PD Manufacturing in China?

[baseknut 0]

I heard....

A reliable source told me that there is a team jumping in Perris Valley with Katana's made in China.

Does anyone know more about this, as I know they made stuff in Honduras. When did they move to China? Might need to check that warning label

Step into my (sub)terminal Playground

[BillyVance 35]

If that's true, I'm probably going to boycott any and all Chinese-made parachute equipment.

"Mediocre people don't like high achievers, and high achievers don't like mediocre people." - SIX TIME National Champion coach Nick Saban

[Spizzzarko 0]

I wouldn't want to come down with lead poisoning from the zp hahahahaaa

[ianmdrennan 2]

I also heard pigs can fly and I'll be winning the lottery soon.

Instead of feeding the rumormill, I simply contacted the manufacturer and confirmed that PD canopies are manufactured and assembled in:

1) Deland, FL
2) Honduras

Mind sharing the name of the reliable source?

Sadly it seems I won't be seeing any flying pigs or winning the lottery.....damn you PD for ruining my dreams

Blues,
Ian

Performance Designs Factory Team

[AggieDave 6]

Chinese Katanas?

The Chinese version is called the Jian, its not as "tapered" and its also not as refined as a Katana.

Sure those aren't canopies, but I figured this thread needed some sort of truth in it.

--"When I die, may I be surrounded by scattered chrome and burning gasoline."

[Unstable 9]

Hmm, Interesting concept.

Don't they already make them in Honduras?

Why is everyone against it? Sure, maybe Chinese canopies could be a paradigm shift the industry will settle into, but It might not be a bad thing. It might help control the inflating price of parachutes, and even help PD make a stakehold in upcoming markets. There is PLENTY of skilled labor over there, and I doubt the Quality will decrease.

I guess the question is how will PD pass on the savings? If they were smart, they'd keep their current production facility in full swing and more into R&D, design, and testing.

=========Shaun ==========

[bigway 4]

Quote

I also heard pigs can fly and I'll be winning the lottery soon.

Instead of feeding the rumormill, I simply contacted the manufacturer and confirmed that PD canopies are manufactured and assembled in:

1) Deland, FL
2) Honduras

Mind sharing the name of the reliable source?

Sadly it seems I won't be seeing any flying pigs or winning the lottery.....damn you PD for ruining my dreams

Blues,
Ian

According to my emails i win the lottery everyday.

.Karnage Krew Gear Store
.

[divnswoop 0]

There are a few Chinese companies who are reverse engineering some parachute equipment. Easy to do on rounds, but much more complicated on square parachutes. I have had 3 or 4 companies claim they can make the same exact equipment as a manufacture here in the US.

[NewGuy2005 53]

Quote

If that's true, I'm probably going to boycott any and all Chinese-made parachute equipment.

Why?

Will you also boycott flying on any jump plane running on Mid-East or Venezuelan fuel?

Do you shop at Wal-Mart? If so, why is their Chinese stuff OK, but PD's is not? (assuming PD ever has anything made in China)

What if PD and others all begin to have their equipment made in China and the price on new gear gets reduced by 33%. What if this led to a flood of new orders for new gear, followed by a flood of used gear on the market, thereby lowering prices for used gear even more.

What if all this low priced used gear made entry into the sport that much easier and thousands of new people start jumping?

How many people are employed in the manufacturing of jump gear in the US? Not designing and selling, I mean actually cutting and sewing. 100 or maybe 200?

What if they all lost their job to the Chinese? What if the flood of new people into the sport created 500 new skydiving industry jobs?

What if the 200 people without their cutting and sewing jobs were moved into higher paying jobs processing and shipping the orders for lower priced parachute equipment?

What if they took those new skills 3 years later and got even higher paying jobs outside the parachute equipment industry? What if they were then able to send their kids to college?

No way!! Forget the creation of new wealth. I want my canopy to say made in the USA!!

I don't mean to be a jackass, but I just want to show that free trade can be GOOD for America.

[billvon 3,116]

>Forget the creation of new wealth.

Please take economic/political diatribes to Speaker's Corner.