Harley-Davidson plans Thailand factory to Serve Southeast Asian market

[AmericanTruther]

Motorcycle maker Harley-Davidson Inc. said on Thursday it will build a plant in Thailand, a major Asian automotive hub, to serve the growing Southeast Asian market, a move criticized by a U.S. labor union.

The company did not give a figure for the planned investment in Thailand's Rayong province, southeast of Bangkok.

Katie Whitmore, Harley-Davidson public relations manager, said the company had its best results in Asia-Pacific in 2016, though she gave no numbers.


The Thailand facility "will allow us to be more responsive and competitive in the Asian region and China," Harley-Davidson public relations manager Katie Whitmore said.

Demand for Harley motorcycles in the U.S., the company's biggest market, continues to be slow as its loyal baby boomer demographic changes ages. (meaning, Old WeakWhyte Men are dying off quickly).

Harley-Davidson plans a Thailand factory to serve Southeast Asian market

 

[AmericanTruther]

The real problem is that people can't afford the entry level bikes and moving overseas is a cost cutting measures as the Asian Markets is dwindling too.

Globalism wins again!

 

[Ray From Cleveland]

A perfect example of who actually controls our jobs, our pay scale, and our economy: the American consumer.

Talk about unions, talk about wealthy company owners, talk about CEO pay, talk about increased minimum wage, talk about automation. But nothing has the impact of the American consumer and their support for all these things.

Until the buyers decide that the lowest price is not the most important thing, look for more of this to come.

 

[Sun Devil 92]

The real problem is that people can't afford the entry level bikes and moving overseas is a cost cutting measures as the Asian Markets is dwindling too.

Globalism wins again!

Good deal.

 

[Snouter]

AmericanTruther, normally you accompany your idiotic posts with a gif of a child. Have the mods told you to stop doing that?

 

[bgrouse]

They've been made of foreign-built parts for years, haven't they?

 

[there4eyeM]

Ridiculous modes of transportation may be coming to an end. Americans, however, seem addicted to absurd standards in their preferences for vehicles.

 

[Andylusion]

Ridiculous modes of transportation may be coming to an end. Americans, however, seem addicted to absurd standards in their preferences for vehicles.

So just to clarify, you are against people having the freedom and liberty to choose their own modes of transportation? Is that really what you are saying right now?

 

[Andylusion]

The real problem is that people can't afford the entry level bikes and moving overseas is a cost cutting measures as the Asian Markets is dwindling too.

Globalism wins again!

As near as I can tell, they are not "moving operations overseas". They are opening a plant to produce bikes for Asian consumers.

I don't know if you noticed, but most Americans wouldn't be caught dead, on a typical bike for the Asian markets.

I highly doubt they intend to produce a Typical gas-guzzling American style Harley in Asia.

And at least from what I've read, that isn't their plan. They are building Asian style bikes for Asia.

The reason they are closing an American plant, is because demand has dropped off for that style of bike.

They will either come up with a different style of bike, and reopen the plant later to build that type of bike, or the market will come back, and they'll re-open when demand comes back.

 

[there4eyeM]

Ridiculous modes of transportation may be coming to an end. Americans, however, seem addicted to absurd standards in their preferences for vehicles.

So just to clarify, you are against people having the freedom and liberty to choose their own modes of transportation? Is that really what you are saying right now?

False question to which the answer would be "no" if it were a real question. As anyone without an agenda would have read and implied, it is the lamentable choice itself that is being criticized and not the range of choices. My personal preference would be for Americans to choose beauty and cleanliness over self destruction. If any choices are currently being repressed, it is for those of us who want more light, energy efficient transportation.

 

[Andylusion]

Ridiculous modes of transportation may be coming to an end. Americans, however, seem addicted to absurd standards in their preferences for vehicles.

So just to clarify, you are against people having the freedom and liberty to choose their own modes of transportation? Is that really what you are saying right now?

False question to which the answer would be "no" if it were a real question. As anyone without an agenda would have read and implied, it is the lamentable choice itself that is being criticized and not the range of choices. My personal preference would be for Americans to choose beauty and cleanliness over self destruction. If any choices are currently being repressed, it is for those of us who want more light, energy efficient transportation.

Really.... So you are under the impression, that there are magic cars that need no fuel, or magic clean fuel, that does everything you want.... but you can't have them because your choice of car is being repressed?

Are you serious? Or was that an inside joke of some kind?

What choice of transportation, do you think is being 'repressed'?

 

[there4eyeM]

Repression can take many forms. Tossing out charged, misleading "questions" that are really editorial statements is one form.
This is, however, a digression from the op that is probably against the rules.
Harley Davidson has been producing products tailored to a market that was fated to diminish. Failure to adapt has had serious consequences for American industry in the past. It was evident in the sixties, for example, that American cars were bigger and poorer quality than the market desired. Engineering and management continued with their thinking from the past. Volkswagen and Toyota were thus assured success. Taxes and tariffs assured that American cars would remain too expensive, too shoddy and too glutinous.

 

[Andylusion]

Repression can take many forms. Tossing out charged, misleading "questions" that are really editorial statements is one form.
This is, however, a digression from the op that is probably against the rules.
Harley Davidson has been producing products tailored to a market that was fated to diminish. Failure to adapt has had serious consequences for American industry in the past. It was evident in the sixties, for example, that American cars were bigger and poorer quality than the market desired. Engineering and management continued with their thinking from the past. Volkswagen and Toyota were thus assured success. Taxes and tariffs assured that American cars would remain too expensive, too shoddy and too glutinous.

Well.... you kind of implied that bikes were "Ridiculous modes of transportation". Unless you are specifically trying to identify Harleys are different from the rest of the Bike market. That seems to be rather....dubious.

Ironically, I've read that Harleys are the more safer bikes to ride.

If you mean bikes themselves.... that market has grown. Not only is that market larger in the US, but it is vastly larger world wide. Bikes are growing in sales faster world wide, than cars are. That's likely why Harley wants to open a plant in Asia.

I don't see how Harleys are more ridiculous than any other bike on the road, and like I said, even in the US bike sales are going up, not down.

I will say that Harley has put itself into a bit of a niche, by being the expensive brand, built on reputation. The days when everyone identified Harley as the gold standard, are now gone. Hell's Angels, are no longer than 'in group' that other bikers sit around wishing they could join, by buying a Harley.

Honestly, my view is that all luxury brands, and to some extent all brands, go through a cycle. They get into a groove that works, and works well.

Then they get so into the groove, that they end up coasting on their reputation, and at some point they end up being labeled the old-people's brand.

Cadillac did this. The Luxury market moved over to BMWs and Lexus, and Caddies were still making big boats with rounded edges from the last 30 years. Unfortuantely they bought the idea from the left-wing that it was all about gas mileage, and put in that crappy north-star motor, and just made their old design worse.

Eventually they had to redesign everything with the CTS and going from there.

I'm sure Harley will do the same thing. They'll redesign for a younger market, and come out with a product fit, and re-open the plant to build it.