clevtool
Well Known Member
I just replied to a post on rivet sets, and Martin going out of business. We are seeing this with too many US vendors and I thought it is a good opportunity to mention that the consumer is the one who decides if they will have access to US made, quality products, or if we will all be forced into buying foreign sourced junk. When price is all that drives a purchase, we are effectively forcing a single source model where US manufacturers fold, and your cash gets bundled up and sent to China. The purchaser and future purchasers are then using an inferior tool and is frustrated that they can't find anything better. We have seen it happen with Craftsman over the last 50 years, and Snap-On in the last 10.
I sell tools, it puts food on my table and my family's only source of income, so yes I am biased. We started out 23 years ago because we had three of every tool. Trying to find a better, more enjoyable way to get a job done should not be that hard (or as expensive as buying three of everything). We found the best of everything and made a catalog. So many of those original tools no longer exist. Many never did and we started manufacturing them. We operate in a tiny market, where there is a thin line between make and break. A great deal of time is spent when a supplier goes under and a new one must be located. Finding that US (or German, Swiss, Israel, UK...) supplier is getting harder and harder. SnapOn has bought several our suppliers and while they have that 'quality' name, they have been cheapening up tools (read sourcing parts) to the point that I feel they are far inferior, Sioux being a prime example, but not the only one under their umbrella.
Perhaps we can re-frame purchasing decisions to think that that extra 30% we pay to get a US made product is a charitable donation to support jobs of US workers, and the 'prize' that we get for making that donation is a much upgraded product and a healthier long term economy.
Thanks for listening,
Mike
[thread moved to General Discussion for greater exposure; S. Buchanan]
I sell tools, it puts food on my table and my family's only source of income, so yes I am biased. We started out 23 years ago because we had three of every tool. Trying to find a better, more enjoyable way to get a job done should not be that hard (or as expensive as buying three of everything). We found the best of everything and made a catalog. So many of those original tools no longer exist. Many never did and we started manufacturing them. We operate in a tiny market, where there is a thin line between make and break. A great deal of time is spent when a supplier goes under and a new one must be located. Finding that US (or German, Swiss, Israel, UK...) supplier is getting harder and harder. SnapOn has bought several our suppliers and while they have that 'quality' name, they have been cheapening up tools (read sourcing parts) to the point that I feel they are far inferior, Sioux being a prime example, but not the only one under their umbrella.
Perhaps we can re-frame purchasing decisions to think that that extra 30% we pay to get a US made product is a charitable donation to support jobs of US workers, and the 'prize' that we get for making that donation is a much upgraded product and a healthier long term economy.
Thanks for listening,
Mike
[thread moved to General Discussion for greater exposure; S. Buchanan]
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