Made in the USA

The list is still way longer than that. I was actually meaning to post some information the other day related to the US manufacturing industry. Its far far far far from over.:thumb:

Yet the way the media spin it you would think nothing is made in the USA anymore or that every plant is closing down. Total nonsense.

Here is a small extract on US manufacturing profile done by First Reseach a Hoover company.

The US manufacturing sector consists of about 290,000 establishments (single-location companies and units of multi-location companies) with combined annual sales of about $5 trillion. Major companies include Boeing, Caterpillar, DuPont, Ford, GE, GM, Hewlett-Packard, IBM, Procter & Gamble, Pfizer, and Tyson Foods. The manufacturing sector is fragmented: the largest 50 companies account for less than half of overall sales.

I would say 290K establishments is a fair number still especially when you see some of the giant names above.
 
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I agree that the list is far from inclusive.

I am still not filled with a warm fuzzy feeling yet simply because behind the scenes there are factories suppying us from China and Tiawian. I know the company I work for produces an American made product in two plants (Wisconsin and Maine), but we are supplied a portion of our parts from China. These are small parts that are mass produced, and while we use a plethora of robotics, it is still cheaper to employ the chinese to build these parts then welding robots. :-(

What is really scary is that we are sending over plenty of product to China. Great for the bottom line in this recession, but when will they come back...and in what Chinese form if they do? Will their lower price undercut our product line and profitability?

As for my girlfriend's parents, they produce high-end electrical wire and their company just built a factory over in China as well. It is just a matter of time and economics before their plant is closed down. So I would say while its not over yet in the USA, manufacturing is still eroding here at an alarming rate.
 
IM not sure the list is 100% clear.

something designated made in America: does that mean every component was actually made by American hands, or maybe something was imported and it was all assembled in America.
Maybe material was purchased from somewhere else and then made into garments here.

I just have a hard time belieiving when it comes to certain things with so many different parts all the parts are manufactured here, and nothing is being made overseas then brought here for the final product.
 
The designation is tricky.
My Dodge truck was assembled in Mexico. Most parts do come from the U.S. but many from other countries.
When I was in the rag trade (clothing) we bought a line of very nice girls dresses. The company was U.S. based. The designs were American. The cotton fabric came from Egypt. The patterns were cut in the U.S. The dresses were assembled (sewn) in the Philippines then shipped back to the U.S. where they were marketed.
Were they American made?
Personally, I still very much care about losses to other countries. But when buying something my pocketbook decides my purchases.
That approach is what led me to buy my very first Grizzly tool. The large, slow, wet wheel sharpener. Twice the tool at half the money as similar American made brands I found.
 
Frank makes a great point.

One thing I really liked was the COOL Labeling now found on all food packages. (Country Of Orgin Labeling). Even if say a calf is born in Mexico, shipped to a feedlot in California and then slaughtered in a USA slaughterhouse, is is labeled as orginating from Mexico.

Of course me being...well...me, I am never satisfied so I would like to see upped to STOOL (State of Orgin Labeling).
 
Frank makes a great point.

One thing I really liked was the COOL Labeling now found on all food packages. (Country Of Orgin Labeling). Even if say a calf is born in Mexico, shipped to a feedlot in California and then slaughtered in a USA slaughterhouse, is is labeled as orginating from Mexico.

Of course me being...well...me, I am never satisfied so I would like to see upped to STOOL (State of Orgin Labeling).


Then if you had a sample would that be a stool sample ..:eek:.:rofl::rofl::rofl:
 
Then if you had a sample would that be a stool sample ..:eek:.:rofl::rofl::rofl:

Yes, but unlike the medical field, you might actually be able to afford a food based stool sample, even though farmers buy everything at retail prices, sell them at wholesale prices and are expected to make a profit. :huh:
 
IM not sure the list is 100% clear.

something designated made in America: does that mean every component was actually made by American hands, or maybe something was imported and it was all assembled in America.
Maybe material was purchased from somewhere else and then made into garments here.

I just have a hard time belieiving when it comes to certain things with so many different parts all the parts are manufactured here, and nothing is being made overseas then brought here for the final product.


Not sure of the exact wording and ruling, but as I remember, under U.S. Customs rules, generally something is "Made in a country" if the majority of the assembly occurred in that country... regardless of where the components were made... so items using U.S. components, but assembled in Costa Rica could be designated as "Made in Costa Rica"... this may have changed since I worked in the industry, so don't quote me on that... :dunno:
 
Not sure of the exact wording and ruling, but as I remember, under U.S. Customs rules, generally something is "Made in a country" if the majority of the assembly occurred in that country... regardless of where the components were made... so items using U.S. components, but assembled in Costa Rica could be designated as "Made in Costa Rica"... this may have changed since I worked in the industry, so don't quote me on that... :dunno:

Probably still in effect - think about any automobile, or even a Harley motorcycle. Lots of offshore manufactured pieces, all put together in Detroit, Milwaukee, York, wherever...but all "American Made."
 
Story in the business news going around about the Italian Bugatti. The most expensive car in the world. Really dunno :dunno: how much they are, I think about one and a half million dollars. :eek:
OK, now follow this: The Italian Bugatti is owned by Volkswagen of Germany and the car is made in India.
Will somebody please tell me who is on first? :doh:
 
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