then we have to here how we didn't do enough.The price of oil is going to be so expensive in the future it will be cost prohibitive to do business in China.AMERICA LOVE IT OR LEAVE IT.If you choose to leave I will pay for a one way ticket on a Garbage scow to China

Russh:

"the liberal left is ruining America"

You'd have to be Adolf Hitler's grandson in order to describe the Bush administration as being either "Liberal" or "left". Bush is a right wing conservative.

"We cant afford to manufacture in the states because of health care costs"

That's actually the fault of the right, not the left. If you had a state health care system (left wing idea), then the government would bear these expenses, not companies. Take a look at countries like Britain with a strong socialist base. They have a full socialist health care system with a universal prescription drug plan based on a nationally levied tax. Employers don't have to shoulder any health care burdens.

"You guys are communists and don't know anything about real freedom"

As I said on my about me page, I'm not Mainland and I was educated overseas. I know all about Western freedom, I've been there and done that. Besides, China isn't really communist, it's just a dictatorships. Then, of course, there's Taiwan, which is a full democracy and Hong Kong where the people had all of the freedoms of a democracy, but without universal suffrage right up until 1997.

"The CEO apoligized about the magnets,how do you explain the lead paint"

Actually, in 85% of cases, the lead paint was within US limits. Mattel recalled safe toys and it was a failure of Mattel's QA standards that allowed the rogue 15% to reach the market. Mattel apologized for that too.

"The car that Chrysler wants to import can't pass the pollution or the crash test"

Chrysler is an American company, you will have to take this up with them.

"the price of oil is going to be so expensive in the future it will be cost prohibitive to do business in China."

But the price hike will hit America first, and hardest. Most Chinese are used to life without cars or domestic air travel, most Americans aren't. Besides, China is going nuclear fast and is investing heavily in hydroelectric power, too. If it continues at this rate it will be able to redirect oil from domestic power to industrial power, whereas America will be foreced to split oil between the two and thus will loose out more.

More recalls from China today,what a shock.What does China care about American kids choking on plastic cups?

Now you're just being ridiculous.

An American company designs, commissions and sells a dangerous product, and you blame the Chinese factory that made it.

You'd go a lot further asking yourself why this product had to be recalled in the first place. If US companies cared more about kids than about profits, dangerous products wouldn't products would never enter into American waters, let alone be put on American store shelves.

China can't be held accountable for lax American quality checks.

I know for a fact that the Chinese manufactures change to cheaper raw materials to save money.It was probably a cheaper plastic they used.I own an injection mold shop and 75% of my income is from repairing inferior Chinese Molds.They use the wrong material that the customer specifications require,plus they have shoddy workmanship.Most of our medical companies in the states are starting to come back and buy American.

More fool you for signing off of the products in the first place.

Seriously, why aren't you checking each batch before distribution? Where's your quality control? Better yet, why are you even going to these shoddy outfits in the first place?

As a business you should have an agent in China who can cultivate a long term relationship with a few trusted factories. if you offer them a good price and they know for certain that you will come back to them if they produce high quality goods, then they won't steer you wrong.

You might not realize this, but one of the leading causes of Chinese companies cutting corners is the fact that they have to squeeze every last jiao out of a deal because they have no assurances of future business, even if their product is of good quality.