Customer Reviews

When the Machine Stopped: A Cautionary Tale from Industrial America

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This is a sad but common story of an old and respected member of the American machine tool builders association that produced a quality machine. but eventually had to close its doors. Another victim of the ills that plagued that sector of American manufacturing. The original owner had a better idea, started a company, grew the company, carved out a market niche, built machines to order as the industry as a whole had done for years to survive the natural boom and bust cycles. The Burgmaster Company was ill equipped for the foreign invasion especially of the Japanese machine tool industry, building standard machines, promising fast installations, losing control of their patented technology even though it was licensed. Burgmaster was typical of the industry and experienced it all. The squeeze between developing new technology and keeping the bread and butter production machines moving., losing control of its operations and planning by joining a conglomerate. As a former employee for what was formerly the largest American machine tool maker and is now a downsized and dismantled holding company, this book gave a good overall historical summary of what was happening then, which you don't realize when you are experiencing global and national trends day by day on a local level. Optimistically one can also see just how far the industry survivors from the 60's, 70's and 80's have progressed.