# What industries are there no small/obscure players? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [December 22, 2013, 9:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-industries-are-there-no-small-obscure-players/676944 "2013-12-22T09:03:55Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![watchwolf49](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e9c0ed/32.png) [@watchwolf49](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/watchwolf49)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2013, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-industries-are-there-no-small-obscure-players/676944/21 "2013-12-22T20:55:43Z")
I think once you get past a few national governments, there’s no middle sized thermonuclear device manufacturing. I suppose there might be a few mom-and-pop operations, but really you’d have to go to one of these nation-states if you’re looking to buy. Automobiles … once past the first layer or two, your options really shrink. This used to be the poster child of economies-of-scale, perhaps not as much anymore. ---
**Author:** ![thelurkinghorror](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7c8e57/32.png) [@thelurkinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelurkinghorror)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2013, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-industries-are-there-no-small-obscure-players/676944/22 "2013-12-22T21:04:23Z")
My thought from the title: the All-Star Game? > [@racer72](#): > > Large commercial airliners. There are just 2 left, Boeing and Airbus. What does large mean, like 747 size? Mentioned in the OP, but I would’ve mentioned Bombardier Aerospace for commercial-sized, unless we are only counting US companies? They have half as many employees as Airbus, so not tiny (that may not be the best metric). Alaska Airlines likes their planes I believe. Also Embraer, although I haven’t really heard of them until just now. Does e.g. Lenovo make their own hard drives, or are they just branded? LaCie? Some brands also may specialize in internal vs. external drives. I would argue that despite competitors, customers _effectively_ only have a choice between Intel and AMD for CPUs, or Nvidia and ATI/AMD for video cards. You can buy one of the third party ones, but you’ll probably regret it. There’s plenty of charts online like [this](http://prdomination.files.wordpress.com/2011/11/global-concentration_the-media-ownership-chart2.jpg) or [this](http://www.cornucopia.org/graphics/organic_ownership.jpg). ---
**Author:** ![Dallas\_Jones](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dallas_jones/32/3277_2.png) [@Dallas\_Jones](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dallas_Jones)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2013, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-industries-are-there-no-small-obscure-players/676944/23 "2013-12-22T21:08:58Z")
Automobile batteries in the US are all made by only a few companies. Most of the brands, including high end brands like Optima, are all made by Johnson Controls. Even Interstate Batteries is owned by Johnson Controls. > **[Interstate Batteries](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interstate_Batteries)** > > Interstate Battery System of America, Inc., a.k.a. Interstate Batteries, is a US privately owned battery marketing and distribution company. It markets automotive batteries manufactured by Brookfield Business Partners, Exide Technologies, and others through independent distributors. The company is headquartered in Dallas, Texas, and it also markets marine/RV, mobility, motorcycle, lawn and garden, and other lines of batteries in the starting, lighting and ignition (SLI) markets. Interstate Batt... ---
**Author:** ![dracoi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/90db22/32.png) [@dracoi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dracoi)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2013, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-industries-are-there-no-small-obscure-players/676944/24 "2013-12-22T21:13:19Z")
> [@thelurkinghorror](#): > > Does e.g. Lenovo make their own hard drives, or are they just branded? LaCie? Some brands also may specialize in internal vs. external drives. Most of the external/portable hard drive brands will be a case made by someone like LaCie, but the drive inside was made by someone like Western Digital. Sometimes the official specs will tell you the HDD brand, but you can always tell if you crack the case open. ---
**Author:** ![thelurkinghorror](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7c8e57/32.png) [@thelurkinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelurkinghorror)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2013, 10:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-industries-are-there-no-small-obscure-players/676944/25 "2013-12-22T22:25:27Z")
> [@dracoi](#): > > Most of the external/portable hard drive brands will be a case made by someone like LaCie, but the drive inside was made by someone like Western Digital. Sometimes the official specs will tell you the HDD brand, but you can always tell if you crack the case open. Oh, I’m sure there is rebranding going on. But these companies also make or “make” internal drives. On Newegg, LaCie has 22 3.5" internal drives listed, and Lenovo has 100. In that case, they probably hide it better. ---
**Author:** ![ataraxy22](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ataraxy22/32/307_2.png) [@ataraxy22](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ataraxy22)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2013, 12:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-industries-are-there-no-small-obscure-players/676944/26 "2013-12-23T00:42:51Z")
What about professional sports leagues? Besides the NFL, there isn’t really a lot of options for professional American rules football. ---
**Author:** ![Habeed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a587f6/32.png) [@Habeed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Habeed)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2013, 12:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-industries-are-there-no-small-obscure-players/676944/27 "2013-12-23T00:49:20Z")
The thing about all these examples is that the world is more efficient with fewer players, in most cases. Virtually all of these examples are for a product that requires either advanced technology or massive infrastructure to compete in the marketplace. The fewer the companies there are, the fewer duplicate functions “the world” has to pay for. There’s a massive prototyping lab staffed by a bunch of engineers and scientists for the hard drive companies, food manufacturing is done is gigantic mostly automated plants, and so on. That’s why there are so many zipper manufacturers left over : it’s apparently only moderately difficult to manufacture zippers. ---
**Author:** ![AaronX](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/7bcc69/32.png) [@AaronX](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AaronX)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2013, 1:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-industries-are-there-no-small-obscure-players/676944/28 "2013-12-23T01:12:55Z")
> [@Shalmanese](#): > > From your own cite, there’s also [Kleeman](http://elevation.wikia.com/wiki/Kleemann), [Elevator Services Co.](http://elevation.wikia.com/wiki/Elevator_Service_Co.) & [Pickerings](http://elevation.wikia.com/wiki/Pickerings_Lifts). Yes, and it’s one of the best examples so far. ---
**Author:** ![jasg](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f0a364/32.png) [@jasg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jasg)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2013, 1:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-industries-are-there-no-small-obscure-players/676944/29 "2013-12-23T01:34:14Z")
> [@oz0ne](#): > > North American diesel-electric freight and passenger locomotives: General Electric and EMD (General Motors). Well sure, if you want diesel… but if you want a real locomotive, these [guys](http://www.strasburgrailroad.com/machine-shop-freight/new-construction-of-locomotive-equipment/) will build you a steam locomotive! ---
**Author:** ![jasg](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f0a364/32.png) [@jasg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jasg)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2013, 1:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-industries-are-there-no-small-obscure-players/676944/30 "2013-12-23T01:37:15Z")
> [@watchwolf49](#): > > I think once you get past a few national governments, there’s no middle sized thermonuclear device manufacturing. I suppose there might be a few mom-and-pop operations, but really you’d have to go to one of these nation-states if you’re looking to buy. Yeah, but try finding a mom-and-pop supplier for ICBMs or Boomers. ---
**Author:** ![the\_diego](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7bcc69/32.png) [@the\_diego](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/the_diego)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2013, 1:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-industries-are-there-no-small-obscure-players/676944/31 "2013-12-23T01:37:33Z")
Natural monopolies like a city electric distributor; or a government contractor for, say, printing legal tender; or those involved with regulated technologies, like weapons. ---
**Author:** ![thelurkinghorror](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7c8e57/32.png) [@thelurkinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelurkinghorror)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2013, 1:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-industries-are-there-no-small-obscure-players/676944/32 "2013-12-23T01:59:53Z")
> [@ataraxy22](#): > > What about professional sports leagues? Besides the NFL, there isn’t really a lot of options for professional American rules football. The CFL? Nowhere near as popular, and the rules are slightly different. But nothing too major, just well known things like the number of downs, as well as lesser known rules like having to say “sorry” every play. And players can switch pretty easily. Not much coverage in the US (although sportsbooks cover it), but both are popular up north (let’s pretend that’s not relative to hockey). ---
**Author:** ![urban1a](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/e47c2d/32.png) [@urban1a](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/urban1a)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2013, 2:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-industries-are-there-no-small-obscure-players/676944/33 "2013-12-23T02:20:05Z")
> [@njtt](#): > > Oil. There are hundreds of small oil companies and drillers operating in the US. Bob ---
**Author:** ![chacoguy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/50afbb/32.png) [@chacoguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chacoguy)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2013, 2:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-industries-are-there-no-small-obscure-players/676944/34 "2013-12-23T02:51:42Z")
There’s only one Zamboni. ---
**Author:** ![thelurkinghorror](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7c8e57/32.png) [@thelurkinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelurkinghorror)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2013, 3:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-industries-are-there-no-small-obscure-players/676944/35 "2013-12-23T03:44:50Z")
> [@chacoguy](#): > > There’s only one Zamboni. Nope, also [Resurfice Corporation or Olympia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Resurfice_Corporation), although for most people “Zamboni” is a genericized term, like “kleenex.” ---
**Author:** ![Tastes\_of\_Chocolate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tastes_of_chocolate/32/3232_2.png) [@Tastes\_of\_Chocolate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tastes_of_Chocolate)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2013, 4:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-industries-are-there-no-small-obscure-players/676944/36 "2013-12-23T04:25:32Z")
There are lots of military grade electronic components that are only made by one or two suppliers. ---
**Author:** ![Martini\_Enfield](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/martini_enfield/32/11123_2.png) [@Martini\_Enfield](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Martini_Enfield)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2013, 4:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-industries-are-there-no-small-obscure-players/676944/37 "2013-12-23T04:42:04Z")
> [@the\_diego](#): > > Natural monopolies like a city electric distributor; or a government contractor for, say, printing legal tender; or those involved with regulated technologies, like weapons. I was going to mention “Sporting firearms”, actually - there’s just not that many firms globally who manufacture guns for the civilian market and they’re all generally pretty well known (There’s countless more who modify or customise already extant guns, however). ---
**Author:** ![oz0ne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/9fc348/32.png) [@oz0ne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/oz0ne)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2013, 5:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-industries-are-there-no-small-obscure-players/676944/38 "2013-12-23T05:20:59Z")
> [@jasg](#): > > Well sure, if you want diesel… but if you want a real locomotive, these [guys](http://www.strasburgrailroad.com/machine-shop-freight/new-construction-of-locomotive-equipment/) will build you a steam locomotive! :golf clap: I love it. ---
**Author:** ![oz0ne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/9fc348/32.png) [@oz0ne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/oz0ne)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2013, 5:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-industries-are-there-no-small-obscure-players/676944/39 "2013-12-23T05:34:14Z")
> [@Martini\_Enfield](#): > > I was going to mention “Sporting firearms”, actually - there’s just not that many firms globally who manufacture guns for the civilian market and they’re all generally pretty well known (There’s countless more who modify or customise already extant guns, however). Who’d you have on your mind regarding this, Martini? ETA: That sounded really confrontational. Not my intention. ---
**Author:** ![Hampshire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hampshire/32/4887_2.png) [@Hampshire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hampshire)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2013, 5:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-industries-are-there-no-small-obscure-players/676944/40 "2013-12-23T05:56:05Z")
I had once heard that even though their are dozens and dozens of brand names on microwave ovens that there are only a couple makers of the magnetrons inside them. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-industries-are-there-no-small-obscure-players/676944.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-industries-are-there-no-small-obscure-players/676944.md?page=3)