Although they managed to limit their layoffs to only a third of the Michigan workforce, this is a sad event.

I currently don't throw Brunswick, but have in the past.  My Wine Rhino, Rhino Gold Pearl, and Grizz were all great American made balls.  The Brunswick corporation has seen recalls and quality problems as a result of some of their other divisions' production centres currently located in Mexico.  Already, arrival of their new viz-a-balls will be delayed to may distributors by several months as a result of their relocation efforts.

Although brunswick is not, thankfully, outsourcing its sales and support stucture to India or otherwise off shore, the bowling community is going to be drastically impacted by these changes.  Brunswick is not the only brand of balls that they manufacture, as many of us are aware.

While we are in a strong economy with low unemployment (actually below frictional unemployment of 5% which is considered acceptable), the fact that many noin-residents account for many of these positions, while natural or naturalized citizens suffer.  My heart does go out for the great production team in Michigan.

This decision by Brunswick has already forced myself and others I know to no longer support Brunswick's centres or bowling and other recreational products now being shipped to Mexico.

My hopes are that the Big B finds a way to maintain qualiyt control and assurance of their once superior product.  Has this decision caused unease or boycott by any bowlers in your areas?

No whining here millworker.

Several of us made a decision.  Brunswick had a great center here, and I very much like the company.  With their quarterly earning beginning to suffer, they had to make a move.  The top two issues here are #1 - ouutsourcing, and #2 - Quality.  I am sure Brunswick has reacted to their problems appropriately and on time arrivals should improve later this year, but these issues affect all of the pro-shop owners out there who alreayd have it tough in many cases.  Rather than speaking from a patriotic high-horse, I am just researching on this board to see if others out there have similar experiences.  I wish Brunswick the best, and certainly their marketing team must have accounted for certain patron attrition after their move when they made risk assessments of how to fix their declines in revenue.  My interest is only in how this decision weighed on the minds of the general bowler, and the Brunswick loyalists as well.

The thing that kills me about this whole situation is how so many of you decide to jump on the bandwagon, as well as blow things so far out of proportion. Brunswick does not outsource there product, it is owned and operated by Brunswick. When you say a third of the workforce, I believe that is false. There were less than a hundred that lost there jobs. If the union had not over-valued there product this would not have happened. Yes we all know that there has been quality issues but cracking before they are drilled...REALLY? Brunswick has responded by answering every post and/or questions and still those that have had issues for years love to HAMMER this home. Storm has had quality issues for years with cracking. Ebonite covers are known for lasting about 50 games and can't be rejuvenated. Columbia covers are just bad. I will bet there is not a manufacturing plant in the bowling industry that doesn't have some sort of illegal ALIEN working there.
So you guys will no longer support there products, so you will only bowl in an AMF house? Brunswick makes AMF parts. So you really have no OPTIONS, eh?
Also I think this is very hypocritical as EVERY other bowling product, as in bags and shoes are made outside the US and not in North America.
Please give this a rest as it really gets old. Get a hard on for something else.

QUIT saying that Brunswick is outsourcing there bowling ball manufacturing...THEY OWN THE PLANT AND OPERATE IT.
Also, how many automobiles are still made in Detroit? Try the rest of the world.
If Brunswick had decided to close it's manufacturing all together, how do you think that would have impacted bowling? Many of the out of work employees received severance packages.

Brunswick has not hurt bowling. The ABC/USBC has hurt bowling. If Brunswick had not got into the bowling industry over 100 years ago, there very well could have not been an industry as there is today.

You make it seem so easy and they (Brunswick) have created such heirasy.
There is not a single bowling ball manufacturer in the world that makes a profit. And in a decreasing market, they may be one or two less manufacturers in the future.

Brunswick did what they felt was necessary to stay in the bowling business. Look in the mirror when taking these stances. Look at things that YOU do have OPTIONS in when buying.

I am a Big B fan, recently I started to learn spanish and planing to move to Mexico.
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Laufaye

I will still support Big B.

I sometimes wonder why some of the laid off employees have not made posts on this site. It would be cool to hear their side of the story.
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Ray
Beer and Brunswick. It doesn't get any better.

Lane1Bowler

First of all, thank you for telling me I am out of my mind. If that is the worst you can say about me, well, I will manage.

Lane #1 is NOT a manufacturer, they are a customer of Columbia and previously one of Brunswick.
The only reason why Lane #1 could make a profit is they over price there product and dupe customers into believing they have some superior product. But that's another subject.

All manufacturers raised there prices due to the rising price of petroleum, plain and simple. And yes Brunswick is in business, as is all other companies, to make a profit.

Do you have any clue what the union workers were being paid? I believe I do and they were overpaid for what they were doing. It was not skilled labor. And you are going to tell me that the cost of living in Michigan was that high to warrant what they were being paid?

So you are saying that the industry will follow Lane #1 and there pricing structure? I doubt it. There are many areas that do not support Lane #1 or Elite because of there overflated product.

What was ignorant about my statement referring to Columbia covers? They are horrible and it shows in there sales. Moronic...again thank you.

So you are saying if a plant has illegal aliens it is okay because they are in the US? That's support. Actually it's hypocritical.

So no matter how Brunswick would have handled closing the plant would have sufficed to you even if they would have moved the plant anywhere else in the US? This would have happened if the plant were closed and moved to say Syracuse.

I was not attacking just pointing out the battles certain individuals choose to fight. You feel strong enough to debate me in an attacking manner. What is redundant about my retort?
I was voicing my opinion as was he and is you. This topic is redundant.

So it is okay for him to point out his views but not okay for me to? That is usually the way it goes, if you do not agree with me, I do not want to hear it, so please go along with my views, because I am right and you are wrong.

The reason why the economy is failing, as you put it, is because of Americans views of there self worth. You are among those (apparently) that feel there is an automatic owe those something. No one is owed anything for merely being there. That is why our economy is in the shape it is, no other reason. Instead of doing, you expect.

You have your opinionated views as do I. Each feel strongly about our views and there is nothing wrong with that. So if I may be moronic, then so be it, but I believe you to be right along side.

from what i know... the people who work in the factory are still american workers.  i was told that the factory is only 6 miles from the border, and was built there because it had the humidity control and cheap land the brunswick wanted. It wasnt all about moving to get cheap labor, there were other key elements in the building of the factory.
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