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Curieux88
66
Aug 28, 2019
I wouldn't call myself a Mainer, because I've been living in Maine for only 7 years or so, but it's where my home is. Yeah, I'm not really happy with the fact that they are still calling themselves " of maine", when they stopped making things in Maine. There are a lot of Maine manufacturing companies that are trying to make things work to produce things in Maine. Rancourt (shoemaker) is a famous example that people massdrop are familiar with. Lumber industry used to be the main driving force of Maine economy, but now it is crumbling. Rumford, a town that used to be known for lumber, is all dead. They have houses that are going at $30,000. It's as cheap as a budget car. And as a furniture "manufacturer", the company ditched the most important industry in the state. It's fine to outsource. It's what capitalism is, but it's really, really unethical to still have that name. Not only it's misleading, but it's a betrayal to the state. @jshields, I don't blame you for outsourcing your production. It's what it is. I'm in a manufacturing industry, and I understand the situation. But if you feel bad at all, please drop the "of maine" part.
jshields
8
Aug 29, 2019
Curieux88I respectfully disagree!  We believe Byer of Maine means much more that the location of production. For us, Byer of Maine is about the quality and value of the products we offer and our commitment to customer service. I believe we would be betraying our company heritage by abandoning our connection to Maine.  The factory we source from in Vietnam is in Kontum, a province that suffered terribly during the war there. The factory workers have some of the best jobs in that region. I am proud to bring economic opportunity to them.    And, back in Orono, our company is a survivor of globalization and the small group of us here are earning a living…in Maine!  We take very seriously the responsibility we have to our company name and history.   We are, proudly, Byer of Maine. That said, @Curieux88, I appreciate your thoughtful and measured comment.
Curieux88
66
Aug 29, 2019
jshieldsI understand your position, but unfortunately, I disagree. I'm also a designer at a manufacturing company in Maine. (not furniture) When I design a product, I work closely with the assemblers. Sure, we give them paychecks, but it's more than a paycheck for them. They have pride in what they produce. Some of them voluntarily work for free if they aren't happy with what they produce. That's a big part of "Maine heritage". The pride that true Mainers have in the production is what completes Maine heritage. How could it possibly called a Maine product if there's no Maine "blood" on it? sure, great customer service and historic design philosophy also plays a big role in that maine heritage, but I believe that heritage of anything goes beyond just the design/CS. Artisanal manufacturing has been a long heritage of Maine economy. Lumber and related manufacturing is even more important. Lewiston used to be big, but now it's, sadly, struggling to bring back that economic momentum. I'm sure you know why. There are many towns in north of portland that struggle for the exact same reason. A friend of mine, who holds a graduate degree in lumber science, and works at a paper mill in Rumford, gets to see that depression every single day. He does his best to keep the business in Maine as long as possible. Another friend of mine runs another paper mill, and he does his best to keep the company in Maine. Why? Because the lumber and related businesses is THE heritage of maine economy. If I were you, as a producer of lumber product, I would feel more responsible to keep the manufacturing heritage in Maine as long as possible. Sadly, I'm not you. You are not me. You own/manage the company, and I don't. So it's up to you. It's up to you to walk around and tell others that you run a Maine company. And I'm making my choice. I disagree with your philosophy. I wouldn't say anything bad about the quality/design of your product. However, I can make a judgement on your philosophy of manufacturing. With that in mind, I don't think your company is something that I can recommend to people around me. My mom used to tell me: "The result isn't everything. It's the process". You might have a great product. You might have a product that resembles what you used to make in Maine. However, you lost the process. It's not "Maine" anymore. At least I don't see it that way. Good luck with your business.
jshields
8
Sep 1, 2019
Curieux88If you find yourself in Orono one week day, I'd be pleased to give you a tour and continue the discussion over coffee or lunch.
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