Coming Soon, Craftsman USA Stickered Tool Boxes??

[Here2Learn]

Does anyone have any information on the tool boxes on this page? They have a USA sticker on them. There are also several other items shown under the page... "HERE’S WHAT’S COMING SOON
And this is only the beginning. Check back often to see our latest product releases."

https://www.craftsman.com/We-Build-Pride#product-grid

Thank you for any help.

 

[Musicinabottle]

That's awesome! It's so damn easy to make things in this country and when someone does make that decision, I support them. I've been contemplating buying a second bottom cabinet box. Thank you for sharing, I signed up.

 

[Wamsutta]

Where would they be built in the USA? Waterloo is still in Mexico aren't they?

 

[Boneebone]

The sticker is Made in the U.S.A

The toolbox is Made in China.

 

[1foxracing]

Check your local Lowes, I've already seen some of the USA boxes on the floor for sale there.

 

[Medwards]

Notice all the tool sets have the old teardrop head ratchets. Maybe they are just old marketing photos, but it gives me hope.

Even though I've amassed just about every tool a guy would need, I would support craftsman again if they can bring all their manufacturing back to the US. I haven't bought any of their tools in 18 years, but I would go back if their quality comes back.

 

[SJR033]

Typical Waterloo. "Made in the USA with global components"

 

[dwasifar]

Typical Waterloo. "Made in the USA with global components"

It's still better than "Made in China."

I think the "global components" part is inevitable for legal reasons. If even one foreign-made bolt or ball bearing is included, they need to say it. For all we know, the boxes are entirely made here except for some trivial piece like the lock cylinder or the caster wheel.

Of course, it could also be that every piece is made in China and shipped here for assembly, but even that creates at least some American jobs.

 

[nh_yota]

I find that hard to believe.

The parts are probably all made overseas and the boxes are assembled in the USA. I can't see them building toolboxes from scratch in the USA at an affordable price point.

 

[AceofSpad3s]

It's still better than "Made in China."

I think the "global components" part is inevitable for legal reasons. If even one foreign-made bolt or ball bearing is included, they need to say it. For all we know, the boxes are entirely made here except for some trivial piece like the lock cylinder or the caster wheel.

Of course, it could also be that every piece is made in China and shipped here for assembly, but even that creates at least some American jobs.

Isn't there a tag or label that says something like made with 90% domestic materials?
You are being naive, if it was nearly all made here, they'd make sure to have the marketing team telling you about it, realistically the "assembled" in the USA part is probably at most some guy taking the drawers and sticking them in.

I was at sears earlier this week and was pretty horrified at the boxes they have, even the $700 ones felt cheaper than a hf44, If I am going to get something made in china it might as well be cheap and well built instead of shelling out $300 more for something worse because they had some guy bolt on the casters here.

 

[davethorik]

Pretty much everything SBD makes in the "USA" is with "US & Global Components" so this really shouldn't surprise anybody.

 

[dwasifar]

Isn't there a tag or label that says something like made with 90% domestic materials?
You are being naive, if it was nearly all made here, they'd make sure to have the marketing team telling you about it, realistically the "assembled" in the USA part is probably at most some guy taking the drawers and sticking them in.

I described the potential extreme cases; I didn't say I thought either of them were true. I said "for all we know," not "this is how it is." My point was that there is not enough information in that sticker to know how much is domestic and how much is foreign.

I do think you're exaggerating in the other direction, though. Pretty sure the FTC would put a stop to sliding a Chinese drawer into a Chinese box and calling it Made In USA. SBD doesn't want THAT headline; it would completely undercut what their marketing is trying to do.

Perhaps I'll reach out to SBD for details.

 

[bobcatdan]

The sticker is Made in the U.S.A

The toolbox is Made in China.

Stanley bought Waterloo and to my knowledge is moving production back to USA. I'm sure as with Mac boxes, made in USA with global components.

 

[1982fxr]

Stanley bought Waterloo and to my knowledge is moving production back to USA. I'm sure as with Mac boxes, made in USA with global components.

Isn’t there still a plant in Missouri or somewhere down that way?

 

[Here2Learn]

I saw some information on the ToolGuyD website. He mentioned that slides or casters can be made elsewhere. I know my ten year old boxes have Chinese or Taiwanese slide.

The Lowe's site does not show having the boxes at my local Lowe's, but it does show several of the socket and wrench sets.

The Craftsman site may not be related to Sears anymore. It does not mention avaulable at Sears or show a price at Sears like it did a year or so ago.

 

[M6erfan]

Yeah, but all the new Craftsman tools you put inside will still be made in Asia...

 

[dwasifar]

Yeah, but all the new Craftsman tools you put inside will still be made in Asia...

...for now, at least. They're making vague statements about moving that production home too.

 

[6PTsocket]

The Sears source, for many years, for boxes was Waterloo, of Waterloo Iowa. The stuff was US made and I think some of it may still be. Is there anything to indicate that the new stuff is being sourced elsewhere?

I saw some information on the ToolGuyD website. He mentioned that slides or casters can be made elsewhere. I know my ten year old boxes have Chinese or Taiwanese slide.

The Lowe's site does not show having the boxes at my local Lowe's, but it does show several of the socket and wrench sets.

The Craftsman site may not be related to Sears anymore. It does not mention avaulable at Sears or show a price at Sears like it did a year or so ago.

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk

 

[Trey T]

Typical Waterloo. "Made in the USA with global components"

That's the perfect start. Beggars can't be choosers. W/ the global market dominated by China, we're the beggars.

 

[bluebolt]

I can't find it right now but there is a video out there of the new Craftsman tool boxes being dipped into a huge red paint tank here in the USA.

 

[6PTsocket]

Isn’t there still a plant in Missouri or somewhere down that way?

I would think that if there is a US plant it would be in Waterloo, IA. That is where the company name comes from, not the battle where Wellington defeated Napoleon or at least not directly.

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk

 

[6PTsocket]

I can't find it right now but there is a video out there of the new Craftsman tool boxes being dipped into a huge red paint tank here in the USA.

What, no powder coat?

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk

 

[Two Door]

I can't find it right now but there is a video out there of the new Craftsman tool boxes being dipped into a huge red paint tank here in the USA.

How do they deal with the runs (in the paint)?

 

[Aaron_W]

With Chinese workers beginning to push for and receiving higher salaries, and the rising cost of shipping items from China manufacture in the US is starting to become more attractive. Particularly in those states with limited workers rights / union activity where they can keep salaries / benefits low.

 

[Tallpilot]

I like that Waterloo is made here but I don’t like the drawer layout of the 44”+ cabinets. I want one full width deep drawer and 2 full length shallow. As soon as they build a Menard’s in Florida I will buy a Masterforce 72” unless somebody else makes one in the meantime. I am not however paying $400-500 in freight so it has to be sold locally.

 

[Tallpilot]

I would think that if there is a US plant it would be in Waterloo, IA. That is where the company name comes from, not the battle where Wellington defeated Napoleon or at least not directly.

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They moved to MO for some reason. Tax breaks, etc, who knows.

 

[BFHtime]

I would interested in Craftsman US made tools. If the quality at least matches the price point.

I second full length drawers. At least one drawer deep enough for 1/2 deep sockets to stand up in a decent socket rack. Another for semi-deeps and shallows, and another for basic wrenches. This would help me get my eye off single bay Matco or Snap-On boxes.

 

[Here2Learn]

Check your local Lowes, I've already seen some of the USA boxes on the floor for sale there.

I went into Lowe's today. The Craftsman items were "available for pick up", none were on the shelves.

 

[bluebolt]

What, no powder coat?

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A dipped tool box would have better coverage of hidden areas than powder coat would.

 

[Empty Pockets]

I signed up for their email notices, if the quality comes back and production comes back to the States, I'd love to support them.

 

[NUTTSGT]

Where would they be built in the USA? Waterloo is still in Mexico aren't they?

Switch production over to Edsal ? They make boxes in the US.

 

[zorrox]

The sticker is Made in the U.S.A

The toolbox is Made in China.

 

[Brandon_Lutz]

I was at my local Lowes today. No boxes on the floor, but when walking down the isle where they keep the Kobalt boxes, on the very top shelf they had a craftsman branded storage cabinet with the big made in USA/Assembled in USA with Global components label on it. (I couldn't see exactly what it said that high up)

I didn't see any Craftsman toolboxes up there, just one lonely Craftsman storage cabinet.

 

[Coach James]

Our Lowes has no C-man boxes or tools on display. I'm not surprised as they never had much in the way of tool boxes on display. Over the years, they normally had one Kobalt box and one Task Force on display and nothing more.

Coach

 

[nanofrog]

With Chinese workers beginning to push for and receiving higher salaries, and the rising cost of shipping items from China manufacture in the US is starting to become more attractive. Particularly in those states with limited workers rights / union activity where they can keep salaries / benefits low.

The manufacturing brought back to the US are forms that are highly automated.

So don't expect human positions to return in any numbers.

They moved to MO for some reason. Tax breaks, etc, who knows.

This could easily be part of it.

If plant expansion/replacement was required at the previous facility, that could have been part of it too (i.e. reduced or even zero fees for zoning, providing sufficient utilities, road access, rail line, ports ... types of additional incentives).

 

[xin]

That's awesome! It's so damn easy to make things in this country and when someone does make that decision, I support them. I've been contemplating buying a second bottom cabinet box. Thank you for sharing, I signed up.

I agree 100% !!!

Seems to be slow going - but quality does take some time to get it back to where it was at.

 

[dwasifar]

Well, I wrote to them to ask what proportion of the components are foreign, and got this reply, which is not as informative as I'd hoped:

Thank you for contacting us.

Made in the USA with global materials means that we source raw materials and components from around the globe when they are either not available in the US or not viable to purchase based on quality, cost, or availability. All of our new toolboxes are manufactured by Waterloo, which is now also owned by Stanley Black and Decker, here in Sedalia, MO.

In case this email does not fully answer your question, or you would like to contact us for any reason, simply reply to this email.

Thank you,
Jessica
Craftsman Customer Care

I wrote back to Jessica asking if they could be more specific about which components they need to source outside the US. So far they have not replied.

 

[1982fxr]

I would think that if there is a US plant it would be in Waterloo, IA. That is where the company name comes from, not the battle where Wellington defeated Napoleon or at least not directly.

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You would have been correct a few years ago.

 

[Medwards]

I saw the boxes and some tools in my local Lowes. They weren't out on display, but I could see the cardboard boxes easily. All the tool boxes, as said, are labeled made in the usa with global components. The tool kits were clearly marked made in china.

 

[Here2Learn]

Well, I wrote to them to ask what proportion of the components are foreign, and got this reply, which is not as informative as I'd hoped:

Thank you for contacting us.

Made in the USA with global materials means that we source raw materials and components from around the globe when they are either not available in the US or not viable to purchase based on quality, cost, or availability. All of our new toolboxes are manufactured by Waterloo, which is now also owned by Stanley Black and Decker, here in Sedalia, MO.

In case this email does not fully answer your question, or you would like to contact us for any reason, simply reply to this email.

Thank you,
Jessica
Craftsman Customer Care

I wrote back to Jessica asking if they could be more specific about which components they need to source outside the US. So far they have not replied.

Thank you for the information. I would imagine the slides are not made in the USA, as mine are not from ten years ago.