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We have had a few customers come in recently and have asked to buy products that are made in the United States. It kind of threw us back because in todays market, nothing is made in the United States that should be and the stuff you think is made oversees ends up being made in America.
Hi-Macs now has a plant in America and Dupont is having their material made in Korea. Interesting
Does this bother your customers or do they even care? I would love to promote American products but I don’t think it is possible in the countertop industry.
Andy,Do you make your tops? Are you located in America? You sell an American made product.
That’s the easy answer.
Avonite? Mostly owned by a foreign company, but made in Ky. Using this as an example, American workers are getting employment, but a bunch of the profits are ending up in Japan. Tough call. Corian in Korea? I would say the opposite is happening there.One way or another, American jobs are being created by any of these products. That’s something, anyway.
Tom
I might be wrong, but I believe Avonite is owned 100 percent now by mitsubishi. They also manufacture in Beline new mexico.
The way I look at is the labor is more than the profits, so if the profits go overseas it is not so bad. And the plant was built here by american workers, the workers money stays home as well as most managment salaries and maintance. Plus, they are playing on the same level with taxes, insurance, labor law and govt regulation. Isn’t that the important part?
But at least korea is an allied country who supported us in vietnam. Sure beats china…..
We have to offer the imports, but 95% of our customers reject them without debate. Now, some of the imports aren’t bad, but I have seen some difference in quality problems, color change, texture change, backs of sheet not being full thickness (scant), ect.
If I may weigh in from a tool distributors standpoint…Ever buy one of those painted blue 50 piece router bit set? For like $29.95? Some of our customers do…not from us believe me but from whatever internet hack is selling them. About 1 year ago, we refused to sharpen them anynore. For anybody! Why? This crap carbide/metal is real hard on our diamond wheels and just not worth it? I just love when the same people complain about enerdy-gas prices YET they fuel it by buying Chinese. You can’t have it both ways folks.
I don’t have much to say on this, but here’s what I think. We are all looking for better pricing (at least I know I am), but we want our products to be good quality. So we have forced alot of manufacturers to go overseas. I have no problem with this, as long as there is some quality control and the manufacturer stands behind their product. If they don’t then we just don’t use it. Most consumers now days don’t even ask where something is being made, but they will tell their neighbors the guys down the street built my countertop. I guess thats “made” in America. By the way Dave, how many of those router bit sets do you want? I can hook you up. Ha Ha!!
Mory
Actually Mory…none, but thanks for the offer. Again, I’m speaking from a tooling standpoint because if it’s spinning at 10 to 20,000 RPM’s, it better have a damn good weld. A lot differant than SS sheet goods. I had a manufactures sales rep in here a while ago who was real proud that he could sell me 10″x60T saw blades at 4 bucks a piece. “Think of the money you’ll make” he said. “They’re made in a plant overseas to our specifications”. Just love that line! I told him there was 1 glaring problem: “It was not made to MY specifications” and I’d have to make “a hell of a lot of money” to cover the liability of those crappy teeth flying off and hitting a customer in the head. Have not seen him since…
Dave,
We are having a special just for you, 10 lb quantities only, you pay the shipping. As much solid surface dust as you can handle. Also we will include limited scrap pieces of material for you to make your own dust.
Mory
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