“I am shocked, shocked to find ………”

The administration’s latest chaos, the tariff situation, has me recalling that old line.

I actually remember it as “I am shocked, shocked and dismayed ………” The historical quote is “I’m shocked, shocked to find that gambling is going on in here!” The quote originates from the classic film Casablanca, released in 1942. In the movie, the character Captain Louis Renault, played by Claude Rains, utters this line in a scene where he feigns surprise at the illegal gambling occurring in Rick’s Café. This line has since entered popular culture as a humorous way to express feigned outrage or surprise at something that is, in fact, well known or expected. The phrase is often used to criticize hypocrisy or to highlight the absurdity of pretending to be surprised by something that is obvious.

Hence the obvious reference to the current “leveling of the playing field” remarks regarding trade with China. Many businesspeople AND politicians feigning “shock,” “shock and dismay” that this situation has come to pass.

Over 40 years ago, U.S. based companies (and other countries) started creating manufacturing plants in China to access their HUGE population (read market opportunity). Since then, the expansion has included services. Realization of the lower labor and operating costs, these plants started servicing foreign markets too, meaning capacity was diminished or closed in the United States in favor of these foreign plants and their higher margins.

Now, after numerous supply chain hiccups, intellectual property (IP) loss, legal issues (or lack of legal fairness), and the resulting DEPENDANCE on these foreign suppliers, U.S. business and the Federal Government want to “level the playing” field.

There were many of us that forecast this very situation of dependance. In the 1980’s I quoted an electronics assembly program to my management showing the U.S. option was better, financially and  in the long run. Yet all the hype led them to source their business offshore.

As recently as 10 years ago, PlastiCert had a customer choose our mold design and injection molding multiple times over China because we were competitive, but finally went offshore saying it was “inevitable”.

So here we are, feigning shock, that we could have gotten into this situation. Then causing major financial upheaval to correct it.

PlastiCert is here to answer the call. We feel PlastiCert is NOW and have been, competitive with offshore pricing when the entire LANDED cost of going off shore is compared to our pricing.

Worried about your offshore low and medium volume injection molded components? Give us a call. We have reestablished U.S. based molding for numerous companies, and we can make you look good doing it for you.