Anybody forming a Producer's Co-op Out There?

[radhika]

Some of my Progressive friends and I were wondering if a push for more manufacturing co-ops would be feasible at this point. The plusses are obvious: lots of unused factory space and equipment; trained workers with no jobs; environmental/green; and builds the tax base with good paying jobs. I also envision the US again supplying/making/designing its own goods regionally.

Question: I'm a city girl, worked in IT and healthcare and don't know ZIP about manufacturing, assembly or distribution. But out here in LA, we might have access to funding from ourselves; community banks; business parks without tenants; stimulus dollars; investors and outsourced employees. If any of you have done this in your own areas, I'd love to hear how it went. Or share a link....

Much appreciated.

[handmade34]

1. excellent ideas...

we need to work together on worker owned manufacturing, producing, business, etc...

[OHdem10]

2. This is just the sort of thing that will work . Small entrenpenuers

eventually becoming larger and larger. This is how
people pulled out of the Great Depression. Of course
FDR had set things in motion and people had their hope
and belief in themselves. There are so many small towns
and medium sized towns, counties that have been decimated.

It is going to take ideas like yours to get things moving.

[rosesaylavee]

3. The Recovery Act paid for similar projects already...

is that still available in 2011?

[rosesaylavee]

4. Once more people catch on that plastic products

are not sustainable AND are poisoning us, I would imagine there will a few more glass factories.

[handmade34]

5. I envision

a chain of employee owned stores that sell "made in USA", products made from recycles and organic...

[shanti]

7. i can totally see that working

:thumbsup:

[handmade34]

8. I have been on the hunt

for a travel mug made in the USA... have found cheap plastic ones; yuck... finally ordered 2 glass travel mugs fron Anchor Hocking (claim to be made in USA). The box arrived and I was excited... then... saw the "glass made in China" I sank.


The need is for people willing to work on the project(production and sales). It is a cycle... demand, productions, sales, etc...

[shanti]

6. k&r

new ideas for a new world. argentina did that too.

[Recursion]

9. Would you sell directly to consumers?

That seems feasible, though not all factory stock is set up to make affordable finished consumer goods. Unfortunately if you sell through a retailer you're going to start to face the same price pressures that took manufacturing to where it is today.

Come up with a business plan and raise some capital; it sounds like a good idea.

[radhika]

10. I love your answers!!

Several of us here are looking around for something to fund - or at least create a pressure group, start organizing.

I'll likely start a blog on co-ops - and when it's up I'll make sure my friends at DU know about it and can help spread the word. Maybe a facebook page - links to unions?

Keep in touch, thanks.