Say Anything Blog

Here’s a statement from Senator Byron Dorgan about the just-announced sale of one of North Dakota’s most storied companies, Bobcat, to South Korean company Doosan Infracore.

“I was informed this morning by the CEO of Ingersoll-Rand about the sale of Bobcat to a South Korean company called Doosan Infracore.

“I am not surprised that Bobcat was sold because Ingersoll-Rand had previously announced its intentions to sell its Bobcat division.

“However, I am surprised that it was sold to a South Korean company. And I am always concerned about the risk of U.S. manufacturing being moved to low-wage manufacturing facilities in Asian countries.

“I intend to meet with the Doosan representatives next week when they are in North Dakota, and I hope they will make a commitment to keep the Bobcat production facilities operating and expanding in North Dakota in the long term.

“Bobcat is one of the top American brands and the jobs that exist to manufacture the Bobcat products in North Dakota are good-paying jobs with strong benefits. It’s a very important part of our state’s economy, and I hope we will get a commitment from the Doosan Company to maintain those facilities in North Dakota in the long term.”

I think all North Dakotans are a little worried about Bobcat leaving the state, but the solution for that problem isn’t for Byron Dorgan to try and leverage a promise out of Doosan about moving jobs overseas.  What he should be looking at is creating a business-friendly environment - with tax policy, regulations, etc. - that will make it easier for Doosan to keep those jobs in the state.  Because at the end of the day, they’re going to make the decision that’s best for them.  And if they can make more money selling Bobcats by moving all or parts of the operation to different states and/or overseas they’re gonna do it.

To this end, and for the purpose of keeping Bobcat in the state, Dorgan might want to talk to the local steelworkers unions whose recent strike caused former Bobcat owners Ingersoll-Rand to dump several hundred employees.  But he won’t.  Because people like Dorgan always blame “outsourcing” on corporate greed rather than the draconian taxes and labor regulations foisted on business by unions and their political minions.