This is your hard-hitting, suave, multi-talented investigative reporter Ace Glassman reporting on the now infamous TRUMP TRUMPS NORTH AMERICAN WINDOW MANUFACTURERS scandal.
A quick review, last week Donald Trump, bragging on Fox News, that he had just ordered thousands of windows and they were made in Asia. He went on to ask why aren't windows made in the US?
I, Ace Glassman, have taken this on as a personal crusade. My network of industry sources is unparalleled. I received reports from around the world. Donald didn't mention which building he was referring to in his rant on Fox. But we found out. As a suave and multi-talented reporter I cannot reveal my sources. Here is hint though, SM reported that the building is the Trump Tower in Toronto.
Your suave, multi-talented reporter took it from there. The Toronto Tower is part hotel and part condos, with the condo's starting at $2 Million. To me that means one unit is two million, and the rest are a lot more. Certainly Donald couldn't be penny-pinching on such a magnificent project. Extensive and intense work revealed that Donald is only a minority owner of this property. His name is on the building because The Donald is hot now. He sells. He sizzles. And he does this at the expense of North American workers and companies. Did the message come down from on high? Cut every penny no matter who it hurts? Did someone give someone an extra egg roll? Would the man who made all his money in America suddenly turn his back on it?
LT asked me if any North American companies bid on the project. Your suave, multi-talented reporter, Ace Glassman, can't answer that question folks. I need help. Have you quoted or bid on any part of this job? Did you loose the bid because you didn't send an order of fried rice along with the blueprints?
In my extensive industry knowledge, there are at least twenty companies in the US and Canada that could have bid on this job. I found out that some are more expensive than others, but usually because of a higher quality standard. Some manufacturers appeal to the budget apartment building owner, and there are definitely some that appeal to the Trump image. (I found out that there is even one company that fired one of its apprentices.)
There is one documented time, in 1997 that the Donald was wrong on something. IT (another confidential source), told me, and she should know. Could this be the next big error on Donald's part? Do we have news here?
Send me all you know, Ace Glassman, your suave and multi-talented glass investigative reporter will never reveal a source. Let's see what really happened here.
PS. You can ignore that Bieber guy behind the keyboard. I, Ace Glassman, your suave and multi-talented investigative reporter have my own email address: aceglassman@msn.com. You can write to me anytime.
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
Monday, September 20, 2010
Stick It In Your Ear, Donald Trump
On September 16, 2010, Donald Trump, in a live interview on Fox News said, "I ordered windows, thousands of windows the other day, it's all made in China. Does anybody make windows in this country?"
Hello...is anyone there?
Let's try in invent the scenarios how this happened.
1. The Donald wanted Chinese windows in his building. We can rule this out because in the the same interview he said we should tax the heck out of imports from China and that China wasn't being fair to us.
2. The windows were cheaper from China, and Trump would rather save his money than spend it on on American made goods. But then he can talk out of both sides of his mouth better than most.
I am not in this to knock Trump...I admire his gumption and think he has done a lot of things well for New York City. But in this case, I hope he likes the taste of shoe leather, for he has really put his foot in his mouth.
There are great window manufacturers here. I bet it is just that the price was undercut by the manufacturer with Chinese Government support. The Chinese are certainly maneuvering their currency, the Yuan, to their benefit, at our expense.
Nonetheless, Trump should issue a 'Buy American' order to his staff. He has made his fortune in the US. He brags on TV's apprentice, he is among the rich and famous (or infamous) of the US, and he should be repaying America every day.
Did our US manufacturers even have a chance at the contract? I don't know. But I would be willing to bet they did, and I would be willing to bet that this was decided on price only.
If you have any info on this, and I don't even know the job name, drop me a note. Let me know what you know, and maybe we can piece this together.
Larry Tuminnia, co-owner of Northeast Laminated, brought the original conversation to my attention. Thanks Larry for keeping alert about our industry.
I am not saying we shouldn't import anything, I am just wondering if the US manufacturing companies had a real shot at this one.
Hello...is anyone there?
Let's try in invent the scenarios how this happened.
1. The Donald wanted Chinese windows in his building. We can rule this out because in the the same interview he said we should tax the heck out of imports from China and that China wasn't being fair to us.
2. The windows were cheaper from China, and Trump would rather save his money than spend it on on American made goods. But then he can talk out of both sides of his mouth better than most.
I am not in this to knock Trump...I admire his gumption and think he has done a lot of things well for New York City. But in this case, I hope he likes the taste of shoe leather, for he has really put his foot in his mouth.
There are great window manufacturers here. I bet it is just that the price was undercut by the manufacturer with Chinese Government support. The Chinese are certainly maneuvering their currency, the Yuan, to their benefit, at our expense.
Nonetheless, Trump should issue a 'Buy American' order to his staff. He has made his fortune in the US. He brags on TV's apprentice, he is among the rich and famous (or infamous) of the US, and he should be repaying America every day.
Did our US manufacturers even have a chance at the contract? I don't know. But I would be willing to bet they did, and I would be willing to bet that this was decided on price only.
If you have any info on this, and I don't even know the job name, drop me a note. Let me know what you know, and maybe we can piece this together.
Larry Tuminnia, co-owner of Northeast Laminated, brought the original conversation to my attention. Thanks Larry for keeping alert about our industry.
I am not saying we shouldn't import anything, I am just wondering if the US manufacturing companies had a real shot at this one.
Monday, September 13, 2010
The METS Season Is Over, But Yours Is Not
We don't have this luxury in the glass industry. We can't stop for the winter, spend money on talent, and start over at spring training. So, what are you going to do if your glass shop isn't in the playoffs?
Let's figure out why. Actually, that is easy. You didn't make enough profit. Now, we ask why again.
Did you:
How do you know which ones to attack? Ask your accountant to tell you. If he/she can't, you have a bookkeeper and not an accountant. Spend the bucks, have your books reviewed each year by someone who will analyze your books, not just tell you what you have and how much taxes to pay. A good accountant should also be a business advisor and should repay their costs many times over.
How do you find that accountant? Ask your friends who own a similar size business to yours. Go to aicpa.org to search for accountants in your area. When you select an accountant, be clear on the scope of what you want done, and don't give open-ended assignments. Get a firm quote before you give a go-ahead on any project. Remember, you don't want a bookkeeper. There are enough basic computer programs, like Quicken, to run your business. You want help in analyzing the numbers that Quicken can give you.
I think we most often fall into the trap that says more sales will solve the problems. Not always so. Sometimes, your sales are just right for your business, but your margins are too low. Or your overhead is too high. Just piling on sales is not often the answer. More sales with a low margin actually creates more losses!
Be selective on your bids. Bid the jobs where quality is as important as price. When it is government work, and the lowest price wins, unless you know you are a low-cost provider, steer clear. Bid the private work where relationships and open bidding will allow you to shine.
I am sure that every business in America has picked the low-hanging fruits of simple cost reduction and employee count. But there is always more. Look at every expenditure you make. No exceptions. Just because you have bought something in the past is no excuse to buy it now. Make every dime going out of your checkbook valuable to the profitability of your business. Sign each and every check yourself and ask, do I need this now? Better yet, if you use a purchase order system, you should be the only one to authorize for a month. There should be no such thing as an automatic or open ended purchase order. Every single expense is controllable. Some more easily than others, of course.
Are you paying rent on a signed lease? Go back to your landlord and discuss the current market conditions. Many landlords will be glad to reduce rents to current market prices based on a one or two year extension. Try for five years at a reduced rate. If you don't try, you won't get it. I have a client that went back to his landlord and received a fifteen per cent reduction with a four year extension. Huge dollars.
The headline on this blog mentions by beloved METS. They fell apart again. You can't blame your success, or lack of, on an injury or a key employee going into a slump. As far as you are concerned, it is only the bottom of the third and you have to keep playing.
Let's figure out why. Actually, that is easy. You didn't make enough profit. Now, we ask why again.
Did you:
- Not sell enough?
- Sell at prices too low?
- Spend too much on materials?
- Spend too much on labor & benefits?
- Spend too much on overhead?
How do you know which ones to attack? Ask your accountant to tell you. If he/she can't, you have a bookkeeper and not an accountant. Spend the bucks, have your books reviewed each year by someone who will analyze your books, not just tell you what you have and how much taxes to pay. A good accountant should also be a business advisor and should repay their costs many times over.
How do you find that accountant? Ask your friends who own a similar size business to yours. Go to aicpa.org to search for accountants in your area. When you select an accountant, be clear on the scope of what you want done, and don't give open-ended assignments. Get a firm quote before you give a go-ahead on any project. Remember, you don't want a bookkeeper. There are enough basic computer programs, like Quicken, to run your business. You want help in analyzing the numbers that Quicken can give you.
I think we most often fall into the trap that says more sales will solve the problems. Not always so. Sometimes, your sales are just right for your business, but your margins are too low. Or your overhead is too high. Just piling on sales is not often the answer. More sales with a low margin actually creates more losses!
Be selective on your bids. Bid the jobs where quality is as important as price. When it is government work, and the lowest price wins, unless you know you are a low-cost provider, steer clear. Bid the private work where relationships and open bidding will allow you to shine.
I am sure that every business in America has picked the low-hanging fruits of simple cost reduction and employee count. But there is always more. Look at every expenditure you make. No exceptions. Just because you have bought something in the past is no excuse to buy it now. Make every dime going out of your checkbook valuable to the profitability of your business. Sign each and every check yourself and ask, do I need this now? Better yet, if you use a purchase order system, you should be the only one to authorize for a month. There should be no such thing as an automatic or open ended purchase order. Every single expense is controllable. Some more easily than others, of course.
Are you paying rent on a signed lease? Go back to your landlord and discuss the current market conditions. Many landlords will be glad to reduce rents to current market prices based on a one or two year extension. Try for five years at a reduced rate. If you don't try, you won't get it. I have a client that went back to his landlord and received a fifteen per cent reduction with a four year extension. Huge dollars.
The headline on this blog mentions by beloved METS. They fell apart again. You can't blame your success, or lack of, on an injury or a key employee going into a slump. As far as you are concerned, it is only the bottom of the third and you have to keep playing.
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