How Important is Made in the USA?

[dcyrilc]

Good point. My Milwaukee appears to have its hammering capability from lots of use; so I too have been keeping an eye out for a replacement when the inevitable happens to my non-Chinese made hammer-drill. That's when I discovered the evil "Made in China" phrase in McFeely's catalog next to Milwaukee products.

Still up huh?

My Milwaukee died a while back. I just haven't had to replace it yet. Now that I work for the city rather than as a contractor, I don't need the tools as often as I used to. I'm kind of enjoying that. LOL. Even so, I'm still going to need to buy another quality corded drill. There's things you just can't do with a cordless and don't want to break out the Hole-Hawg for.:laughing:

 

[Builder]

Hmmm. You have me thinking. Maybe more of us who use these tools (milwaukee, etc) should be buying stock and voting on where and how production is done. Got to keep the quality up. I'm going to have to replace my Milwaukee drill before long.

I was using my 1&3/4" roto-hammer yesterday to drill holes for rebar before a concrete pour. It definately says "made in USA" on it. I also have 2) 8-1/4" worm drive framing saws. The old one says "Made in USA". The newer one says "Mexico" on it.

I called Milwaukee a year ago and actually got through to someone about foreign built Milwaukee tools. They are now owned by a company out of Hong Kong. Same company that owns Ryobi.

Anyway, I voiced my displeasure about them shutting US plants, but there's no longer ANY 100%l American alternative. From what I've read, Milwaukee isn't really even American owned anymore.


"Milwaukee Electric Tool is a subsidiary of Techtronic Industries Co. Ltd. (TTI), ttigroup.com.
Founded in 1985, TTI is a leading marketer, manufacturer and supplier of home improvement and floor care products, employing over 20,000 people worldwide. TTI's global brand portfolio includes Ryobiｮ, Milwaukeeｮ and AEGｮ power tools, DreBoｮ carbide drill bits, Homeliteｮ and Ryobiｮ outdoor power equipment and Royalｮ, Dirt Devilｮ, Reginaｮ and VAXｮ floor care appliances. The acquisition takes advantage of TTI and Milwaukee痴 marketing and distribution networks and enhances Milwaukee痴 ability to expand its markets and product portfolio worldwide."

Yeah, right....BS!! I liked Milwaukee better when they were an old American brand name that focused on building heavy duty tools that the construction industry could rely on. I bet when "TTI" bought them, they laid off as many Americans and shut down as many American plants as possible.

 

[tulenutn2o]

Sorry to hear that, Me, my wife, and all of my friends are better off financially, than our parents, and especially our grandparents. I have put substantial savings away for retirement, not counting on anyone else to pay my way when that time comes (Social Security). This is started to head down the wrong path from the OP, I will bow out.
I totally agree with your last two sentences! I wish it was equal.

I will do fine in retirement as I have worked,saved,invested. I have always been one to rely on no one but myself.(I was taught, harder one works,the farther you get, but am realizing that in some instances, you just get tired).I have never even considered SS to be anything other than a carrot out there in front of us that I will probably never get. I would prefer to save or invest it myself.(would have been a bonus).My point was that with forced career changes during my prime earning years, the point at which I am truly better off keeps moving farther away. Incomes have stagnated while costs of everything have kept increasing. We have more resistant and widespread diseases, environment in shambles. I might have been better off than my parents, had I chose to live a simpler life. In living a simpler, less materialistic life, one worries less about trying to keep what he has, and more about LIVING. Can't lose what you don't have. I think, the simple life will win out in the end.

 

[dcyrilc]

Until I went to work for the city five years ago, I did the same job which my father did as an electrical foreman building traffic signals. In one generation, the cost of major purchases have gone up by ten fold (10x), whereas income has doubled (2x). To have the same buying power my father had at my age, I would need to make around $300/hr.:confused2: My wife's father bought and paid off their house in three years as a forklift operator. Our house is of comparable age to what theirs was when they bought it (27 years old) , but it would take every penny of my entire gross income for about 3-1/2 years to pay for it. Also, our house is one of the cheapest you can find in the area we live (paid $226K). Most houses around here sell for $350-400K. I went out of my way to have the lowest house payment I could get. The relator laughed when I said I didn't want to pay over $200K.

All-in-all, I would have to say our parents had it better than we will. When they were where we are, they had their houses paid off, whereas 50% of our income goes into mortgage rather than retirement like they did at our age.

EDIT: The used Hundai I bought this year for $6K is about 1/3 of what my wife's father paid for their house ($20K).

 

[demoman357]

If this was reviously covered within the thread, I apologize. What exactly does it take on a federal or state level to be able to attach a decal of an American flag with the words "Made in USA" to a piece of equipment? I personaly know of an equipment dealer in Oregon who only assembles parts from china (100% of the parts) and then applies a decal that states "Assembled in USA with pride". The ironic part is that the dealer employs people who cannot speak english, but I digress. Like other replies to the original post, what exactly are we getting? I would actively seek out and purchase quality manufactured, 100% USA made implements as long as I would not be expected to pay a large premium JUST for the country of origin. 10% would not scare me away but 30% to 200% definately would. I must look at my aquisition cost/usefull life ratio and decide if "good enough is right for me. If I can support domestic jobs and commerce as well, then great, but I am not wealthy enough to just pay through my nose. Perhaps the OP should start a consortium of like-minded businesspersons who promote themselves as offering good old-fashioned value while keeping the money at home. Then, once that movement is better established, expand. I am involved with marketing and promotion for a local farmers market. We have learned that the value must be noticed by the consumer. Foreign steel looks just like domestic steel and assembly line chicken eggs look like organic happy chicken eggs. The proof is in the taste and the satisfaction of the end user. Do not be afraid to stand behind products even if you take it in the shorts a few times. Customer loyalty and word of mouth advertising can go a very long way if you offer long-term guarantees and the like. A customer service department that uses competent humans to answer questions in a timely manner can get more people to conclude that they really are getting what they pay for and be willing to pay extra when they get extra.

 

[foggy1111]

I used to own a manufacturing company that made a number of products for the shooting sports industry.

About 15+ years ago.....a SD company (I believe the company was called "FLAGS") was promoting their plan to add the USA FLAG label to products that had materials and labor that were 100% Made in the USA....in an effort to promote our national interests. It was at this point that the country was quickly losing 100% USA made products. This flag company wanted manufacturers to pay a few % points premium to them for the use of their "flag logo" and the "100% made in the USA" words. Any effort to do so without their blessing (and fee) was going to be an issue with them. Evidently they had some intellectual property rights to these things. :confused2:

Anyway....long-story-short....while we were 100% USA made....I was unwilling to be "held-up" by this company and pay the extra % they wanted to put MY countries flag on MY products. The buzz was you could not use a flag on your product without paying somebody to use it. DUH!!! I refused....but nobody could prevent you from saying Made in the USA in words.....sans the flag. Seems somebody always has their finger in my pie.

My old company is now making its products in good 'ole china.....and do not meet my "old" standards for quality (and I don't think they ever saved and money by going to china with this product line.) What are you gonna do?

Its becoming almost impossible to be 100% made in the USA anymore. And I fear we will regret it.

 

[Whatswrong]

I can't see 10% being an issue if you can afford $500 than $550 isn't an issue.Remember as a manufacturer NAFTA plays a big part .The company I work for has some items that if we try to export them to USA the duty is extreme and in my opinion the quality is poor ,but don't fool yourself US and Canadian products are only as good as the quality control officer ,far from good let alone perfect.

 

[mjncad]

There's things you just can't do with a cordless and don't want to break out the Hole-Hawg for.:laughing:

At least you have a Hole-Hawg!

I called Milwaukee a year ago and actually got through to someone about foreign built Milwaukee tools. They are now owned by a company out of Hong Kong. Same company that owns Ryobi.

Anyway, I voiced my displeasure about them shutting US plants, but there's no longer ANY 100%l American alternative. From what I've read, Milwaukee isn't really even American owned anymore.


"Milwaukee Electric Tool is a subsidiary of Techtronic Industries Co. Ltd. (TTI), ttigroup.com.
Founded in 1985, TTI is a leading marketer, manufacturer and supplier of home improvement and floor care products, employing over 20,000 people worldwide. TTI's global brand portfolio includes Ryobiｮ, Milwaukeeｮ and AEGｮ power tools, DreBoｮ carbide drill bits, Homeliteｮ and Ryobiｮ outdoor power equipment and Royalｮ, Dirt Devilｮ, Reginaｮ and VAXｮ floor care appliances. The acquisition takes advantage of TTI and Milwaukee痴 marketing and distribution networks and enhances Milwaukee痴 ability to expand its markets and product portfolio worldwide."

Yeah, right....BS!! I liked Milwaukee better when they were an old American brand name that focused on building heavy duty tools that the construction industry could rely on. I bet when "TTI" bought them, they laid off as many Americans and shut down as many American plants as possible.

Oh just frakking great. You can bet TTI will screw Milwaukee over like Black & Decker did to DeWalt and Delta. It seems that the only Delta tools people rave about were the ones made during the Rockwell era. I have a Delta 10" bench grinder from the Pentair era, and its OK; but not as nice as the Jet I should have bought back then.

About 15+ years ago.....a SD company (I believe the company was called "FLAGS") was promoting their plan to add the USA FLAG label to products that had materials and labor that were 100% Made in the USA....in an effort to promote our national interests. It was at this point that the country was quickly losing 100% USA made products. This flag company wanted manufacturers to pay a few % points premium to them for the use of their "flag logo" and the "100% made in the USA" words. Any effort to do so without their blessing (and fee) was going to be an issue with them. Evidently they had some intellectual property rights to these things. :confused2:

Anyway....long-story-short....while we were 100% USA made....I was unwilling to be "held-up" by this company and pay the extra % they wanted to put MY countries flag on MY products. The buzz was you could not use a flag on your product without paying somebody to use it. DUH!!! I refused....but nobody could prevent you from saying Made in the USA in words.....sans the flag. Seems somebody always has their finger in my pie.

Its becoming almost impossible to be 100% made in the USA anymore. And I fear we will regret it.

Since when is the US flag copyrighted? This sounds like a total shakedown scheme the FTC and/or Attorney General should be looking into.

A country unable or unwilling to provide for itself is doomed to fail.

 

[doall]

I would definately pay more for truly Made In The USA. I don't care if the quality is equal to the imported item. I'm tired of all the excuses that are posted by those that are employed by or have ties to imported materials or products. thats all they are excuses. Tarrifs, epa, osha, government in general. Its excuses to keep doing what they are already doing; stuffing their pockets. As far as quality of life; everybody used to have a couple of hundred acres or more and could pay for anything they needed. The common man can't even dream of starting a farm or buying a hunting paradise now. I think our money is definately weaker than our parents or grandparents. Maybe it you were born well off your wealth has continued to grow at a rate unequal to the average Americans. Yes I know there are those out there that came from nothing and are now wealthy, but its not the norm.

 

[Builder]

Oh just frakking great. You can bet TTI will screw Milwaukee over like Black & Decker did to DeWalt and Delta. It seems that the only Delta tools people rave about were the ones made during the Rockwell era. I have a Delta 10" bench grinder from the Pentair era, and its OK; but not as nice as the Jet I should have bought back then.

I have a couple Rockwell tools including a long power planer I use on doors that is an excellent tool. It was given to me by the wife of a local carpenter who passed away. Great, heavy solid tool.