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To see the most glaring example of the sad demise of US manufacturing, look no further than Detroit. I’ve painted a pretty bleak picture here, but there may be a silver lining to all this (aside from the dubious honor of being able to buy a $10 pair of work boots or a $15 reciprocating saw).
DeWalt goes on to clarify that although cordless tools are prominent in the Built in the USA line, chargers and batteries are still built overseas. Will this start an arms race of the big tool brands clamoring to onshore their tool and accessory manufacturing? I’m not a flag waver, but, as a tradesman, I will admit to a sense of pride in an American made product and try to support those products. But, like you mentioned in the article, with the economy on such a global scale, it’s hard to really know what the true score is.
I had been wondering when shipping costs would reach the point that companies would bring some manufacturing back to the states. We’ll be discussing a few of the new offerings much more in coming days, so keep in mind to check back. With Stanley having already put their Bostitch brand (marketed at Lowes) on a bunch of handtools made in Asia – why not add Dewalt. I have a few details about some of their hand tools, the ones Dewalt is calling their 5 most innovative tools, but there’s no complete list available yet. New Milwaukee M12 LED Flashlight Dewalt is Entering the Smartphone Market - at Least in the UK Hilti 12V Cordless Power Tools ToolGuyd Amazon Gift Card Giveaway Winners: This is Your Last Chance to Accept!
DEWALT Introduces New Tools - Home Construction Improvement Home Construction Improvement Expert Home Improvement Advice SearchNeed Help? Through a combination of foreign policy, politics, corporate policies, tax code, consumer purchasing decisions, education policy, and the shift towards globalization, the United States’ production of tangible, manufactured products is low.
When given the option, most prefer to spend their money on a product that is built in the USA because it’s in line with what they do on a daily basis—building America.
When asked for future plans, actual manufacturing costs in the US vs abroad, and the actual percentage of tools being Built in the USA, DeWalt didn’t have any details to share at this time. That distance alone makes many aspects of doing business between the US and overseas more challenging: transportation, quality control, labor oversight, etc.
A national shift in priorities leading to more skilled labor and great US products is something just about all of us can get behind. Of the factors mentioned above as why most manufacturing went to Mexico or oversees, one important observation was missing: militant unionism (unless you consider that politics). Quality and value as well as constant and never-ending improvement will make America strong once again in manufacturing. The new product line includes more than 100 professional-grade tools and accessories, and will hit The Home Depot stores and independent distributors beginning in June 2011. It seems to me not so much a blending of brands as it a marketing ploy to try to broaden their customer base and compete with TTI (Milwaukee brand hand tools) and Newell-Rubbbermaid’s Irwin brand.
I’m fairly certain that the tools will be imports, but would like for once to be pleasantly surprised. I’m still regularly surprised how little awareness there is around where and how products, and tools in particular, are manufactured.
As Warren Buffet has pointed out on more than one occasion, we, as a country, can’t simply import everything. We were once manufacturing titans, and there’s a growing chorus of voices that would like to see that happen again.
It seems more like an experiment to see how the market will react and how the business numbers play out. As a frame of reference, Stanley Black & Decker (the parent company for DeWalt) has over 45,000 employees according to Forbes.
There’s a great deal of pride that goes into making things at home – we’re thrilled to bring some jobs back to the US and reconnect with our users. Even if the percentage of products Built in the USA is tiny, and regardless of the business motivations, we’re still happy to see it as a renewed focus.
Maybe it will work as well as having many brands once did for GM – or maybe not (where is Pontiac, Oldsmobile and Saturn today) .
In recent years, even college grads have faced a bleak outlook for landing a solid job, let alone a stable career.
If the Built in the USA line is a huge success, DeWalt would be hard pressed NOT to expand the program. Even so, it’s certainly a step in the right direction, especially compared to the more typical stat of corporations actually eliminating US manufacturing jobs by the thousands. As other programs like DeWalt’s Built in the USA program might appear, it will be interesting to see the level of commitment to US manufacturing each brand pursues.
One hope is that it will foster some innovation so as to help Stanley distinguish the Dewalt hand tool line from their other brands. It’s not uncommon to find folks that still think Milwaukee tool manufacturers all their tools in Milwaukee. And by produce, I don’t mean the mystical shifting, trading and manipulation of value that occupies so much of Wall St.
Countries such as Germany offer a third alternative: get trade experience, learn highly marketable skills and make really great stuff that the world will want to buy.
Which programs are mere window dressing, and which are truly a major shift in manufacturing strategy? Or, at the opposite end, that no tool brands manufacture in the US at all (Klein, Channellock, Vaughan hammers, Rolair compressors, Lenox and many others make most or all of their products in the USA). Corporations across every industry, from shoes to computers, and now tools, are experimenting with onshoring (bringing production back stateside). We live in a global market, and it shouldn’t come as a shock to anyone that materials are sourced globally. There’s also a growing contingent of scrappy entrepreneurs selling made in the USA products, like Simple Scribe and Jack Clamp (both current HF advertisers).
You won’t find many premium quality goods in those stores, and goods made in the USA are few and far between too. While those are big forces with many of these initiatives, I think the trend is broader than that. If a US worker gets a half dozen parts all manufactured overseas and fits them together with a few screws, is that tool still worthy of being called made in the USA? The facility is used as the main training, testing and design facility for the Stanley Black & Decker family including the DEWALT line-up. The painful reality and human consequences of offshored production are all around us if you look for them.
That’s a grey area that will likely vary from tool to tool and manufacturer to manufacturer. This year’s media event highlight tons of new tools for 2011 some of which will certainly make impacts on the industry.I’m going to quickly summarize some of the highlights from my trip in this article.
Combine this with their efforts related to US combat veterans, and it’s clear DeWalt has a game plan focused on patriotism.
If you’d like to read more about the full press releases on all the new tools be sure to check them out over at Tool Box Buzz. Later this summer I’ll write some reviews when we receive testing samples.DEWALT 20V MAX Lithium Ion SystemThe highlight of the event was the unveiling of the new 20 Volt MAX* Lithium Ion system. Last summer we got to see the 12 Volt MAX system when it came out and it’s not a huge surprise that the same “platform” has been expanded to a higher voltage.
Just like the 12 volt system the new 20 Volt MAX using a slide pack battery instead of the older pedestal type.While it is called a 20 volt system the reality is that it’s an 18 volt system.
Secondly, and more important is they wanted to be sure customers didn’t confuse the old 18 volt systems with this new system.Lets face it there are lots of users who have a hard enough time figuring whether hey have 18 volt Ni-Cd or Li-Ion so if they introduced this as a 3rd option it would have been mass confusion.
Nominal voltage is 18.New 12” Sliding Compound Miter SawAnother big announcement was their new 12? Sliding Compound Miter Saw (DWS780). First of all is it’s weight, weighing in at only 56 pounds this saw will lead the industry where most other 12? saws are in the 60 lb or more range. This saw also comes with the XPSTM LED light and cut alignment system that casts a laser-like shadow on the work surface.Another thing that impressed me was the cut capacity of this saw.
To simplify and maximize vertical cutting capacity, the unit includes a rail lock latch for holding the head away from the fence.Miter Saw Stands and Work StandsThe new line of DEWALT Miter Stands and Work Stands offer a wide range of solutions for contractors. The Miter Stands come in the size shown along with a compact version which is great for guys who carry their equipment around in a small truck or car.
The new line of work stands are glorified saw horses that offer strength, durability and portability. In addition to the new stands there are several great accessories that compliment the stands including carrying straps, roller supports, flip up cut stops and extension arm supports. This system looks great and offers tons of great features.Research, Design, Testing – DEWALT Continues To ImpressOver the last couple of years I’ve made two trips to the facility in Baltimore and I continue to be impressed by the research and testing that DEWALT puts into it’s tools. Above is an example of a testing apparatus that is testing how fast a reciprocating saw blade can cut through a piece of rebar. They constantly develop tests and compare their products to others in the market to ensure they are competitive. Seeing the amount of research in their facility keeps reminding me why DEWALT brand tools and accessories never let me down!They even have an in-house video studio where they produce short videos used to teach their staff and others how to use the tools. They take lots of time and effort to not only teach folks how to use the tool but they also teach their staff real world applications at the facility. DEWALT employees learn how to use the tools on real simulations such as framing walls, hanging drywall, setting up suspended ceilings and many other applications.DEWALT also showed off their new line of hand tools. I run their design-build division that specializes in custom homes, commercial design-build projects and sub-divisions. I'm also a licensed civil and structural engineer with extensive experience in civil and structural design and home construction. My hope is that I can share my experience in the home construction, home improvement and home renovation profession with other builders and home owners.
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