Right now, I don't think SB&d deserves to be fair. They have had the opportunity to make this happen for far too long and have not yet demonstrated that they are only interested in returning the brands they own to the United States for large-scale American production. They have had all the resources at their disposal for years and have not yet produced results that meet consumer expectations. However, those expectations must be taken with a grain of salt.
People want to buy tools made in the USA. UU. However, they don't want to pay the price. Everyone says they would buy tools made in the United States instead of foreign-made tools.
But would they? Please disagree. In fact, I would venture to say that you wouldn't. This is not how things used to be when all products in the United States were manufactured in the United States and were affordable. Those days have come to pass.
I'm pretty sure these Milwaukee tools are going to be quite expensive. Probably twice the price of its competitors. But there is one thing that people must fully understand and that is that Milwaukee is not an American company. Milwaukee is not an American company.
They still have the same American name they were founded under, but they are not an American brand of tools. Whether they like it or not, they are owned by the Chinese. They have production facilities here in the U.S. UU.
who report to their superiors in China, which is where the headquarters are located. There is no U.S. subsidiary for Milwaukee tools. People still think Milwaukee is an American brand.
In no way shape, shape or fashion. The Milwaukee brand is not owned by Americans. Stanley Black & Decker is an American corporation. They have production facilities outside the U.S.
These facilities are accountable to their superiors in Maryland, which is where the headquarters of SB&d are located. Every dollar people spend around the world on SB&d tools ends up in a US bank account. Every dollar that people spend around the world on Milwaukee tools ends up in a Chinese bank account. This facility, nor its means of production and production, were decided by the Americans.
The Hong Kong showrunners decided to do this. It was their decision to bring a large-scale production facility to the United States for their biggest brand of tools, which turns out to bear an American name. They invested the yen, which was transformed into the dollars that did it. Now, does this completely embarrass SB&d? Absolutely.
They have rightfully earned having mud all over their faces. There's no possible excuse why SB&d hasn't yet achieved this feat, given the amount of time and resources that have been available to them for years. Should we all shout F__K SB&d for what they've done to the American manufacturing industry? YES. They were among the first to abandon the ship for overseas manufacturing.
The flip side is that it made SB&d products more affordable than their American-made counterparts. SB&d is currently the largest tool company on the planet. Do you really think they would be where they are if their manufacture had remained in the U.S. UU.? Absolutely not.
People's wallets didn't seem to oppose it. Now, imagine if it were Milwaukee's power tools that were manufactured in this new facility. I'm willing to bet that Milwaukee would be side by side with festool in terms of pricing. Would his patriotism force him to pay those prices? I mean, hey, we all want to show our support for the United States, but not for the sake of price exploitation, which is what Milwaukee would do considering that it's not even an American brand anymore.
So, while this seems like a revival of an American brand returning home to do the right thing, the truth is that a Chinese brand that bears an American name is being established for large scale American production in the United States. That's all there is to do. That doesn't change the fact that they are a Chinese brand owned by a Chinese company. Just as SB&d established an overseas store for the large-scale production of several of its American brands.
They are all still American brands owned by the same American company. This doesn't make Milwaukee any more American than it already was. I'm sorry to burst your bubble, but people are already starting with the misconception that this makes it an American brand out of American pride. You couldn't be more wrong if that's what you think this is.
Editors obsessed with the team choose every product we review. We can earn commissions if you buy from a link, why trust us? How tool companies are trying to save the label. Everyone loves Made in the US, A. Politicians like Donald Trump are campaigning about it and vowing to return jobs to the United States.
Buyers see it as a sign of quality, especially in tools. But you probably also know the other side of the story. Doing things in the United States costs more, and many shoppers don't put their money where their words are, opting for the cheapest product when it comes time to part with their hard-earned money. Tool companies realized the value of producing or assembling tools and products in the United States.
A tool's reputation weighs heavily, and once that reputation is tarnished, it's difficult to reverse it, regardless of where it was manufactured. That's why more and more power tool companies are following a close line with their manufacturing these days, 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 US.
There simply aren't many viable sources of electrical components. DeWalt is one of those who make many of their power tools in the U.S. World-class manufactured components and materials. 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 USA. Tools produced, something DeSimone swears by. Stanley Black & Decker, DeWalt's parent company, is dealing with the same problem with Craftsman tools, which recently made a splash by acquiring the classic Sears brand of tools. 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, Stanley Black & Decker says he will focus on the U.S. Manufacturing for Craftsman with domestic and global materials, just like DeWalt does. There is hope that this will signal a change for a beloved American brand. Manufacturers of quality power tools from Germany face the same problem.
Festool and Fein are on or near the top wish lists of all builders, 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 the world's number one outdoor electrical equipment manufacturer.
They are committed to the U.S. They produce for years and have their largest production facility in the world here in Virginia Beach, VA. 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 also face competition from brands and discount retailers, of course.
Many continue to expand despite offering few products manufactured in the United States. Savvy shoppers seem to understand why tools should pay a premium 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 the added value of placing the American flag on a product. Whether American shoppers reward them for that is an ongoing question. Timothy is a lifelong DIY enthusiast who is obsessed with smart home technology, the beautiful tools and the heartbreaking abilities of his Land Cruiser FJ62. He is a DIY editor at Popular Mechanics and also founder of the home improvement site Charles & Hudson, the family site nominated for Webby, Built by Kids and Tool Crave.
When you're not working, you'll find him on his board or bike enjoying the Los Angeles weather with his family and friends. Follow him on Instagram and Twitter. The Do's and Don'ts of Using Painter's Tape Milwaukee's Small But Powerful Belt Sander The 9 Best Wood Dividers for Any Size Gear-Obsessed Editors Choose Every Product We Review. We may earn commissions if you buy from a link.
I firmly believe that, based on what I saw there, Milwaukee Tool is going to massively revolutionize the entire market for hand tools manufactured in the USA. I realized some time ago that Milwaukee is clearly better than Dewalt, Craftsman and the other “American” brands. Interestingly, Milwaukee will make screwdrivers and pliers in the United States, and Stanley Black & Decker can't even do it with Craftsman, specifically with the iconic Craftsman screwdrivers with transparent handles. Producing Craftsman tools at the Stanley factories, because Lowe's now sells Craftsman instead of Stanley, doesn't count.
Milwaukee Tool also developed a line of blades for the new saw, which would cut different materials. At this time, there is no additional information on Milwaukee hand tool plans made in the USA. In the US, but the tools of “electricians and linemen” could give rise to some good guesses. Milwaukee Tools has a history that dates back to 1918 and has had manufacturing plants everywhere ever since.
With Craftsman completely gone (before SB&D bought it), I looked up other brands and came to Milwaukee looking for my hand tools and couldn't be happier. As far as I know, Milwaukee doesn't make any of its cordless tools in the U.S. In the US, although I know they used to make corded tools here. My old Super Sawzall with cable was made in the USA.
In the US, but that was more than 20 years ago. Meanwhile, Klein appears to be acquiring some of its tools outside the U.S. (China, Taiwan, Japan, Slovenia). Milwaukee Electric Tool Corporation is an American company responsible for the development, manufacture and marketing of power tools.
He assured me that they are working to ensure that practically all the tools are manufactured here, with fewer and fewer global supplies as time permits. . .
