# What is Made in USA of global materials mean?



## MIKE ANTONETTI (Jul 17, 2012)

I wrote a big long column but it didn't post, Dam glitches.

Specifically Dewalt- what, the screws were turned, say made in USA? 

I Buy miUSA, as a priority to support the country we live in, I have put back tons of products on shelf.

So is this Marketing gimmick? Or a true high quality, American job creating force? 

I posted in tool forum verse Marketing for contractors who are true tool connoisseurs and make their money from them.


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## tjbnwi (Feb 24, 2009)

MIKE ANTONETTI said:


> I wrote a big long column but it didn't post, Dam glitches.
> 
> Specifically Dewalt- what, the screws were turned, say made in USA?
> 
> ...


Parts are made elsewhere/anywhere, assembled in the US.

https://www.ftc.gov/tips-advice/business-center/guidance/complying-made-usa-standard

Tom


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## MIKE ANTONETTI (Jul 17, 2012)

That's what I thought, it's a gimmick, therefor to me it has backfired, my Dewalt purchases will also be suppressed, until proven that the motor and casings are made here.


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## Lunicy (Dec 24, 2004)

unfortunately, If you are in the construction industry, you will buy foreign tools.


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## 91782 (Sep 6, 2012)

MIKE ANTONETTI said:


> That's what I thought, it's a gimmick, therefor to me it has backfired, my Dewalt purchases will also be suppressed, until proven that the motor and casings are made here.


When you think about it, every home built in the states is done the same way.


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## Ohio painter (Dec 4, 2011)

Good question Mike, I too prioritize made in America for as much as possible, and I am willing to pay more for it.
The true imported quality tools are separate from my way of thinking, such as Festool for example.

The cheap made in wherever knock offs don't enter into my way of thinking. I do however wonder about the made in America with global bits and pieces. I think we are supporting American jobs on more than just a warehouse / supply level so it may be as good as it gets. But What we need is to return to American manufacturing for prosperity for more Americans in general. 

Will it happen? I don't see it returning to what it once was. People are not willing to spend more for dishwashers, TV's, furniture, lawn mowers and other routine general day by day items, also it has become too political. 

The smaller market of true made in America items where quality and longevity are the priority will continue just fine and I for one will do all I can to support them.


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## TheGrizz (Sep 16, 2011)

Ohio painter said:


> Good question Mike, I too prioritize made in America for as much as possible, and I am willing to pay more for it.
> 
> The true imported quality tools are separate from my way of thinking, such as Festool for example.
> 
> ...



Actually, I can tell you that most dishwashers sold in America are made in America, even some of the foreign brands like Bosch are made here. Pretty sure a lot of furniture is as well, at least the quality stuff like LaZBoy & Broyhill. Pretty sure John Deere lawn mowers are made in America, and they don't seem to be doing too bad. TV's though, yeah, pretty sure those are all made in China just as dirt cheap as they can be.


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## J.C. (Sep 28, 2009)

The US labeling laws are quite strict compared to some other countries. DeWalt has to be careful what they say because more than one company has been sued based on "Made in USA" claims. They have tried to relax the US labeling laws a few times over the years but thankfully have been unsuccessful. 

Germany has pretty meaningless "Made in Germany" labeling laws. They have actually been trying to make their labeling laws a little more meaningful the last couple years but so far haven't done it. 

As for DeWalt, I don't like it but unfortunately, that's the best we got at this time. There just plain aren't any hand held power tools 100% made here with 100% American parts. I've already contacted them to tell them I'm happy to see they are once again at least opening some factories here but would like to see some power tools with a true "Made in USA" label. If they hear it from enough people, hopefully they'll listen. I think I'll remind them again to let them know I haven't forgotten about it.


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## J.C. (Sep 28, 2009)

Another thing worth noting. Stanley/Black & Decker and it's subsidiaries (DeWalt and Porter Cable) are the only US owned handheld power tool manufacturer left that is American owned. All the rest: Makita, Bosch, Skil, Festool, Milwaukee, Dremel, RotoZip, Delta, etc. are all foreign owned.


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## platinumLLC (Nov 18, 2008)

Unfortunately guys like us that actually take the time to look on the back of the package and see where things are made and spend a few extra bucks are the minority. The average person puts getting a good deal price-wise way above COO. To me a good deal isn't the cheapest tool, it's finding the best one that I can afford and hope it lasts a long time. That's not just for tools but all my purchases. 

When I go to buy something I try to do my homework and find the best quality and what my best options are based on quality, price, COO, etc. And make my decision that way.

On the flip side I won't pay more for a lower quality higher priced tool just because it's made in the US. I try to buy US whenever I can but if there is a better quality tool made somewhere else for cheaper I can't justify spending the extra money to get lower quality.

The assembled in the USA with global components really bugs me. I would like to see how many jobs that actually means. Does that mean they just throw a drill in a box and close it and are able to say assembled in the US? Or does that mean they put every piece together? Are these decent paying jobs?


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## TheGrizz (Sep 16, 2011)

platinumLLC said:


> Unfortunately guys like us that actually take the time to look on the back of the package and see where things are made and spend a few extra bucks are the minority. The average person puts getting a good deal price-wise way above COO. To me a good deal isn't the cheapest tool, it's finding the best one that I can afford and hope it lasts a long time. That's not just for tools but all my purchases.
> 
> 
> 
> ...



I have the same issue with " Made in the USA". I would love to buy more USA made products, but a lot of the stuff doesn't show a marked difference in quality, but is triple the price. If I was loaded, I wouldn't care, but I have to make my dollars count. 


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk


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## TempestV (Feb 3, 2007)

TheGrizz said:


> I have the same issue with " Made in the USA". I would love to buy more USA made products, but a lot of the stuff doesn't show a marked difference in quality, but is triple the price. If I was loaded, I wouldn't care, but I have to make my dollars count.
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk


I've often found the opposite to be true- very frequently there is almost no price difference between US made and Chinese made of the same quality, and frequently the US made option is the cheapest option on the shelf. 
I've also run into plenty of higher end companies that price higher, but then, their product is usually also higher end. For example, my Whites boots were very expensive, but then, they were custom fit for my feet. I'm guessing that's probably a bigger portion of the added cost than the fact that they were made in Spokane. Danner makes two versions of the quarry, one in the US, and one in China. The US boot costs, at most, about $20 more (and I've seen them for the same price), and it's much higher quality, and rebuildable, unlike the Chinese boot. 

Cost isn't the only reason that some stuff is made overseas. Continuing with my boot examples, I've been told by a redwing rep that the reason a particular boot was made in China was that one of the adhesives they used required an industrial process that was not allowed in the US.


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## jetdawg (Apr 9, 2015)

Usually means they're made from chinese steel :shifty:

Only reason anything is made in china is due to cost.


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## VinylHanger (Jul 14, 2011)

I don't automatically pick the US made stuff. Sometimes it is crap. A label doesn't a good product make.


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## Golden view (Feb 16, 2012)

From a do good standpoint, I don't care as much about tools as I do about materials. My $100 Chinese Milwaukee drill might let me install $millions in cabinetry and fixtures. If just one of those isn't built in the US, I'm already way behind.


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## Peter_C (Nov 26, 2014)

Assembled in the USA and Made in the USA with Global parts are often read on labels today. I can't remember the percentage, but to say made in the USA it has to be say 65% of parts made in America. The problem is very few electronic parts are made in the USA, yet so many products today are electronic. 

In business meetings we covered the whole topic of quality vs cheap. Think Made in the USA vs outside sources. The consensus today is people want the cheap product and don't care where it is made. So cheap wins. 



J.C. said:


> Another thing worth noting. Stanley/Black & Decker and it's subsidiaries (DeWalt and Porter Cable) are the only US owned handheld power tool manufacturer left that is American owned. All the rest: Makita, Bosch, Skil, Festool, Milwaukee, Dremel, RotoZip, Delta, etc. are all foreign owned.


Not quite true as Snap-on Tools is a US company. I have a few of their power tools.


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## EthanB (Sep 28, 2011)

I don't think it's accurate to say people just want the cheap product. I think most people have a preconceived idea of the value relationship for most things and spend accordingly. Look on the highway, I see lots of high price tag cars, far more than the local income levels should account for. Same with cell phones, more people I see have $500 phones than $100 phones. On the other side of the coin are televisions. People expect a $600 50" tv to be almost as good as a $1500-2000 tv just missing a couple "features".


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## concretemasonry (Dec 1, 2006)

Would someone buy a Accra or BMW with some American parts to think it is better? How about a BMW with a dashboard screen that was made in Mexico? Things flow both ways when it comes to advertising.

Small thinkers live in a small world because they do not look at the big picture (performance, life cycle and reliability). The biggest auto importers to China are Mercedes, Audi/VW and BMW with American cars down the list, so they are building plants as partners with American producers. I think that many GM products have transmissions made by Buick Shanghai that has been operation for the past 10-20 years. - It gets very complicated.


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## 91782 (Sep 6, 2012)

J.C. said:


> Another thing worth noting. Stanley/Black & Decker and it's subsidiaries (DeWalt and Porter Cable) are the only US owned handheld power tool manufacturer left that is American owned. All the rest: Makita, Bosch, Skil, Festool, Milwaukee, Dremel, RotoZip, Delta, etc. are all foreign owned.


US owned. How about where the tools are actually made?

Isn't Harbor Freight a US owned company?


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## J.C. (Sep 28, 2009)

Peter_C said:


> Assembled in the USA and Made in the USA with Global parts are often read on labels today. I can't remember the percentage, but to say made in the USA it has to be say 65% of parts made in America. The problem is very few electronic parts are made in the USA, yet so many products today are electronic.


Back in 1996 it was proposed to change the requirements from "all or virtually all" to at least 75% of the items manufacturing costs but they never changed it.


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## J.C. (Sep 28, 2009)

SmallTownGuy said:


> US owned. How about where the tools are actually made?


Where the tools are made is important but, so is ownership. Generally, a US owned company is going to employ more US workers than a foreign owned similar sized and type of company. Also, the US company would normally pay more taxes to the US than the foreign corporation. 



SmallTownGuy said:


> Isn't Harbor Freight a US owned company?


I misspoke with "the only US owned." I was in a hurry and was only thinking of the normal brands you would find at the local hardware store. At one time we owned most of them but we've sold them all off. :sad:


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## 91782 (Sep 6, 2012)

J.C. said:


> *Where the tools are made is important but, so is ownership.* Generally, a US owned company is going to employ more US workers than a foreign owned similar sized and type of company. Also, the US company would normally pay more taxes to the US than the foreign corporation.
> 
> 
> I misspoke with "the only US owned." I was in a hurry and was only thinking of the normal brands you would find at the local hardware store. At one time we owned most of them but we've sold them all off. :sad:


That's the famous ploy - "we're a US company".
And I ain't falling for it.
The product I use - where it is made is what matters.
It's those jobs that put food on the table for the average joe. It' those average joes that pay taxes needed to keep our economy healthy (read middle class) and infrastructure healthy.

Waving the flag because a company has headquarters in the US while selling CHINEE is just a gimmick.
Nothing more.

I really don't have any expectations that most manufacturing will from now on be international, with "some final assembly" here in the states at best.

I'm OK with it, just don't blow smoke up my arse.


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## builditguy (Nov 10, 2013)

I come across this everyday. I am probably not normal, but every time I buy something I look to see where it's made. 

Of course made in USA is best for US economy. Made in USA of foreign and domestic components is still better than made in another country. Yes some of the parts come from overseas, but this is still putting Americans to work. I also prefer American owned companies. These days it is difficult to tell sometimes.

A customer and myself were talking about this. He said he looks at everything as global. Of course he worked for a company that sold it's products globally. 

Toyota Tundra trucks are made in Texas. Probably mostly foreign parts. They still provide jobs for Americans. I don't have one. Look up the list of who makes the most American truck. It's a Honda Ridgeline. 

One more company sure to upset people. Harley Davidson. Ever notice that Harley Davidson can't advertise, Made in USA? They use so many foreign parts that their motorcycles are considered Assembled in the USA of foreign and domestic parts. 

I will buy DeWalt made in the USA of foreign and domestic parts whenever possible. It puts Americans to work. Maybe not the best jobs, but its still jobs.


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## 91782 (Sep 6, 2012)

builditguy said:


> I come across this everyday. I am probably not normal, but every time I buy something I look to see where it's made.
> 
> Of course made in USA is best for US economy. Made in USA of foreign and domestic components is still better than made in another country. Yes some of the parts come from overseas, but this is still putting Americans to work. I also prefer American owned companies. These days it is difficult to tell sometimes.
> 
> ...


Yup, as already stated, its complicated.

http://www.contractortalk.com/f40/what-made-usa-global-materials-mean-238545/#post3878378


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## builditguy (Nov 10, 2013)

Sorry about that. Didn't know it was already started.


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## 91782 (Sep 6, 2012)

builditguy said:


> Sorry about that. Didn't know it was already started.


No, just pointing out that by and large others agree with you.:thumbsup:


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## We Fix Houses (Aug 15, 2007)

It means DeWalt recently opened a plant to assemble here in NC.

Here's from the biz paper
http://www.bizjournals.com/charlotte/blog/outside_the_loop/2013/11/dewalt-to-bring-250-power.html


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## J.C. (Sep 28, 2009)

SmallTownGuy said:


> That's the famous ploy - "we're a US company".
> And I ain't falling for it.
> The product I use - where it is made is what matters.
> It's those jobs that put food on the table for the average joe. It' those average joes that pay taxes needed to keep our economy healthy (read middle class) and infrastructure healthy.
> ...


Where it is made is important, no argument there. However, who owns it is also important. What would be better for the US economy, Foreign owned/Foreign made or American owned/Foreign made? 

Foreign owned/Foreign made is terrible for the US economy in just about every way possible. 

American owned/Foreign made vs. Foreign owned/American made can be debatable depending on the break down. I decide those case by case. i.e. Walmart and Harbor Freight are US owned but you'll never find me buying anything from them.


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## Peter_C (Nov 26, 2014)

Now if we could just get people to stop using Canadian wood, our US tree farmers could make a living. The wood market sucks right now. The cost for line logging, and trucking it to the mill is more than the profit.


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## MIKE ANTONETTI (Jul 17, 2012)

Maybe "grown and made in USA" label. Farmers are pretty kick ass in my book, they should be paid well to "keep us alive" 

I assumed Harley's were made entirely here, thing is I would never buy one, I'm dangerous enough without old blind people in Florida.

I like reading made in USA on my old tools, sad that day will not return from the opinions.


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## tonylumps (Dec 4, 2012)

Made in america. Still work perfect. But none of my batteries will fit


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