Coming to America: Is Outsourcing of the Past?

Over Thanksgiving, I read an article called "The Insourcing Boom" in The Atlantic. It was an interesting read, and I highly recommend it.

from thetruthaboutcars.com

 Outsourcing began as a way to reduce labor costs. However, that math doesn't always add up; outsourcing is not a sure-fire win. The point of the article is to highlight how several distinct differences between 1960 and today should change our perspective on manufacturing.

1)  By separating production from design with thousands of miles and a language barrier, efficiency is compromised. GE was able to reduce 35% of the labor required for their dishwasher assembly line through lean manufacturing principles.

"If the people who design dishwashers sit at their desks in one building, and the people who sell them to retailers and consumers sit at their desks in another building, and the people who make the dishwashers are in a different country and speak a different language—you never realize that the four screws should disappear, let alone come up with a way they can."- Fishman, discussing how internal collaboration can lead to the detection of inefficiencies

2) There is a growing trend for specialized products that continue evolving as new technology is developed. Not only do American companies want to protect their IP by keeping it within our borders but they also want the ability to deliver cutting-edge products quickly.

"In specific terms, the service that... a growing number of design firms can offer is a “quick iteration” way of deciding which ideas will be most practical for manufacturing. “Over the past couple of years, people have gotten used to the idea of rapid iteration in social-media firms,” Linus Chung told me. “You iterate and adapt quickly based on consumer demand. You learn to ‘fail fast.’ We’re bringing that to the hardware space.”" - Fallows, describing how local manufacturing gives companies the ability to tweak and roll out their products quickly and effectively ("Mr. China Comes to America")

3) Fuel costs are not what they used to be. Rising oil prices make long distance shipments increasingly expensive. Furthermore, energy costs in the US are decreasing due to the availability of cheap natural gas.

4) The weight of labor costs on total production cost is decreasing and the divide between Chinese and American labor wage is decreasing.

"Insourcing" has environmental implications as well. By bringing manufacturing closer to engineering expertise and it's target consumer market, transportation emissions are cut, production efficiency increases, and waste is reduced.

At my company, we put immense focus on integrating all parts of the design/manufacturing/sales process. By having open channels of communication, we are able to design systems upfront that promote efficiency and success in all parts of the supply chain, from design through operation and sales.

Do You Ever Feel Like a Plastic Bag...Ready to Start Again?

going with the green chem theme. (Thanks Rosh!)

A Pipette Tip Has the Lifespan of a Mayfly

Pipette tips in stunning blue

I recently purchased a 1000 bag of pipette tips, the disposable plastic tips to micropipettes. They're one use only. In order to make 25 standard solutions, I can use upwards of 50 of these little guys. Multiply that by years of lab work by millions of people around the world and what do you get? A crapload of oil-based plastic waste that's either landfilled or worse, sent to an incinerator as hazardous waste. In some cases, these tips are sterilized before use, which requires high temperatures and even more petroleum.

The case of the poor pipette tip brings me to question the wastefulness of science research in general. The concept of green chemistry implores engineers and chemists to design more sustainable processes. However, the research required to establish these processes is wasteful in and of itself. The term "environmental researcher" is an oxymoron. We're hypocrites. We use chemicals derived from petroleum, metals that have been mined, and one-use vials and test tubes: all of which are delivered in excessively padded boxes 4 sizes too large.

An issue with university research, in particular, is that students are constantly moving into and out of labs. What happens to the leftover chemicals? They sit in cabinets until some curious person sees that the faded brown label sporting an expiry date from 10 years ago. My first thought, whenever I see one of those bottles, is that I'm going to die, either from the fumes or from an explosion. "RIP Ritu Gopal: young life taken by poorly inventoried lab cabinet." Why do these chemicals sit around for so long? One reason is that no one needed them. Another is that unless someone's lab is well inventoried, supplies can be forgotten and the items repurchased, creating a surplus of various glassware and chemicals.

With the exception of forgotten materials, the biggest reasons for wastefulness in research are safety and accuracy. The question is, where can we make the compromises? Safety is priority #1 and always will be, and there's no point to research if the results aren't valid. What do you think are some ways to safely reduce our waste? Is it possible?

Here are some resources I found. The search didn't turn up much:
MIT's list of green suppliers
Basic advice for greening your lab
From a wider perspective

If you have access to NU VPN or a subscription to Science, definitely check this out: This Man Wants to Green Your Lab

Thanks Brooke for giving me the idea to vent my frustration.