How Important is Made in the USA?

[rScotty]

Whew! What a fascinating thread! My first impression is that folks prefer quality over price, and if all else is equal then we wouldn't mind paying a little more for "Made in the USA". But the main bias I'm reading seems to lean toward quality rather than price.

And that's the way I feel. When I see something priced for more, my first question is, "Why does it cost more?" Because if it costs more for a reason that makes it last longer or be more useful to me then I'm going to seriously consider buying that one.

A few decades ago buying a tool built with top quality manufacturing, best materials, and clever design almost guaranteed that the tool would be made in the USA. Sometimes that still happens, and when it does I'll definitely buy the one made in the USA. Buying the best and being able to support our country at the same time makes me feel good all over. Proud to do so. But when I see average quality tools competing with other average quality tools based on where they are made rather than how well they are made then I have the opposite reaction.
rScotty

 

[dcyrilc]

Whew! What a fascinating thread! My first impression is that folks prefer quality over price, and if all else is equal then we wouldn't mind paying a little more for "Made in the USA". But the main bias I'm reading seems to lean toward quality rather than price.

And that's the way I feel. When I see something priced for more, my first question is, "Why does it cost more?" Because if it costs more for a reason that makes it last longer or be more useful to me then I'm going to seriously consider buying that one.

A few decades ago buying a tool built with top quality manufacturing, best materials, and clever design almost guaranteed that the tool would be made in the USA. Sometimes that still happens, and when it does I'll definitely buy the one made in the USA. Buying the best and being able to support our country at the same time makes me feel good all over. Proud to do so. But when I see average quality tools competing with other average quality tools based on where they are made rather than how well they are made then I have the opposite reaction.
rScotty

Well said.:thumbsup:

 

[Trafficman]

Ted,

Absolutely positively! I'm a 50 yo, 29 yr union civil servant. Make it here (North America), sell it here. The worst thing the US ever did was open trade to CHINA. I agree with WVPolecat 10% more for USA made, 25% for USA only parts.

RMully

The biggest problem is parts. There are many Chinese implements around at good prices but if it breaks and the dealer does not have it in stock you are SOL for a long time or pay dearly for the part to be expressed over. Looks good but I would not take a chance. Italy is the worst, you get the part when they get around to it.

The solution I use for this is this. When it breaks I go buy another one that has the part I need. Trade the broken for the good, & take the new one back with the broken part & get my $$ back. Although I think Chinese parts are the worst IMO.

CCWKen

I'll bet everyone here shops at Walmart. 90%+ of their products are from off-shore manufactures. They didn't get to be Number One in sales by offering quality American products to the up-scale buyers. They got their by selling CHEAP products to low and middle income buyers.

I've NEVER even gone into a Wally World, & won't. My wife shopped there once & everything went back.

CCWKen & Lostcause,
Except for some specialty steels, NO steel is produced in the US. Where are you going to buy the material except from off-shore makers? It doesn't make any difference if you're making buttons or building a skyscraper, the US doesn't make the steel anymore. It's not here to buy.

Bethlehem Steel has been running 24/7/365 for the last 10+ yrs. The EPA & OSHA did shut down Furnace #1 for replacement ~15 yrs ago, after a crew passed out from CO, 2 of which died. That furnace was built in the 1890's so it was kinda due. My former BIL was on the crew that worked the shift before the crew that died. He always seemed to come home with headaches, I wonder why. Since that time I believe they have replaced & upgraded ALL of their furnaces & manufacturing capabilities.

Dcyrilc,

Been to a WalMart, ONCE, never been back. Same goes for Harbor Freight. Nothing of interest for me there. 99% of the stuff is garbage. I go to Home Depot around once or twice a year, Only because everyone else is out of what I'm after. I'd rather pay a little more at the local hardware store and keep them in business than spend it at a chain store

Yup, more of the Mom & Pop hardware stores have gone under since the BORG & Hechinger (remember them?) began.

I know that in Washington State, all traffic signal poles must be made from US steel. Same thing for galvanized rigid conduit used on state DOT projects.

The same is true for MDDOT & Montgomery County MD projects I work for MCDOT, hence my moniker Trafficman

T-Man.

 

[lostcause]

Bethlehem Steel has been running 24/7/365 for the last 10+ yrs. The EPA & OSHA did shut down Furnace #1 for replacement ~15 yrs ago, after a crew passed out from CO, 2 of which died. That furnace was built in the 1890's so it was kinda due. My former BIL was on the crew that worked the shift before the crew that died. He always seemed to come home with headaches, I wonder why. Since that time I believe they have replaced & upgraded ALL of their furnaces & manufacturing capabilities.

hmmm, maybe i missed something. i thought bethlehem closed several years ago. i know we used to order steel from bethlehem's various plants - particularly the main steel mill in bethlehem, and the sparrows point plate mill. i just looked it up to be sure... closed/bankrupt in 2003, sold to international steel, which is now arcelor/mittal. according to wikipedia, there is now a resort casino on the site of the bethlehem steel mill. i'm guessing they aren't still rolling shapes.

 

[Builder]

hmmm, maybe i missed something. i thought bethlehem closed several years ago. i know we used to order steel from bethlehem's various plants - particularly the main steel mill in bethlehem, and the sparrows point plate mill. i just looked it up to be sure... closed/bankrupt in 2003, sold to international steel, which is now arcelor/mittal. according to wikipedia, there is now a resort casino on the site of the bethlehem steel mill. i'm guessing they aren't still rolling shapes.

You are correct. Bethlehem Steel - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Mittal now owns our local steel mill which was called Lukens Steel for over 100 years.

 

[Double6]

With all our government regulations and enviromental laws many USA companies have turned to China, Mexico & Japan for building their products, which is very unfortunate.
The US has some good regulations, but many are overreaching, and the US & foreign companies know it.
Can you imagine how good our economy would be if everything that was sold in Walmart, Kmart, Sears, Target, Home Depot, Lowes was made 100% in the USA? Yes! we would all have to pay a little more to comply with our laws, but unemployment would be very low and people would not be looking for unemployment benefits or going on welfare. I know its more complicated than that in this global world but you get the picture. Back in the 30's through the 60's I would bet raw steel & most products were made here in the USA. Then companies started going to Japan for cheaper labor & it esculated from there to other countries, China being the favorite now.
Look at the auto companies, they didn't think a company like Toyota could ever overtake them back in the 60's & 70's, then with some poor quality of the US made auto's & Toyota slowly gaining a following of good quality vehicles, till recently, they eventually overtook the Big 3 in the USA.
Back to the original post, Ted, I would pay 10% more for a product that was 100% made in the USA.

 

[Kyle_in_Tex]

American made steel company:
RW Conklin Steel Supply, Inc ? 100% Melted & Manufactured in the USA

10% should be attainable. If initially funded correctly, maybe less. To build a box blade:

1)cut steel on robotic CNC plasma(labor to load sheets and remove scraps)

2)Robotic welders (labor to fit steel into welding jigs.)

3)robotic powdercoat spray booth. (labor to load and unload)

4)prep and package. Minimal labor.

I could see where a properly laid out factory could make 24 box blades a shift with about 6 direct labor workers using modern technologies.

6 laborers burdened at $100/hour rate = $4800 day divided by 24 box blades = $200 labor per blade Now there are so many other overhead factors and epa crap that would be where the real 10% comes from....

I choose quality and preferably MADE IN USA when possible. 10 % is possible on simple implement items but it would take getting some good startup capital initial investment to do it right.

 

[EverythingAttachments]

There are so many people on here that say that their is no American Steel. My brothers company Construction Attachments and the tractor implements that we are building uses American Steel from Nucor Steel which has foundries all over the US.

Our prices will never be as high as Woods, Landpride, and Bush Hog, but we will be producing these types of superior equipment at a much better price point because there is no middle man, no distributors, and no sales reps. The end consumer is purchasing direct which saves money.

At first we will be keeping it simple by only building landscaping and gardening equipment with no intentions of building loaders, backhoes or rotary cutters. Quality by Design is our trademark, and we will be able to keep our costs down because we do not have the enormous overhead. We will also never re-brand and sell our implements in a "Box Store". They will only be available on our website for purchase.

It is the small things that count and we are already fabricating several key components so that we will be more in control of our inventory and not have our implements waiting three months on components to get here from China.

Made in the USA means a lot to me, and to the people that work for me, and it definitely means something to the new American employees that now have jobs because of this venture. If it has our name on it, it's going to be made in the USA and it is going to be the GOOD STUFF.

Quality by Design - Buy Direct!:thumbsup:

 

[Builder]

There are so many people on here that say that their is no American Steel. My brothers company Construction Attachments and the tractor implements that we are building uses American Steel from Nucor Steel which has foundries all over the US.

Our prices will never be as high as Woods, Landpride, and Bush Hog, but we will be producing these types of superior equipment at a much better price point because there is no middle man, no distributors, and no sales reps. The end consumer is purchasing direct which saves money.

At first we will be keeping it simple by only building landscaping and gardening equipment with no intentions of building loaders, backhoes or rotary cutters. Quality by Design is our trademark, and we will be able to keep our costs down because we do not have the enormous overhead. We will also never re-brand and sell our implements in a "Box Store". They will only be available on our website for purchase.

It is the small things that count and we are already fabricating several key components so that we will be more in control of our inventory and not have our implements waiting three months on components to get here from China.

Made in the USA means a lot to me, and to the people that work for me, and it definitely means something to the new American employees that now have jobs because of this venture. If it has our name on it, it's going to be made in the USA and it is going to be the GOOD STUFF.

Quality by Design - Buy Direct!:thumbsup:

Can't wait to see them. Put me on the list for:

Pallet forks
Grapple bucket with rake bottom
box blade

 

[Tractor Beam]

Trust me on this one...I'm a Vet and I fly the red, white and blue every day...I will gladly pay a 10% premium for a "Made in the USA" product...it is getting harder and harder to find good quality, AMERICAN made items. Bring it on!

I figure if the American companies ship jobs over to China, then they can get........... I make it a point to buy American made stuff, and if an American company builds their stuff in China then brings it here to sell, they are economic terrorists, plain and simpl. They may as well be Jihadists.