Of course, I could still have the edge. He has always been the laziest chump I've ever met, so it is possible that after the thrill of college wears off he'll slide into the same lazy habits that I practice while writing W6. At least, that's what I tell myself to keep myself from drinking. Some companies seem to have trouble remembering why they are in business. They have wonderful sounding Mission Statements and optimistic Strategic Plans, but there is nothing there to back them up.
Manufacturing is a tough business, and a valuable one.
Manufacturers actually create value by turning raw materials into finished goods, and that is about the best value a company can provide. The problem is that competition in the manufacturing industry is fierce. There is a large segment of the market that is going to seek out the lowest price available no matter what the drop in quality is. I have no complaints about manufacturers as a group - their jobs are hard enough without me piling on. Distributors, however, are another story.