Milwaukee is a city in the USA. UU. State of Wisconsin on the western shore of Lake Michigan. It is known for its breweries, many of which offer tours that narrate its role in the beer industry.
Overlooking the Menomonee River, the Harley-Davidson Museum exhibits classic motorcycles, including one by Elvis Presley. Nearby is the Milwaukee Public Museum, with its large scale European village and a recreation of old Milwaukee. Gear-obsessed publishers choose every product we review. We may earn commission if you buy from a link.
Why trust us? How tool companies try to keep the label. Everyone loves Made in the EE. UU., TO. Politicians like Donald Trump's campaign, with the promise of returning jobs to the United States.
Buyers see it as a sign of quality, especially in tools. But you probably know the other side of the story as well. Making things in the United States costs more, and many buyers don't put their money where they say, but instead opt for the cheapest product when the time comes to part with their hard-earned money. Tool companies realized the value of producing or assembling tools and products in the United States.
The reputation of a tool carries a lot of weight, and once that reputation is tarnished, it's difficult to reverse it, regardless of where it was manufactured. This is why more and more power tool companies are following a very close line with their manufacturing, creating some parts domestically, but also sourcing from abroad and assembling their products in the United States. Lithium-ion batteries are a great example, says Nick DeSimone, vice president of operations at DeWalt. They are mainly manufactured overseas by plants that have been producing them at a high level for decades, something that has not been replicated in the U.S.
There simply aren't many viable sources of electrical components. DeWalt is one of those who manufacture many of their power tools in the U.S. Manufactured components and materials of global origin. This is a great way to keep costs at bay and keep American workers employed.
The trick is to tell buyers that DeWalt's global tools are manufactured and tested to the same high-quality specifications as those manufactured in the U.S. Tools produced, something DeSimone swears by. Stanley Black & Decker, DeWalt's parent company, is dealing with the same problem with Craftsman tools, and it recently caused a sensation by acquiring the classic Sears tool brand. Craftsman is one of the most iconic American companies in any industry, but its reputation for producing quality power tools has been affected in recent years.
In a step to reverse this situation, Stanley Black & Decker says he will focus on the U.S. Manufacturing for Craftsman with domestic and international materials, just like DeWalt does. This is expected to mark a radical change for a much-loved American brand. German manufacturers of quality power tools face the same problem.
Festool and Fein are at the top of all builders' wish lists, or close to them, but they also outsource much of their production to other parts of Europe or Asia. They are considered premium brands and have done a great job maintaining quality control despite relocating part of their production. Since they don't compete on price, reputation means everything to them. Stihl is German-owned and is the number one manufacturer of outdoor electrical equipment in the world.
They are committed to EE. It has been producing for years and has its largest production facility in the world here in Virginia Beach, Virginia. Most of their products are designed in Germany, but they produce 256 products right here in the US. Tool companies trying to maintain their Made in the USA brand are also facing competition from discount brands and retailers, of course.
Many continue to expand despite offering few products manufactured in the United States. Apparently, savvy buyers understand which tools they should pay a premium for and what tools they can save on. The bottom line is that high-quality tools can be manufactured and assembled in countries around the world. Many of the companies that choose to manufacture in the U.S.
Believe in a strong American workforce and in added value by placing the American flag on a product. Whether American shoppers reward them for that is a constant question. Timothy is a lifelong DIY enthusiast who is obsessed with the smart home technology, beautiful tools, and keys in his Land Cruiser FJ62. He is the DIY editor of Popular Mechanics and also the founder of the home improvement site Charles & Hudson, the Webby nominated family site, Built by Kids and Tool Crave.
When he's not working, you'll find him on his board or on his bike enjoying the Los Angeles weather with his family and friends. Follow him on Instagram and Twitter. The 10 Best Garage Heaters for Winter Heat The Best Affordable Miter Saws What is a quick square and how to use one The dos and don'ts of using painter's tape The small but powerful Milwaukee belt sander Publishers obsessed with belt sander gear choose all the products we review. I had the pleasure of visiting the newly opened Milwaukee tool manufacturing plant in West Bend, Wisconsin.
In two years, Milwaukee went from being an advertisement to becoming a state-of-the-art facility that produces hand tools. Based in Saint Paul, Minnesota, Viking Drill & Tool has been manufacturing high-speed cutting tools since 1951. Thirty years later, Kraft Tool is still manufacturing tools made in the USA. UU. for the cement finishing professional, bricklayer, asphalt paver, tile setter, plasterer and drywall craftsman.
I never understood why simple hand tools were made in the USA. In the US, while brushless, Bluetooth, lithium-ion-powered, microprocessor-controlled and brushless power tools were manufactured overseas. It seems to me that Milwaukee wants to take over part of Craftsman's old market share, and it probably will because a) the tools it manufactures appear to be of high quality, b) they have an excellent HD distribution and great brand recognition, and c) Snap-On cannot compete on price, GearWrench cannot compete in distribution and Icon is limited to Harbor Freight and is not manufactured in the USA. Since 1979, they have sold automotive tools and products directly through a network of independent franchised tool trucks.
Now I will never buy anything except Milwaukee Tools and I am very grateful that their products are made in the USA. Milwaukee Tool has manufactured products in the U.S. since 1924, so they have a rich American history. They've been positioning themselves to compete with people like Klein and Ridgid (Emerson's plumbing tool giant, not the authorized brand of power tools manufactured by Milwaukee's parent company, TTI), and this should help.
In fact, according to Milwaukee itself, they make absolutely no cordless power tools in the U.S. USA, and they only manufacture a saw (not all) and a magnetic drill. That's all!. It's too early to talk about Home Depot, due to my expectations in terms of pricing, but I really believe that Milwaukee is going to completely change the status quo of the more premium tool industry.
I'm not saying that imported tools are garbage because I have a lot of them and I make a living with those tools. According to the Milwaukee tool representative I spoke to, she told me that the prices will remain the same, if not more competitive. With the tools that SBD manufactures here, they also have the same models manufactured abroad, so the same tool can be manufactured here or imported, depending on the retailer or the configuration of the combination kit. I bet Dewalt didn't record significantly higher sales of U.S.-made tools.
compared to the same SKUs sold abroad, or it would have expanded its domestic component manufacturing and tool assembly efforts. . .
