Snapon Toolbox - made where?

[CROmech]

Hey I am looking at purchasing a KRL1022. A guy at work has one as well, and his says “made in USA”. The one I am looking at does not say made in USA anywhere - all it says is Algona, Iowa.

I have a suspicion that there was a period in time that some master series boxes were made overseas. From around 2013-present.


Anybody know anything about this?

 

[rust in the eye]

Last I checked Algona, Iowa remains in the United States

 

[2ndGearRubber]

Snap on has made boxes in Canada (heritage series?), and somewhere in Asia specifically for the asian market. I think the asian made boxes were heritage series as well.

I don't have the sticker from my new cart, or my old cart. KRL1033 says Snap on tools - Algona, Iowa, then the color on the next line. This box is ~10 years old. The 1032 and both of the lockers (1012s) have Made In USA between the 1st line and the color on the 3rd line. These are all "masters" series products.

Last I checked Algona, Iowa remains in the United States

I'm wondering if they added the specific MADE IN USA section to comply with a government procurement process. They're just 3x3 little stickers, with the serial number on them, so snap on obviously has some ability to change what's on them.

 

[CROmech]

Snap on has made boxes in Canada (heritage series?), and somewhere in Asia specifically for the asian market. I think the asian made boxes were heritage series as well.

I don't have the sticker from my new cart, or my old cart. KRL1033 says Snap on tools - Algona, Iowa, then the color on the next line. This box is ~10 years old. The 1032 and both of the lockers (1012s) have Made In USA between the 1st line and the color on the 3rd line. These are all "masters" series products.




I'm wondering if they added the specific MADE IN USA section to comply with a government procurement process. They're just 3x3 little stickers, with the serial number on them, so snap on obviously has some ability to change what's on them.

I think there’s more to it.

Think about it. Americans generally prefer when a product is US made and says “Made in USA”. Why would Snapon all of a sudden stop printing that?

 

[Wamsutta]

Here's two videos showing the KRL1022 being made in China by Chinese people.

 

[ChevyEFI]

I think there’s more to it.

Think about it. Americans generally prefer when a product is US made and says “Made in USA”. Why would Snapon all of a sudden stop printing that?

New graduates learned they could get recognition by bringing the company i to the global age.

 

[2ndGearRubber]

I think there’s more to it.

Think about it. Americans generally prefer when a product is US made and says “Made in USA”. Why would Snapon all of a sudden stop printing that?

I would consider, but I have no evidence, that the boxes never had stickers that said Made in USA. Only Iowa markings. Or perhaps they considered a change, changed the stickers temporarily, and reverted back.

Really the sticker is irrelevant, saying USA made, if Algona Iowa is on the sticker. I haven't seen any boxes indicating other COO for the US market outside select Canadian boxes.

 

[f121]

Think about it. Americans generally prefer when a product is US made and says “Made in USA”. Why would Snapon all of a sudden stop printing that?

To avoid confusion with Usa, Japan?

 

[ETJ]

Snap-on has 40" kra2107 (+ maybe another model with similar coloring) heritage series boxes made in China. These are sold in european and asian markets.



This blue one I have seen in person. My snap-on dealer has couple of them.


I think they are same as their bahco 40" toolboxes but with different trim.



I don't know about any other overseas models.

 

[CROmech]

Here's two videos showing the KRL1022 being made in China by Chinese people. /s

Still, doesn’t say made in USA anywhere on the box…

Why is that?

 

[Steve_P]

Still, doesn’t say made in USA anywhere on the box…

Why is that?

I have no idea, but maybe the casters and slides are imported, so it's a "global materials" thing?

 

[j3rf]

Maybe contact Snap On customer service and see what they say?

 

[neophyte]

Maybe some components were made with minor foreign parts or materials, and Snap-On didn’t want to get fined tens of millions of dollars like their rival, Stanley.

 

[gatewaysysop]

Just my $.02, but I can't justify the premium for manufacturers that won't disclose the country of origin. I'm not an ultra-nationalist either, I dearly love my Asian import 72" toolbox from Strictly. If I'm paying 5-10x as much for a premium truck brand, an assumed country of origin isn't good enough.

Strictly speaking, if they're ashamed of where they produced it, why should I be proud to own it?

 

[f121]

My 40” heritage stack had a sticker on the back, proudly proclaiming it’s made in China.

 

[2ndGearRubber]

I have no idea, but maybe the casters and slides are imported, so it's a "global materials" thing?

Slides and casters are USA made though. The top mat, the trim, the lock, the slide screws, rivets and warning labels. The only thing I could find clicking through ~10 of the parts was the handle.

https://shop.snapon.com/repair-prod...ank-Masters-Series-Roll-Cab-(Red)/KRL1032FPBO



I know the slides are identical between the 1033, 10years old Iowa marked, and the newer stuff with the USA marking in addition to Iowa. Perhaps you're onto something, the USA made labeling was added as "with global materials" became more common.

 

[CROmech]

Slides and casters are USA made though. The top mat, the trim, the lock, the slide screws, rivets and warning labels. The only thing I could find clicking through ~10 of the parts was the handle.

https://shop.snapon.com/repair-products/72"-12-Drawer-Double-Bank-Masters-Series-Roll-Cab-(Red)/KRL1032FPBO



I know the slides are identical between the 1033, 10years old Iowa marked, and the newer stuff with the USA marking in addition to Iowa. Perhaps you're onto something, the USA made labeling was added as "with global materials" became more common.

Snapon is doing some shady stuff I am telling you.

ALL the Epiq line boxes say “made in USA”.

I bet you anything the Master series boxes are made in China.

 

[nicks78camaro]

It was probably USA made. They also briefly removed the USA stamping from ratchets and added it back later.

 

[mreisner]

Snapon is doing some shady stuff I am telling you.

ALL the Epiq line boxes say “made in USA”.

I bet you anything the Master series boxes are made in China.

I bought a Masters in March of last year, says Made in USA on it.

 

[Snapped-off]

My 40” heritage stack had a sticker on the back, proudly proclaiming it’s made in China.

Pretty sure all the Heritage boxes outside of the US are made in China.

 

[Steve_P]

Slides and casters are USA made though. The top mat, the trim, the lock, the slide screws, rivets and warning labels. The only thing I could find clicking through ~10 of the parts was the handle.

https://shop.snapon.com/repair-products/72"-12-Drawer-Double-Bank-Masters-Series-Roll-Cab-(Red)/KRL1032FPBO



I know the slides are identical between the 1033, 10years old Iowa marked, and the newer stuff with the USA marking in addition to Iowa. Perhaps you're onto something, the USA made labeling was added as "with global materials" became more common.

I have no idea; I was just throwing that out there. But, SO is very transparent about COO, as your dive thru the parts book shows. I don't think there is anything nefarious going on here like the OP is alluding to. The obvious answer is to call SO with the question instead of posting here and implying that the box was made in China.

 

[MWEric]

I have no idea, but maybe the casters and slides are imported, so it's a "global materials" thing?

Nope, slides at least are MiUSA.

 

[2ndGearRubber]

Snapon is doing some shady stuff I am telling you.

ALL the Epiq line boxes say “made in USA”.

I bet you anything the Master series boxes are made in China.

I think your timeline is backwards. The oldest box I have states Iowa, but not explicitly USA. The newer KRL, and two new KRL lockers, all say USA. They were purchased after the 1033 which only states Iowa. So if they were making KRL/Master series boxes elsewhere, that would be in the past. The much more recent 1032, and two lockers, all say USA.

I have a picture of all my stickers for theft/damage purposes. The KEMW361 mobile workstation also lists as:

SNAP-ON TOOLS COMPANY - ALGONA, IOWA
MADE IN U.S.A.
POWDER, RED

Everything but my ~10YO KRL1033 has that layout. The 1033 omits the middle line. The epiq cart, a 1032, and two lockers all include the center line for MADE IN U.S.A. The KRL1033 just moves the color information up a line, and leaves the 3rd line area blank.

 

[KnurledNut]

I have no idea, but maybe the casters and slides are imported, so it's a "global materials" thing?

You might be on to something:

 

[2ndGearRubber]

You might be on to something:

Loading...

b2b.snapon.com

I think that's just the one piece of the caster, the locking pin. It's like a plastic rectangle with a loop on the end.

Snap-on Store

shop.snapon.com

The caster itself is listed USA made. The side of the caster, per that picture, has MADE IN USA stamped in the side.

 

[JesSharTucker]

Here's two videos showing the KRL1022 being made in China by Chinese people. /s

卡扣式
Kǎ kòu shì

 

[CROmech]

I think your timeline is backwards. The oldest box I have states Iowa, but not explicitly USA. The newer KRL, and two new KRL lockers, all say USA. They were purchased after the 1033 which only states Iowa. So if they were making KRL/Master series boxes elsewhere, that would be in the past. The much more recent 1032, and two lockers, all say USA.

I have a picture of all my stickers for theft/damage purposes. The KEMW361 mobile workstation also lists as:

SNAP-ON TOOLS COMPANY - ALGONA, IOWA
MADE IN U.S.A.
POWDER, RED

Everything but my ~10YO KRL1033 has that layout. The 1033 omits the middle line. The epiq cart, a 1032, and two lockers all include the center line for MADE IN U.S.A. The KRL1033 just moves the color information up a line, and leaves the 3rd line area blank.

I wonder why they omitted it.

 

[2ndGearRubber]

Here is a locker I believe to be older than my 10yo KRL1033, still a masters series product.

Iowa is not listed. This sticker is also more rectangular than the modern stickers I have, which are basically square. It appears there was a period where USA was omitted, replaced only with Algona Iowa.

 

[lugnut71]

My understanding is the master series used to be made in kenosha Wisconsin, and like 15-20 years ago they moved the toolbox plant to algona, iowa and that is when they started adding that to the label

 

[AEAdam]

My understanding is the master series used to be made in kenosha Wisconsin, and like 15-20 years ago they moved the toolbox plant to algona, iowa and that is when they started adding that to the label

I thought the A in KRA stood for Algona. Pretty sure its Kenosha Red Algona. Thought Algona has been making boxes for a long time. Tho I have a 2000+/- KR761 which is the predecessor to the KRL7XXX. So maybe that was made in Kenosha?

Edit: Its a very nice box

 

[lugnut71]

I am not sure about that, i do know that a masters series is a krl series box , older master series were kr series, i believe the L was added when they come out with the lock n roll drawer latch

 

[CROmech]

I think Snapon at one point had the master series made overseas.

 

[2ndGearRubber]

I think Snapon at one point had the master series made overseas.

I'm not disputing the possibility.


But in the US market, we only have evidence of Masters series boxes marked USA or Iowa, or both. I've seen evidence of Canadian made boxes, the smaller series. I'm not sure if those were ever sold in the US however.

I would figure TikTok and every social media platform would be spreading the evidence like wildfire.