While recent travails in China are causing alarm, exposing potential liabilities from lead paint in toys or tainted pet foods for some U.S. businesses, the overall impact on global risk managers is overblown, experts say.
"The Mattel case is just a very obvious wake-up call for all U.S.-based companies that are rapidly trying to drive costs down and increase productivity by moving production to low-cost countries," said Dennis Morais, an international risk manager for Benton Harbor, Mich.-based appliance maker, Whirlpool Corp.
"What happened to Mattel is obviously impacting them hugely in the United States," said Mr. Morais, referring to recent news that Mattel would recall popular toys with surface paint that might contain excessive lead levels. The toys were made in China and imported and distributed by its Mattel's Fisher-Price unit.
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