adidas considering building factory in Detroit

[mkd]

http://on.freep.com/1IvJxLx

Pretty sweet if it happens.

[old guy]

http://on.freep.com/1IvJxLx

Pretty sweet if it happens.

Sounds good, but the opening paragraph of the story doesn't sound all that enlightening,

"Adidas, the German sports company seeking to regain its dominance in the U.S., is looking at opening an automated factory in Detroit by 2017."

[archfan]

Bring it on - we'll build and fix the robots for the automated factory.

[animatedmartian]

Sounds good, but the opening paragraph of the story doesn't sound all that enlightening,

"Adidas, the German sports company seeking to regain its dominance in the U.S., is looking at opening an automated factory in Detroit by 2017."

That's not really any different than any of the car factories today.

[313WX]

Bring it on - we'll build and fix the robots for the automated factory.

Robots will be fixing the robots for the automated factories as well, if I understand what you're implying...

[313WX]

Sounds good, but the opening paragraph of the story doesn't sound all that enlightening,

"Adidas, the German sports company seeking to regain its dominance in the U.S., is looking at opening an automated factory in Detroit by 2017."

And another good point brought up by a freep commenter is "Detroit" could mean anywhere in the Metro area. Europeans don't know the difference between downtown Detroit and Canton. It's all "Detroit" to them...

[ct_alum]

And another good point brought up by a freep commenter is "Detroit" could mean anywhere in the Metro area. Europeans don't know the difference between downtown Detroit and Canton. It's all "Detroit" to them...

Everywhere I've been in the States, whenever I say I'm from Detroit, they smile and say "What suburb?" When I say I actually live in Detroit [[EEV), their eyes glaze over and they take a step back - It's very amusing.

[Hypestyles]

Adidas should take over any of the abandoned factories within Detroit city limits. Clean up the area totally and build state of the art facilities. We'll see whether they're willing to pay fair wages to make the shoes that many people are willing to maim each other for.

[old guy]

That's not really any different than any of the car factories today.

Bingo.... ...

[archfan]

Robots will be fixing the robots for the automated factories as well, if I understand what you're implying...

Well...we'll fix the robots that fix their robots?

[Jason]

I think that'd be great.

[Newdetroit]

Even with robots, its better that it will be in Detroit than some other place. Plus, I'm sure they will employ some people, and will pay taxes. And, reconvert an abandoned building to use.

[Gpwrangler]

Sounds good, but the opening paragraph of the story doesn't sound all that enlightening,

"Adidas, the German sports company seeking to regain its dominance in the U.S., is looking at opening an automated factory in Detroit by 2017."

Most plants have some robotic assembly. They still employ plenty of workers. There is nothing wrong with an automated factory.

[FormerEastsider]

Hopefully the people they plan to employ don't have to have a PhD. in engineering.

[Cliffy]

Hopefully the people they plan to employ don't have to have a PhD. in engineering.

Jobs are jobs.

[FormerEastsider]

I think you missed my point.

[Gpwrangler]

Hopefully the people they plan to employ don't have to have a PhD. in engineering.

Robot training takes about a week. No degree required as long as you can pass the drug and background screens.

[Zacha341]

That alone will make a percentage of folk ineligible to even think about working there. Or other jobs where they screen. Add credit checks and it's over for an even higher pool of potential applicants.

....you can pass the drug and background screens [?].

[aj3647]

Adidas should take over any of the abandoned factories within Detroit city limits. Clean up the area totally and build state of the art facilities. We'll see whether they're willing to pay fair wages to make the shoes that many people are willing to maim each other for.

Nobody is maiming anyone over Adidas shoes.

[Zacha341]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dA8DsUN6g_k

"My 'Adidas' Only Bring GOOD NEWS!" According to RUN DMC!

[aj3647]

Even with robots, its better that it will be in Detroit than some other place. Plus, I'm sure they will employ some people, and will pay taxes. And, reconvert an abandoned building to use.

If they are looking at Detroit, it's likely because they think they can take advantage of the city's desperation and negotiate themselves a deal where they pay little to nothing in property taxes in exchange for creating a few jobs and/or redeveloping an abandoned property. There's no way in hell a company like Adidas, which is struggling financially, is going to show up here, pay full taxes, and employ a bunch of people at $25 an hour to do unskilled manual labor.

[Gpwrangler]

That alone will make a percentage of folk ineligible to even think about working there. Or other jobs where they screen. Add credit checks and it's over for an even higher pool of potential applicants.

Don't know what to say about that.

[Zacha341]

^^^ The credit check screen is a bit much as it is not that hard to see your FICO numbers slide down from a few missed payments due to lack of or an interruption in cash flow. And you need employment to increase cash flow, yet.... wash, rinse, repeat.

[rb336]

Nobody is maiming anyone over Adidas shoes.

and yet their shoes are generally better constructed than Nike, Asics or, or Saucony.

[Jason]

What I think would be cool would be:

- The factory located somewhere in midtown [[or some other site that has enough space, is walkable and has good visibility).

- With an Adidas store. And possibly a museum/collection.

- With architecture such that visitors can see the shoes being made.

Something like a small version of Volkswagen's Transparent Factory.