atcomsystems.ca/forum Forums General General Telephone & Systems Information Beware of Chinese sheetrock

Well, it's now hit the BIG TIME.

A story about this was on NBC Nightly News tonight.

Bad stuff, ruining something like 60K houses.

People can't even live in them, and it corrodes Electrical Insulation, Jewelry and who knows what else, according to this story.

I bought 30 4X8 sheets of 1/2 inch sheetrock today for just under $4.50 a sheet. How in the Hell can they make them in China and ship them here then have someone transport to a distribution center then to a box store and still be sheaper than a US made product? My boards were American Gypsum out of Dallas TX.

I've been thinking the same thing Dave since this story broke several months ago. There must come a point where transportation costs exceed any potential manufacturing savings. Even offshore telephone cable has had me saying "huh?" since it costs me five bucks a box for shipping from across the river in Maryland.

What is next, Chinese bricks and cinder blocks?

I've been thinking the same thing about cars for years too. Since the final assembly is done in the US for most foreign brands, I guess they can benefit by efficient packing of the parts into cargo containers. I still don't get it.

I guess paying someone $40.00 a week vs: $40.00 an hour might have some bearing upon this dilemma.

I was reading a book called "The Box" by Marc Levinson which is about the history of the shipping container industry and he said the cost of container shipping by sea is by the mile and not weight.

A 40 ft container of cat 5 wire costs the same as a container of sheetrock to bring to a North American port from China.

When we start to let our fields grow over and buy corn, wheat & oats from some other country---we're in BIG trouble.

Or drive us MAD with thier instructions on assembling anything from there!

I agree with all said since my last post.

The point they made in the story was something like "...due to the construction boom after the hurricanes, we had a shortage of Sheet Rock....."

But, then again, how much credibility can we give NBC.

Does that stand for Nationwide BS Conspiracy?

Or is it Nothing but BAD Carp....

I am not sure anymore.

Would that be.. "Glow in the Dark" TP?

I dont know if any of you know, I did security for some very high level RCMP agencies and commercial interest a number of years ago. NAV Canada, the premier agency that designed its own Air Traffic computer system for enroute navigation of aircraft was selling its systems on the open market. This system is state of the art that the FAA envies and thay send there controlers up here for training. What was shocking was a buss full of Chinese Communist Goverment aviation officials showed up to tour our facility. Thay were in the market for our Advanced Air Traffic control system. What could thay have done with it? Simple, use it for millitary purpouses. To say the least, I was nervous and couldnt believe that thay were invited here by the Canadian goverment.

BTW, you heard it here first. CNN nor do I think the US goverment knows about this.

Just curious: has anyone here who is in FL seen any wire corrosion on telephone, data, or coax due to this sheetrock? Is this problem widespread enough that putting "junk sheetrock voids our warranty" disclaimers in contracts necessary?

Jack