The Results are In! Thank you for participating in the discussion Is Made in America important anymore? Click on article link to read all comments on our safety discussion blog. We sent this out to several discussion groups we take part in. Here are their comments.
(1) Made in America is very important. Why shouldn’t we be able to compete in the global marketplace? Should we just sit back and watch others produce as we become dependent on foreign products? We once were the world’s #1 producer of durable goods and big ticket items. Then complacency took over, making us lose that position. We must try and fight to recapture that position. Made in America is something we all should be proud of. (I.J.)
Public Safety Professionals (#2 through #11) See Linked In discussion.
(2) In my years of made in America I have found that it is very improtant. We have had clients from across the pond that have stated that it has to be made in the United States or controled by our company. This was from two Asian countries. Another point is I deal with NIOSH and MSHA in the mining industry and if you choose to sell outside the United States and sell in other countries you need these certifications from the United States first. Even in China. They will not talk with you. This is for mostly coal mines requiring MSHA approval. YES I feel made in the U.S.A. (not USA) that a city in Japan…. is very important. Our AP’s and clients are completly made and assmebled in the United States. The only item that is not is that actual the radio that is on the U.S.A. made circuit board. Cost is higher but the quality is much higher. The PCB company in CA has been selling us PCB’s and they do not EOL them like the not made in U.S.A. PCB’s. We always try to use local companies for all our products but most importantly made in the U.S.A. (A.H.)
(3) In developing our products we determined that Made in America was a critical part of the buyers decision. Our research showed that our buyers (Fire and EMS) are often not as loyal to brands and price as to buying a product they know is 100% American made. (D.R.)
(4) When in the position of EMS Chief, it was very difficult to have a say of where the product was developed since it was always an RFP or it simply went through the purchasing process. However, if it was a sole source item and it was made in America, our dreams would come true. IMO, the extra cost for a product made in America is worth it as we need to make our GDP strong. Thanks for allowing me to comment. (M.E.)
(5) I don’t think so. Rarely will people look to see where something is made. We have been dumbed down to think that Toyota and Hyundai’s are made in America. We smart folk know the truth. Last part of this comment is that unfortunately, it would be cost prohibitive to purchase most items if they were made in America. If a pair of Nike, made in China is $100 – how much would it cost if made here? $300? more? (M.G.)
(6) I hear from our customs that it’s very important and even more important in these economic times. We had a major account choose American Made over off shore after we gave them the choice with the cost differences.
We market our uniforms as American Made and it’s worked for us for over 35 years. (H.K.)
(7) M, I disagree with your statements of asking where something is made. Smart folks know what truth? My comment was not posted. We are asked where our products are made. Does it matter? Yes it does. It is like the discount auto parts departments that offer you the same guarantee as the manufacturers brand do. You will most likely need to take it back for a warranty replacement while the manufacturers brand you will not. Because of the Quality standards of outsourced parts. Everyone makes a defective part but that percentage is very low. MTBR …. Back in the 70′s over the pond companies made us open our eyes to quality. I am tired of EOL on electrical PCB’s (end of life) All my boards are American made and they are around for many years. We are an OEM manufacturing company. (A.H.)
(8) I always attempt to go american made, sometimes the price is double and we have to go with another option unfortunately. (R.W.)
(9) I am merely an American consumer and I am a label-reader. If it’s not “Made in the U.S.A.” I don’t buy it. It’s just that simple. I choose to bolster the economy of the United States of America. I choose to try to keep jobs in the United States. I choose to try keep factories open in the United States of America. I believe that the U.S.A. makes a better quality product than do other nations. I believe in doing my small part to keep this country strong. I hope that you receive many other comments which mirror my own. (K.S.)
(10) Some things are made better in North America and some things aren’t. When buying for a client we stress the functional specification and the reliability level. Next is where the product is serviced. We have European companies that assemble and service closer, and in a more responsive manner, than some US firms. And if I have to speak some overseas version of US idiom to reach a service desk, they lose points on the evaluation.
But there are other considerations. Many government contracts require sourcing parts, metals, jobs, with local content bonuses. Projects using Pennsylvania sources are allowed to have a 5% higher price and still be the low bidder in PA. A South Korean company recently won a large contract for transit cars by buying used railroad rail made in Pennsylvania to recycle and establishing a final checkout facility in the delivery city.
In many cases the 51% of cost needed to qualify as made in America is the packaging, some of the manuals’ printing costs, and final delivery charges. Also, be aware of the H-1 and L series visas for imported labor. Besides paying the personnel half of what American talent would cost the employer gets to charge for housing and transportation the foreign work force and include it in his labor cost. A casino just imported all its housekeeping staff because no US citizen would work for what they offered as salary.
Talent is currently a buyers’ market, quality is up to the customer to enforce, and companies that only operate in the United States for major markets are a thing of the past. And we have sold or given large market shares to overseas companies.
Example: GE and RCA brand consumer electronics are manufactured by Thompson CSF, a major French defense contractor. We buy heavy trucks and city buses from companies owned by Volvo, and Detroit Diesel/ Allison is now part of MTU, a German company. And all of these products are “Made in America”, (I.L.)
(11) Made in America is important, but only if it is truly made in America. Their are some many companies that claim that made in Amercia when half or more of the components where made elsewhere (L.R.)
OSHA Discussion & Support / Occupational Safety / EH&S / HSE (#12 through #13) See Linked In discussion.
(12) YES! Growing up in union environment, I often wondered why my parents and grand parents would not purchase certain items. Back years ago the quality was not very good on several items and I assumed this was the reason. As an experienced (old man) individual, I have first hand experiance in the cause and effect of imported products. Most of what we receive today is a quality product. with that said I have first hand experiance with loss of employment of myself and friends/ family to over seas products. I now look at everything I purchase and will not purchase items made over seas if at all possible. I have been surprised at the food items in our grocery stores that are now made overseas and clothing that the same brand, color, model stacked together will have several different countries of origin. (K.C.)
(13) Our company extols the fact our product is ‘Made in U.S.A.’. We are proud of our work. (C.G.)
American Industrial Hygiene Association (AIHA) (#14 through#17) See Linked In discussion.
(14) Yes! Made in USA items are worth the time to look for and purchase. (T.C.)
(15) As a consumer I’m primarily focused on the quality and price of the item I am buying. As a voting US citizen I want to support and protect manufacturing in my home country, but rarely if ever does a “Made in the USA” label have any bearing on my purchasing decisions. During my career as an IH I’ve very directly witnessed the decline of manufacturing in our country, and it being sent to China, so this has become an important issue to me personally, but other than for the purpose of collecting marketing data, I question whether or not this topic is relevant to the AIHA discussion group. (S.W.)
(16) This topic is not relevant to this group, but still is interesting. When I travel outside the US, the most valued and most asked for gifts are those having “Made in the USA” on them, especially precision tools. These are very hard to find now even if one lives in the USA.
There is a widespread perception in many companies that “Made in USA” products are stronger, safer, longer lasting, and generally better than many other countries. The only comparable country I know of that can match this is the one that produces a “Made in Germany” stamp, for the same reasons as above.
I have a 1993 Jeep that is 100% “Made in the USA” and still going strong. (J.B.)
(17) I see lots of Harley Davidson bikes here in UK and to me they represent outdated over engineering which I respectfully think flows through many US products.
It spreads from hammers and wrenches (excepting Snap On) to industrial plant.
Don’t mean to be offensive, UK products are usually Chinese anyway and we now have Korean cars here with a Chevrolet badge on. (J.C.)
LABORATORY Professionals (#18) See Linked In discussion.
(18) In global village, it is not so important. However look around locally, state wide and in our nation. Time is so distasteful, we need to think reversely, we must, wherever it is possible, we should employ our neighbor, and make things to keep money going out of country.
At present, there are many incentives to do so. Please buy those things are home grown, in some case where the price may be higher, but buying made in our country will help support fellows to make living and keep our national trade balance in black rather than in red as it is right now, my two cents. (N.S.D.)
Discussion
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