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Texas Instruments closing Houston plant

danarhea

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I am not all that surprised that this would happen, but I am surprised that it did. When I worked at TI, we were competing with Intel for the computer CPU market. We lost that war, and on top of it, the Japanese were putting so much downward pressure on chips that downsizing and offshoring became inevitable. I lost my job there in 1985. There was both bad and good in that. Bad that I had lost a great job, and good in that this forced me to get into another field, which I became successful at.

The plant being closed is the largest one in Houston, located in Stafford. When I worked there, there were thousands of employees at that site. When it closes in the next few weeks, the last 1,000 employees will be gone. 500 will be laid off, and the other 500 will be given an opportunity to work at a TI plant located somewhere else. I am thinking that the majority of them will end up in Dallas, and a few at the smaller remaining site in Houston. To make up for lost tax revenue, the City of Stafford is already beginning to put the squeeze to smaller businesses there. It just so happens that the small HVAC contracting company I work for in Stafford is now going to have to pay 125 bucks extra a year to the City of Stafford. Why? Because we store jugs of Freon at our shop, so the City of Stafford now says that they must be taxed. Same type of crap is happening to other businesses there, especially with taxes for signs on their own property. 'Ya know, I have a better idea. Let's tax the mayor of Stafford, and see how HE likes it. LOL.
 
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That's a pity. I used to live in Sugarland and drove past the plant most every day on my way in to Bellaire.
 
I am not all that surprised that this would happen, but I am surprised that it did. When I worked at TI, we were competing with Intel for the computer CPU market. We lost that war, and on top of it, the Japanese were putting so much downward pressure on chips that downsizing and offshoring became inevitable. I lost my job there in 1985. There was both bad and good in that. Bad that I had lost a great job, and good in that this forced me to get into another field, which I became successful at.

The plant being closed is the largest one in Houston, located in Stafford. When I worked there, there were thousands of employees at that site. When it closes in the next few weeks, the last 1,000 employees will be gone. 500 will be laid off, and the other 500 will be given an opportunity to work at a TI plant located somewhere else. I am thinking that the majority of them will end up in Dallas, and a few at the smaller remaining site in Houston. To make up for lost tax revenue, the City of Stafford is already beginning to put the squeeze to smaller businesses there. It just so happens that the small HVAC contracting company I work for in Stafford is now going to have to pay 125 bucks extra a year to the City of Stafford. Why? Because we store jugs of Freon at our shop, so the City of Stafford now says that they must be taxed. Same type of crap is happening to other businesses there, especially with taxes for signs on their own property. 'Ya know, I have a better idea. Let's tax the mayor of Stafford, and see how HE likes it. LOL.

Not that local governments are incapable of excess, but in all probability the increases are necessary to meet the costs of the obligations it has entered into and services it provides.
 
Thus is the nature of business.
 
I am not all that surprised that this would happen, but I am surprised that it did. When I worked at TI, we were competing with Intel for the computer CPU market. We lost that war, and on top of it, the Japanese were putting so much downward pressure on chips that downsizing and offshoring became inevitable. I lost my job there in 1985. There was both bad and good in that. Bad that I had lost a great job, and good in that this forced me to get into another field, which I became successful at.

The plant being closed is the largest one in Houston, located in Stafford. When I worked there, there were thousands of employees at that site. When it closes in the next few weeks, the last 1,000 employees will be gone. 500 will be laid off, and the other 500 will be given an opportunity to work at a TI plant located somewhere else. I am thinking that the majority of them will end up in Dallas, and a few at the smaller remaining site in Houston. To make up for lost tax revenue, the City of Stafford is already beginning to put the squeeze to smaller businesses there. It just so happens that the small HVAC contracting company I work for in Stafford is now going to have to pay 125 bucks extra a year to the City of Stafford. Why? Because we store jugs of Freon at our shop, so the City of Stafford now says that they must be taxed. Same type of crap is happening to other businesses there, especially with taxes for signs on their own property. 'Ya know, I have a better idea. Let's tax the mayor of Stafford, and see how HE likes it. LOL.

Very sorry to learn this. I remember how forward-thinking TI was re hiring the "other-abled," and I appreciated its partnerships with elementary and middle schools. That was terrific...and soooo smart too.
 
Not that local governments are incapable of excess, but in all probability the increases are necessary to meet the costs of the obligations it has entered into and services it provides.

I'll bet danarhea had obligations when he got laid off also.
 
I'll bet danarhea had obligations when he got laid off also.

Yes I did, but I did not demand that the taxpayers pay for them, unlike the City of Stafford. :mrgreen:
 
I know TI makes those crazy expensive scientific calculators.
Well, you can get them for your cell phone for a marginal cost.

Good riddance I say.

Good luck being able to use your cell phone during a test.
 
Our Bassist just got laid off from TI in Sherman. He's gone back to driving a truck, so we auditioned a replacement last weekend. That makes me feel double sorry for him. He loved playing in the band. I guess trucking is better than being unemployed.

TI is moving overseas. Anyone shocked?
 
I'd be better for the environment to shift all that production to China and Indonesia anyway. Manufacturing is un-American.
 
I am not all that surprised that this would happen, but I am surprised that it did. When I worked at TI, we were competing with Intel for the computer CPU market. We lost that war, and on top of it, the Japanese were putting so much downward pressure on chips that downsizing and offshoring became inevitable. I lost my job there in 1985. There was both bad and good in that. Bad that I had lost a great job, and good in that this forced me to get into another field, which I became successful at.

The plant being closed is the largest one in Houston, located in Stafford. When I worked there, there were thousands of employees at that site. When it closes in the next few weeks, the last 1,000 employees will be gone. 500 will be laid off, and the other 500 will be given an opportunity to work at a TI plant located somewhere else. I am thinking that the majority of them will end up in Dallas, and a few at the smaller remaining site in Houston. To make up for lost tax revenue, the City of Stafford is already beginning to put the squeeze to smaller businesses there. It just so happens that the small HVAC contracting company I work for in Stafford is now going to have to pay 125 bucks extra a year to the City of Stafford. Why? Because we store jugs of Freon at our shop, so the City of Stafford now says that they must be taxed. Same type of crap is happening to other businesses there, especially with taxes for signs on their own property. 'Ya know, I have a better idea. Let's tax the mayor of Stafford, and see how HE likes it. LOL.

Wow $125 dollars a year. I hope your company can survive.
 
Too bad! People shouldn't be glad when a US manufacturer closes. I still have a couple of their calculators that work great and learned how to ten key on the bigger ones. I'm happy to say Garmin, in our capitol city is doing great. Some people probably wouldn't know if they were coming or going without that company, LOL.
 
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