Made in USA or not?

[dfndr]

I found a place that had Milton air line brass fittings. They did not have COO on the package or the fitting, as far as I could tell from outside the package. IF IT'S SOLD HERE AND DOESN'T HAVE THE COUNTRY OF ORIGIN OR ANY "MADE IN_____" LABEL , IS IT MADE IN USA?

 

[benjamming]

Only a few items actually require COO labeling at the retail level. I typically email the company to ask COO if it's not on the package. Milton couplers & plugs are all made in USA except the V style which are Taiwan.

I emailed them the following list back in 2009-Sep. They were all USA.
S-699 air chuck
S-733
TR413
S637
S1173
S-690
S-927
S-148
S-153
S-506
S-516

 

[hook982]

ummmm......who cares?

 

[X1 Mike]

ummmm......who cares?

benjamming, dfndr, and I also find it useful info. Do you think less of us because COO matters to some people?

 

[Kevin54]

I give up on trying to find items made in the USA and just look at it as a bonus if it is It's not the Chinese, it's the American companies selling us out. So if they used to have American made products but don't now, I just hope they still have a certain amount of quality standards that they still adhere to.

 

[Shadowdog500]

ummmm......who cares?

Ummmm......Maybe all of the people who are out of work because their jobs were moved offshore.

Ummmm....Maybe some of us want to buy American so these people can get a job again. If enough of us cared, more Americans would have jobs since business give the customer what they want. Currently everyone wants a bargain no matter what, so that is what they give us. Remember that a certain president said "Jobs are the primary focus of 2010". I'm trying to do my part.

I have been using the Milton 777 for years and really like it. It goes on and off easy.


Chris

 

[little d]

^^^^ very well said. i use to try to find union made, now, if i can find American made, woo hoo. i'd sure like to find one of these corporate geniuses and ask them hows that cheep labor thing going?

 

[dfndr]

Here's why it's important. I spent hours installing my new compressor and running air lines. I used fittings from Home Depot, not HF. They all had China tags on them. Most all of them leaked air no matter how tight they were. I had to take them apart and torque the hell out of them to stop the leaks. Then, when that was done I found the fitting that went into the compressor tank, yeah, the part that came on the compressor, was leaking at the tank. To fix that I'll have to disconnect the electrical so I can unscrew the regulator manifold, etc, and probably remove the compressor from the tank so I can get to the damn leaking joint. That's why I'd prefer made in America stuff with some quality control. Oh, and I'd like my son-in-law to be able to find a job when he gets out of the Army too. Rick (The compressor is "Imported")

 

[cheap bastard]

If it weren't important, there would be no attempts by companies to promote their American engineering or corprate address over the COO. They know it matters to enough consumers that the efforts are worth it.

 

[stinkythings.com]

I try to buy American Made any time I can. IMHO if the USA was the industrial powerhouse we were 50 years ago we wouldnt be in the same economic position we are in now.

 

[chevelle64]

Lotsa good stuff here: www.americanmadeproducts.com

 

[buildyourown]

I check because I work in manufacturing. We employ hundreds of people in direct labor jobs, that while not great wages, are livable and have full benefits. I know that most of our products (1000's of them) could be made cheaper with more profit margin in other countries. I see our competitors sell a knock-off of our patented product for $10% less, while making 90% profit and a **** warranty.
I try not to get a protectionist attitude, because I also know that we export millions of $$$ each year to Europe.
The important part for me is to shop quality, not price.

 

[hook982]

Ummmm......Maybe all of the people who are out of work because their jobs were moved offshore.

Ummmm....Maybe some of us want to buy American so these people can get a job again. If enough of us cared, more Americans would have jobs since business give the customer what they want. Currently everyone wants a bargain no matter what, so that is what they give us. Remember that a certain president said "Jobs are the primary focus of 2010". I'm trying to do my part.

I have been using the Milton 777 for years and really like it. It goes on and off easy.


Chris

OK...No offense but we, as Americans have been living fat for too long. We expect high wages and less hours than our parents put in. Everyone gets upset when jobs go away because someone will do it cheaper elsewhere. Even when faced with layoffs and plant closings, most won't take a pay cut to keep their jobs. Seen it time and time again, bite you're nose off to spite your face! Unions were a good thing, at the turn of last century, but are useless anymore. They are actually a large part of the problem for a majority of industries like steel, auto, etc.. My father worked for a steel co. for 38 yrs. He got paid way too much. He would get 5 weeks paid vacation every year and, every 5th year, got 13 weeks paid. Double time on Saturdays, triple on Sundays, whole weeks pay for workin' holidays....
We as Americans have ruined this economy. Stop pointing fingers and get a job...

 

[JOHNMAN]

HIjack-----


I proudly bought some MADE IN USA items at Wal-Mart today.

I bought (3) large drip pans all MADE IN USA!

I was a little surprised. Glad, but surprised.

 

[BackTracker]

I try to buy American Made any time I can. IMHO if the USA was the industrial powerhouse we were 50 years ago we wouldnt be in the same economic position we are in now.

And you would be right.

 

[TheGrooveking]

OK...No offense but we, as Americans have been living fat for too long. We expect high wages and less hours than our parents put in. Everyone gets upset when jobs go away because someone will do it cheaper elsewhere. Even when faced with layoffs and plant closings, most won't take a pay cut to keep their jobs. Seen it time and time again, bite you're nose off to spite your face! Unions were a good thing, at the turn of last century, but are useless anymore. They are actually a large part of the problem for a majority of industries like steel, auto, etc.. My father worked for a steel co. for 38 yrs. He got paid way too much. He would get 5 weeks paid vacation every year and, every 5th year, got 13 weeks paid. Double time on Saturdays, triple on Sundays, whole weeks pay for workin' holidays....
We as Americans have ruined this economy. Stop pointing fingers and get a job...

So based on that please list your father's name so we know who specifically did this to the economy. Telling people to **** it up or that we have been too fat for to long is BS. Oh, by the way do you tell your father your opinion on these matters? I would be interested in knowing your father's opinion on buying Made in the USA?

TheGrooveking

 

[hook982]

So based on that please list your father's name so we know who specifically did this to the economy. Telling people to **** it up or that we have been too fat for to long is BS. Oh, by the way do you tell your father your opinion on these matters? I would be interested in knowing your father's opinion on buying Made in the USA?

TheGrooveking

Typical...Well thought out, especially the "BS" comment...

 

[little d]

hook, with 10% unemployment in our country, a damn near nonexistent middle class, ect.... how is that cheep labor thing going? i hear the same bs all the time, we cant compete with 3rd class country's for wages.... REALLY? NO ****? wow, who would of thunk? even Henry Ford, one of the greatest industrialist in this country realized that "you have to pay your employees a good enough wage that they can buy your product". but then again, he only paid himself 30% more then his employees.

 

[Kevin54]

hook, with 10% unemployment in our country, a damn near nonexistent middle class, ect

I would like to know what the ACTUAL unemployment ratings are in the United States. The 10% is based on filings for the week, month, or whoever is still on unemployment. These figures fluctuate according to how many sign up or drop off in a weeks time. When they report you hear them reports on unemployment filings. So how many have completely dropped off the system that are not part of the ratings now and are still out of a job? I bet that 10% would climb to 15% and maybe even a little higher.

 

[Shadowdog500]

OK...No offense but we, as Americans have been living fat for too long. We expect high wages and less hours than our parents put in. Everyone gets upset when jobs go away because someone will do it cheaper elsewhere. Even when faced with layoffs and plant closings, most won't take a pay cut to keep their jobs. Seen it time and time again, bite you're nose off to spite your face! Unions were a good thing, at the turn of last century, but are useless anymore. They are actually a large part of the problem for a majority of industries like steel, auto, etc.. My father worked for a steel co. for 38 yrs. He got paid way too much. He would get 5 weeks paid vacation every year and, every 5th year, got 13 weeks paid. Double time on Saturdays, triple on Sundays, whole weeks pay for workin' holidays....
We as Americans have ruined this economy. Stop pointing fingers and get a job...

I've always had a job. But I see allot of people around me who don't. If there were jobs people would get them. Manufacturing jobs have moved to China, software and support jobs are moving to India. Some Chinese companies are starting to do thier own engineering, so now American engineering jobs are moving offshore. I do agree that unions are partially to blame, but I also believe that the consumors demand for lower and lower prices was a larger contributing factor. To compete with Chinese imports on cost alone, we would probably have to have pay cuts to well below minimum wage. Even if unions did make major concessions, how low would the union workers have to be paid to compete with a $1,600 a year factory worker in China?

I don't know what your dad was paid, but usually when I drove through manufacturing towns (when the factory was still open), most people lived in modest homes, with a ford or chevy in the driveway. They certainly didn't appear to be living Large, actually most appeared to be living about the same as Archie Bunker.

I wonder if the Chinese factory worker can afford to buy the product that they produce. Judging from the photos I've seen of thier living conditions, I seriously doubt it.

Chris

 

[Shadowdog500]

I would like to know what the ACTUAL unemployment ratings are in the United States. The 10% is based on filings for the week, month, or whoever is still on unemployment. These figures fluctuate according to how many sign up or drop off in a weeks time. When they report you hear them reports on unemployment filings. So how many have completely dropped off the system that are not part of the ratings now and are still out of a job? I bet that 10% would climb to 15% and maybe even a little higher.

Bloomberg estimates that the actual unemployment rate that includes people who dropped off the system is 17% to 18%. The percentage people who are actually working is around 66% which may sound woorse than it is. I dont know if that includes children and retirees.
Ref: http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=email_en&sid=ad08vsb1VciM

 

[legendman]

It's wall streets fault, the stock holders want more return on their investment. Right now only way to do that is cut costs. Cutting costs means finding cheap labor.

 

[brassmoney]

I would like to know what the ACTUAL unemployment ratings are in the United States. The 10% is based on filings for the week, month, or whoever is still on unemployment. These figures fluctuate according to how many sign up or drop off in a weeks time. When they report you hear them reports on unemployment filings. So how many have completely dropped off the system that are not part of the ratings now and are still out of a job? I bet that 10% would climb to 15% and maybe even a little higher.

I have many friends that now have no income due to unemlpoyment Ins running out and no jobs out there. Lucky for some of them their wifes are bringing home just enough money to keep things barely afloat. The others...well time will tell.

 

[CKC]

"Paid way too much" Interesting? for what Education level, for his Knowledge level, the level of Responsibility?

 

[T>D>C]

I work for a fortune 500 (85 BILLION) dollar company manufacturing in Jacksonville TX at one of many sites. We compete every day with not only our competitors but with our own company. Do we manufacture in Mexico for a burdened (includes benefits) labor rate of $3.34 or China for half that or JVille for about $18? India and China have Professional Engineers making $12,000/yr. If it was simply labor it would be over. And it will take years for their labor rate to catch ours (or for ours to be pushed down to theirs). The only reason we are still in TX is cost of shipping light parts. There are several factors that go in to the decision but here are the 4 big ones - direct labor cost, capital cost, tax burden and shipping.
Labor - We can't control what they pay their people.
Shipping - We can't can't control the price of shipping. We all pay the same.
Capital cost - If you manufacture over seas, they typically do not charge for the equipment. What we will buy for $2 million to put in our shop will only cost only about $3-400 thousand there.
Taxes - HERE WE GO! - In the US the BIG RICH Companies we hear so much about on the news will have to pay 34% in taxes. In China, it will be only 3%. So on a $10,000,000 product line, to manufacture in the US, it will cost $3,400,000 every year vs $300,000 in China.

Who controls how much taxes are charged to companies? You do. Go VOTE!

Make no mistake, the US is so great because of manufacturing. (Have you ever wondered why English is the language of business around the world?) Manufacturing is under attack. As goes US manufacturing, so goes the US.

I always try to buy American but I am a dying breed...

 

[little d]

t d c , all very good points but....... and this is a biggie, the middle class American worker, is the largest consumer(back bone) in our country and for that matter, the world. if you take those jobs away, who's gonna purchase the products made so cheaply over seas? the guy making $3.34? the engineer making $12,000 a year?

back when i was a kid and Zenith made tv sets in southern mo. they moved their plant to Mexico, i remember thinking how in the hell is a guy making .50cents a hour gonna buy a tv?

 

[T>D>C]

Little d,

Your right! You make my point exactly! So why are we attacking the middle class by allowing our elected officials to create a class war? I am a middle class person but I understand that if we continue to raid the rich (the people who invest and start businesses that middle class people like me work at) and force them to produce overseas, how will I as a middle class person buy anything if I don't have a job?

The middle class American worker is the back bone, why are we forcing their source of income over seas? Are we all going to work at Wal-marts and McDonalds serving each other without actually making anything that requires skill and expect to earn a descent living?

 

[dfndr]

I'm the OP. I started this thread to try and find some air line fittings that wouldn't leak like the Chinese **** I bought at Home Depot. I'm not anti-Asian-been married to one since 1972! But, somebody is making a killing on some of this Chinese **** by selling it at the same price as USA stuff. We shouldn't stand for that nor for the low quality.

Of even more importance, if you know anything about armaments, you know who made our tanks and guns during the big wars. Yes, guns made by sewing machine and appliance manufacturers saved many an American life. What are we going to do now? Will we place orders with the Chinese? The loss of manufacturing and the middle class worker is devestating.

So, I was just looking for some good parts, but you have all brought up some good points that we need to pursue as a country. I AM NOT A GLENN BECK, RUSH, SEAN H., etc. fan, just a middle of the road guy.

 

[benjamming]

Swagelok makes their stuff in the USA. However, I doubt you want to spend that type of cash, especially being stainless steel. It sure would be pretty though!

 

[krooser]

If your neighbor doesn't have a job pretty soon you won't either... I'd sooner buy products made by my neighbor and keep the American way of life intact....

 

[little d]

t d c, you completely missed my point. since our country was founded, companies have had to pay taxes, its a fact of life, a cost of doing business. Henry Ford didnt relocate his plants to japan did he? no, why, because he was smart enough to know "your workers have to make enough to afford your product". the man looked 30, 40 years down the road. these geniuses of industry now days cant see past their noses, or better, their greed, how much can i make today. they cry about wages, taxes, ect... move their co's overseas, make a killing for a while, then when the ppl that buy their products are out of work and cant afford them, they are standing around wondering what is wrong? we can stand around and point fingers all day long but, the bottom line here guys is, GREED is destroying this country! you can justify yourself buying that overseas junk and save yourself a few dollars, or you can **** it up, make some sacrifices and buy American made products and maybe, just maybe, save someones job, ya never know, tomorrow it might be yours.

 

[T>D>C]

I am sorry but I do not know where to get American made fittings at. There used to be a company in the Dallas area that did but I cannot remember their name.

Not to keep hijacking the thread, but Little D I got you, I just wanted to make a point that the average Joe would not have to make the decision to save a buck and buy over seas if the American product was not forced to be higher by irresponsible tax burden. I know this is radical to the common way to think but if corporations were not taxed (or taxed the same as in China @ 3.4%), then the tax savings would help the companies that automate overcome the low labor cost and capital outlay. They could then invest in equipment in the US which would actually create more tax payers (workers) who also buy stuff creating more economic activity which is what we all want. It is a simple math problem. You either believe that or you don't but do the math. If the tax burden was removed from the corporations (that employee people) their product would not be more expensive than the product made over seas. The cost to ship from China PLUS American ingenuity to manufacture at lower cost will overcome the lower labor rate and one time loss of capital investment in equipment.

I work every day as a value improvement engineer to reduce operating cost (and hopefully keep the jobs in TX/US). Buddy, after 27 years it is getting hard! We need some help and I am begging everyone, please, help lower the burden on American manufacturing any way you can. If for no other reason than the most important ones made by the OP DFNDR above.

Sorry for the soap box, I won't post any more on this subject in your thread.

 

[little d]

dfndr, i to appoligize for hijacking your thread, it just drives me a little crazy when someone makes excuses for those gready sob's.