Where from?

[Rory McNeil]

Even paying much more doesn`t guarantee getting US made stuff. For many years I have paid 3 times as much for Red Wing work boots, rather than offshore stuff from a big box store. Imagine my suprise when a couple of years ago, my new $230. Red Wings said made in China! When I went back to the store, they told me that indeed, some of there models were now being made overseas, but the quality was still good, and so far, 2 years later, they are still holding up well, but it still pisses me off.
Even some of the Mac and Snap On tools I see when the tool trucks stop by work are made oversees. I guess its all part of the WalMart mentality, which is why I never set foot in one of their stores.
And the fact that many of the younger drivers, (those that actually take the trouble to get their drivers licenses these days!), for the most part have no brand loyalty to any American Auto Manufacturers, and in fact seem to take pleasure in bashing the domestics. Sad.

[Greg Reimer 7376]

Originally Posted by Rory McNeil

Even paying much more doesn`t guarantee getting US made stuff. For many years I have paid 3 times as much for Red Wing work boots, rather than offshore stuff from a big box store. Imagine my suprise when a couple of years ago, my new $230. Red Wings said made in China! When I went back to the store, they told me that indeed, some of there models were now being made overseas, but the quality was still good, and so far, 2 years later, they are still holding up well, but it still pisses me off.
Even some of the Mac and Snap On tools I see when the tool trucks stop by work are made oversees. I guess its all part of the WalMart mentality, which is why I never set foot in one of their stores.
And the fact that many of the younger drivers, (those that actually take the trouble to get their drivers licenses these days!), for the most part have no brand loyalty to any American Auto Manufacturers, and in fact seem to take pleasure in bashing the domestics. Sad.

I think what sometimes happens, since this winch looks entirely too high quality to have been made there, it could have been assembled with U.S. parts over there. I'll install it this weekend and see what its all about.It seems this problem of globalization, be it electronics parts, Red Wing shoes, Craftsman tools,( I hate to think of Snap On doing this),Van's tennis shoes, whatever, is not a new thing. Are our best days really behind us? I hope not.

[tim worner]

I often wondered how I can purchase a 3 lb "China Made" hammer for $5, but it would cost me more than that to ship it back.

[Lew Silverman]

It's "logistics", Tim! The price of the shipping container that brings this stuff over from Asia is less than what it would cost to ship them back! So they wind up abandoned near every major US port.

The problem, as I see it, is that most consumers are looking for a bargain, and rightly so! But in this global economy we're prisoners to corporations who outsource to foreign factories who pay their workers $.23-an-hour. So IF you can still find products that are "Proudly Made in the U.S.A.!", you're going to pay a premium!