The fall of Kona Bikes :(

[benb]

Seven or IF likely have to deal with health insurance and benefits.

That's a huge PITA to a US manufacturer in that size range. The overseas competitors are in countries with nationalized health care that have done a much better job of controlling costs AND wages are much lower.

A one man shop likely doesn't deal with any of that but still has to figure out where to buy insurance for the proprietor.