Milwaukee manufactures tools in the United States, in Wisconsin, and has 3 facilities in Mississippi. They also make tools in Europe and China, but Milwaukee. 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. UU. 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.
After crediting God and his excellent staff for the success of what is now the industry's largest power tool review publication, Clint DeBoer expects to see continued growth for the company as it rapidly expands its reach. Dewalt has tools that are assembled in the United States with domestic and global components, and only with a few. Since the tool company already had many products manufactured to Navy standards, the United States Navy placed a large number of orders to the company. In 1920, Joseph Johnson, an engineer from Milwaukee, and his co-worker, William Seidemann, manufactured the first Snap-on tools.
More recently, Malco also expanded to a former Vise-Grip plant in DeWitt, Nebraska, where they are working on a new line of tools manufactured in the USA. Good news and I will definitely be looking in Milwaukee for any future purchases of hand tools from now on. In two years, Milwaukee has gone from being an advertisement to a state-of-the-art facility that produces hand tools. More design and engineering work at Milwaukee Tool is about to take place in a restored office complex in downtown Milwaukee.
Milwaukee Tool is owned by Techtronic Industries, which also owns the Ryobi, Dirt Devil and Oreck brands. Milwaukee users want more Milwaukee, and the factory was built to cover that supply, as does Milwaukee. In terms of supply and demand, Milwaukee's pliers, wrenches, plugs and screwdrivers are seriously lacking on the supply side. Every dollar people spend around the world on SB&d tools ends up in a US bank account.
Anyway, I told him that even though I buy hand tools made outside the United States, I know that most of them are priced accordingly. . .
