MRO Today - Made in USA

Made in USA, dammit

by Tom Hammel, editor

These days, it seems like even the lead paint from China has lead paint in it. The recent product recalls, from tires and toys to toothpaste and dog food highlights a critical weakness in the international supply chain — accountability. Chinese authorities appear to be taking these recalls seriously and have announced plans to shut down suspect factories as part of an effort to clean up their quality control act.

How successfully (and for how long) will these measures deter largely unregulated foreign manufacturers from shaving costs with cheap materials? I’m not holding my breath.

For the American, Canadian and multinational importers slammed by these recalls, the impact is also as yet unclear. A few heads may roll, recall costs will be incurred and corporate stock will dip temporarily. The New Jersey-based tire importer simply claims to be unable to pay for recalling the bad tires it sold.

Does that leave American consumers holding the bag? Yes. But we always held the bag. Some of us will file lawsuits. Others will become more discerning shoppers, switching from low cost foreign goods to those made by companies with higher QA standards — ones closer to home. Wow, maybe you really do get what you pay for.

Will this deter U.S.-based companies from buying from China in the future? I doubt it.

The best thing to come from these recalls is that American consumers are gaining a new awareness of what actually goes into the stuff they buy and where it is made. And asking intelligent questions.

Remember when “Made in USA” said it all? It still does — it still should, anyway. More than ever, a preference for American-made products and components, from aircraft to bearings, makes good long-term sense.

Walking an international trade fair like Hannover Messe brings this home with a bang: Foreign producers are eager to work with U.S.-based companies — both to sell to us and to buy from us. They at least still know manufacturing in America is alive and well, and to them, “Made in USA,” still carries a lot of weight, dammit.