USA vs Singapore



#6

I have been in love with and using HP calculators since 1978, when I picked up my dad's HP25. I used and still own my original 11c from high school and college. I am now trying to collect one HP unit from each series, but as I am doing so one thing has happened that is stumping me. Seems as all the ones I used way back (dad's 25 and 32e, my own 11c, and a few others) were all USA built units. Now that I am collecting, it seems every unit I win on e-Bay or aquire from other sources are Singapore built. Is this just coincidence, or are the Singapore units more plentiful or worth less on the collector market? I have put two old mint 1977 25's I own, one USA, one Singapore, under the eye and can find absolutely NO differences. So why did HP manufacture the same thing (through many of the series, even the oldies) in the USA and Singapore to sell in the USA? Were they smart to go for the cheaper labor even back in the early to mid 70's, or did they figure making them in Singapore too would make them easier to ship to other world markets?
Any insight would be appreciated.


#7

It was just cheaper.
From the quality view the calcs don't seem to be much different.

I have many models where one's built in the U.S., the other in Singapore.

Raymond


#8

Thanks for the insights- looking at some of my calcs, the USA ones do have earlier SN's. Again maybe just coincidence, but it seems like the faces on the classic/woodstock models made in Singapore scuff easier than the USA units. I have also noticed USA built voyagers tend to have more dust inside the LCD than Singapore voyagers...must have cleaner assy. plants in Singapore :)

#9

By looking at the serial numbers of various units it seems that HP usually started making them in the US then as they got familiar with each model moved production to the US. Earlier serial numbers in each series are always US, later ones are Singapore and very occasionally Brazil.

#10

I don't think cost is the only factor in the case of Singapore. It may be something that comes with outlawing chewing gum, but Singapore is known for high quality manufacturing. Hard drives have been built there for a long time.

A semiconductor rep once told me about a facility in Indonesia or Maylasia where something happened - an employee had an epileptic seizure or something - and the crew wouldn't come back until a religious official blessed the building.

(This isn't intended to poke fun at people's beliefs, but every place has its own customs.)

I heard recently that with the great volume of manufacturing that is done primarily for the Christmas season, non-Christians in the Asian countries where so much of the manufacturing is done have started celebrating Christmas (or at least the gift giving part of it!) to take advantage of the good prices.


Possibly Related Threads…
Thread Author Replies Views Last Post
  It's tax time in the USA again... Michael Meyer 1 955 02-15-2012, 11:43 PM
Last Post: Steve Fennell
  HP15C LE arrives in Singapore Prabhu Bhooplapur 1 965 10-02-2011, 05:10 PM
Last Post: Juergen Keller
  Ok, the hunt is on... Nimh charger solution for N-cell batteries in the USA Gene Wright 34 7,942 06-10-2011, 07:23 AM
Last Post: Bill (Smithville, NJ)
  Was: advice needed to visit USA Patrice 3 1,316 10-16-2010, 06:16 PM
Last Post: Patrice
  advice needed to visit USA Patrice 33 7,265 09-06-2010, 02:25 PM
Last Post: JDonley
  30B - On The Way - from USA ! John Stark 32 7,267 06-22-2010, 12:33 PM
Last Post: Katie Wasserman
  HP 12C: 1988 USA vs 1991 Brazil RandyL 1 963 08-30-2007, 03:27 PM
Last Post: marais
  Buying Calc from UK to USA? Paul 2 1,075 12-22-2006, 11:42 AM
Last Post: David Smith
  Were any HP32SII's ever made in USA? JaSon 6 1,870 09-14-2006, 06:30 AM
Last Post: Randy
  TI USA Warming up for new TI NSpire Calculator Namir 4 1,653 09-12-2006, 11:45 AM
Last Post: Jeff Wolfe

Forum Jump: