Mattel apologizes to China for toy recalls

[Hans]

It's always good to see a capitalist crawl and kiss a communists' feet in order to make some more cash.

Mattel Inc. tried to save face Friday with Chinese officials, taking the blame for the recent recalls of millions of Chinese-made toys as it strives to mend a strained relationship with the nation that makes most of its toys and fattens its profit.

The world's largest toy maker sent a top executive to personally apologize to China's product safety chief, Li Changjang, as reporters and company lawyers looked on.

"Mattel takes full responsibility for these recalls and apologizes personally to you, the Chinese people and all of our customers who received the toys," Thomas A. Debrowski, Mattel's executive vice president for worldwide operations, told Li.

http://money.cnn.com/2007/09/21/news/int...sion=2007092119 (http://money.cnn.com/2007/09/21/news/international/bc.china.taintedproducts.ap/index.htm?postversion=2007092119)

[GenX]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body">It's always good to see a capitalist crawl and kiss a communists' feet in order to make some more cash. </div></div>

Spoken like a true European!! /ubbthreads/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/beerchug.gif

Thank you, God, for taking away any vestiges of power and influence from Europe, and thank you for...

[The Berean]

For what?? Putting the USA at the mercy of the saftey standrads of a communist country?? You fools did that to yourselves!!!

[DoubleXL]

China owns the USA. Enough Said.

[Striker]

It's sickening to see what will be done for the almighty dollar.........American, European or Canadian or otherwise.

[Soundbear]

True.

[Hans]

China is on it's way to becoming a US trade partner.

/ubbthreads/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/rofl.gif

[Soundbear]

Let's put this all together.

Trade rules say don't treat off shore products any different than American made, right??

So (as tonight's news said) big companies like Mattel go for the cheapest manufacturing they can get, even to giving up Mexican $6 a day labour for Chinese $1 a day.

Then China makes dangerous toys, for our CHILDREN.

They get recalled for as much as 4 percent lead content in paint, which is probably almost 500,000 times higher than safety standards.

And Mattel apologizes???

That has got to be the stupidest thing I have ever heard.

[1337]

Big Brother America is bowing down to China after the decline of it's dollar.

Sounds like my big brother, makes him self to be all big and tough, beating up other kids, but when he is down and out, he looks to the little guys for money /ubbthreads/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/wink.gif

I should rename him USA

[stupefied]

<span style="color: #666666">On Friday, Debrowski acknowledged that the "vast majority of those products that were recalled were the result of a design flaw in Mattel's design, not through a manufacturing flaw in China's manufacturers."

<u>Lead-tainted toys accounted for only a small percentage</u> of all toys recalled, he added.

In a statement issued later, Mattel said its lead-related recalls were "overly inclusive, including toys that may not have had lead in paint in excess of the U.S. standards."

"The follow-up inspections also confirmed that part of the recalled toys complied with the U.S. standards," the statement said, without giving specific figures.

In Beijing, Debrowski said, "We understand and appreciate deeply the <u>issues that this has caused for the reputation of Chinese manufacturers</u>."</span>

They're not apologizing to China for the lead paint. They are apologizing for blaming Chinese manufacturing for alot of issues that were the fault of Mattel. In other words, in the case of most of the recalls the factory which manufactured the item was only following the design/specs provided to them. Seems reasonable to me.

Furthermore, if Mattel or any other company is relying on foreign factories to do the manufacturing, they should be making damn sure they have proper inspection practices to make sure stuff like the lead in the paint doesn't happen. Both Mattel and the Chinese manufacturer should share the blame for that. The manufacturer for doing it and Mattel for not properly inspecting the finished product. It's hard to have confidence in a company that blames problems with it's products on a foreign factory. If their name is on the package they are ultimately responsible.

[hp2]

HUMMMMMMmm wounder where my cheque is~~~

[Soundbear]

Tiny Tim, thanks for the clarification.

I think apologizing was the right thing to do, and in my eyes, Mattel gained honour for doing it. For me it showed character for a company to own up its responsibilities.

[KDawg]

I think their reasons were a bit more self-serving than that:

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body"> He suggested Mattel may want to prevent China from imposing more taxes or regulations.</div></div>

That would mean higher prices for Mattel products, and higher prices are bad for business with an already-weak dollar.

[GenX]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Aydeloof</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I think apologizing was the right thing to do, and in my eyes, Mattel gained honour for doing it. For me it showed character for a company to own up its responsibilities.

</div></div>

Then we can assume Mattel is a Canadian company?

Huggy, T-Pot, can either of you confirm?

[DoubleXL]

Mattel is an American toy company.

[DoubleXL]

If you can call them American, since their products are actually produced in China. You could say they are a Chinese company. America doesn't really produce anything anymore, except Terrorism.

[GenX]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: AHDoubleXL</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Mattel is an American toy company. </div></div>

Thanks, Captain Obvious.

[GenX]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: AHDoubleXL</div><div class="ubbcode-body">If you can call them American, since their products are actually produced in China. You could say they are a Chinese company. America doesn't really produce anything anymore, except Terrorism. </div></div>

We also produce Gold Medal hockey teams at the Olympics; two, as a matter of fact, since 1960.

How many has Canada had since 1960?

[DoubleXL]

You know, you are really annoying. LOL. Nobody was even talking about hockey genius.

[GenX]

Did I mention I like hockey?