Hey guys, I was curious, has a manufacturer every been caught lying about where they have stamped their products made? I’m someone that tries to always buy Made in USA even though I still have German and good ol HF products too. I was reading on here awhile back that Hazet has been known to lie about where some of their products are made?
Made in?
- Thread starter Rickkyyr8
- Start date
Products in the EU are not required to be marked with a country of origin, but if they are marked in Germany they are required to be made there.
It is a complicated subject, and there may be some minor "from global components" exceptions but not really as much as 20 years ago.
Here is a Fact sheet for the country of Germany.
It is a complicated subject, and there may be some minor "from global components" exceptions but not really as much as 20 years ago.
Here is a Fact sheet for the country of Germany.
That whole jack fiasco with Snapon. I don't believe anyone when it come to where it's made. There are several ways to twist the wording to make it technically not illegal enough to get sued and lose. Assembled in USA and Made in USA with global materials are two of my favorites.
vssjim
ALLIANCE MEMBER
Stanley defiantly did in the 90's labeled made in USA but were made in Taiwan, Tools were sold as Stanley, Blackhawk, Master Mechanic and Husky had to pay a BS fine compared to all the extra money they made.
Assembled in USA is not twisting words its following the law.
Just Google it. A lot of the posts in these threads are from guys who don't understand what they're talking about.
The only one I have heard about relatively recently involved Urrea tools. I'm not sure I have the story 100% correct because I'm working from memory, but Urrea tools were originally formed as a partnership between a Mexican tool manufacturer and Proto. Their brand was called Proto-Mex. They shared designs and patents and they made tools in Mexico to help serve the South American tool market. Many years later, the owner of the Mexican manufacturing company (named Urrea) bought out Proto's share of the partnership and renamed the company Urrea. Urrea stated in their literature that they used US steel and made their tools in Mexico. Under the Urrea name, it was discovered by customs officials that they were actually getting their sockets made in Taiwan (Taiwan was even applying the "Made in Mexico" stamping on each socket). All Urrea was actually doing to the sockets after importing them was chrome plating them. That was not nearly enough for them to legally qualify as being made in Mexico. I'm not sure what the full punishment for the deception was, but Urrea tools did have "Made in Mexico" stampings and "Made in Taiwan" stickers on the sockets for a while.
I assume Urrea is doing everything above board now and their tools are actually being made in Mexico with US steel as their website currently states.
I assume Urrea is doing everything above board now and their tools are actually being made in Mexico with US steel as their website currently states.
RoninB4
Well-known member
Back in the 90's the boss asked me to change a stamp in an injection mold, regular occurrence with many manufacturers. I pulled the stamp reading "Made In USA" and he handed me the replacement "Hecho En Mexico" (made in Mexico). This was in Chicago and I asked why the stamp change? He said if the customer knew it was made domestic they'd want a price reduction. Since then I've not had any faith in COO statements when if it's only one stamp change away. Printing on a box may simply mean the box/package itself and suppliers of components change at the drop of a hat. A company lied about something? Oh the scandal....
mike93lx
ALLIANCE MEMBER
You know that is a myth, right?
Was a Town in Japan Renamed 'Usa' So Its Products Could Be Labeled 'Made in USA'?
Did Japan rename a town 'Usa' so it could identify its products as 'Made in USA'?
www.snopes.com
mike93lx
ALLIANCE MEMBER
The reality is that parts come from all over, so QC and inspection are the most important. Having Americans even touch it is a benefit
NORTON'S SHOP
Well-known member
Fixed it for you.
If a German tool is made in Germany it will have "Made in Germany" on the tool and on the packaging together with at least 3 German flags.
Now most German tool importers, they laser etch Companyname Germany, and their HQ address but not "Made in Germany".
And especially for Hazet, if it doesn't say anything, the tool is not made in Germany, otherwise the first sentence above applies.
Ok, next time I will add a /jk or anYou know that is a myth, right?
Was a Town in Japan Renamed 'Usa' So Its Products Could Be Labeled 'Made in USA'?
Did Japan rename a town 'Usa' so it could identify its products as 'Made in USA'?
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CHI_Tool&Die
Well-known member
Urrea is still making stuff in Taiwan but at least they are saying it in the product specifications. I think those sockets and bit sockets don't have Mexico stamped on them anymore.
I was going to say that that is definitely the annoying thing about German tools. It can say Germany but be made anywhere. You really have to make sure it says Made in Germany. I think Heyco manufacturers a bunch of their stuff in Ireland (?) and all the dies still have Germany on them so you're getting an Irish wrench labeled Germany. I mean they are good stuff but it is really confusing. Same with my Wera stuff. Some packages say Czech, some say Taiwan...none are labeled on the tool however.
Most of the tools that I've had issues with COO have been Euro tools. They seem to have very lax COO regs.
It used to be that if you would stitch a label to a T-shirt in Italy you could put "Made in Italy" on the label; not sure if thats true anymore. That's the "made with global components" xD
You need the 3 words, "made in xxxx", anything else without that is deceitful marketing.
Offtopic: Why can't I post smileys? toolbar is greyed out
Not really the made in USA standards are actually very high and if you have for example recycled steel in a wrench you could no longer stamp made in usa without any qualifiers on it
KnurledNut
Well-known member
Obviously I was referring to rules in the European Union.
Found it, you have to press the brackets button [ ]
General Geoff
Well-known member
ptabatcher
Well-known member
I remember learning a bit about how strict the US laws can be years ago when Shinola got in trouble with the FTC. This old article from Forbes mentions that for a watch to be Swiss Made, only 60% of it has to be made in Switzerland.
www.forbes.com
Trust but verify. On the verification front, I’ve noticed more retrailers listing COO. It would be nice if everyone did that.
FTC Rules Shinola Can No Longer Claim Watches are "Made in America"
FTC rules on "Made in America" watches and issues directive to Shinola to change its advertising.
www.forbes.com
Trust but verify. On the verification front, I’ve noticed more retrailers listing COO. It would be nice if everyone did that.
mike93lx
ALLIANCE MEMBER
If the 60% is based on piece count, that's easy with a mechanical /automatic since the movements are so complex. It also requires assembly in Switzerland though. So everything besides the ETA or Sellita movement can be sourced outside of the country and then it just needs to be put together thereI remember learning a bit about how strict the US laws can be years ago when Shinola got in trouble with the FTC. This old article from Forbes mentions that for a watch to be Swiss Made, only 60% of it has to be made in Switzerland.
FTC Rules Shinola Can No Longer Claim Watches are "Made in America"
FTC rules on "Made in America" watches and issues directive to Shinola to change its advertising.
Trust but verify. On the verification front, I’ve noticed more retrailers listing COO. It would be nice if everyone did that.
Dave455
Well-known member
Don’t panic! I have the Stahlwille catalogue and it specifically states that they are!So these Stahlwille wrenches might not actually have been forged in Deutschland?
Back when those wrenches were designed, I don’t think anyone had started putting “Germany” on a tool that wasn’t made there. That only came later on.
For the British market they generally put the country of origin on the packing. I’ve got a fair bit of Stahlwille and I can’t remember any that wasn’t German made. There will be some - ratcheting wrenches will be Taiwanese, flashlights rebranded Pelican, but majority is German, even the things they outsource.
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Ricky Joe
Well-known member
Out of curiosity, who retailed Stahwille? I have a ratchet and extension.
Dave455
Well-known member
In the U.K. they were (and still are) retailed through a number of industrial suppliers. I used to get the best deals through a firm in the midlands I had a trade account with. I got the majority of my Stahlwille then.
These days I’m just as likely to order it from one of the online suppliers, either in the U.K. or direct from Germany.
General Geoff
Well-known member
Yeah I checked the packaging and it specifies Made In Germany so its good
