Look…truth is EVERYONE around the world just has to make stuff. We all enjoy some imported products from around the world wrapped in their own custom touch.

The world NEEDS China to manufacture about as much as it needs the U.S., Europe and everyone else to manufacture. We need the sharing of jobs worldwide to help the worldwide economy to keep on turning and also to help struggling nations. They need money and jobs too.

The problem is Americans have gotten lazy. We’d rather be all salesmen and supervisors because it is much easier than making stuff. As for me, I take GREAT pride in my product being made here but some products we simply have no business making because other countries have the expertise over the U.S.

All I ask…and promote…is that inventors and businesses try to make their product here, explore if it is possible or keep some partial manufacturing jobs here….or even packaging…maybe even as little as inspections of the manufactured product. My product is inspected and gets a sticker to say it was…check for defects.

For the past 10 years especially I see inventors and others not even check if they can make it here…just go right to China or other countries. This will not work. If the U.S. does not hold onto a manufacturing base we will become a very poor nation. NO NATION ever built itself from being a bunch of salespeople…they made countries from making stuff and exporting…unless it is ok with everybody if we all work at Wal-Mart for minimum wage…but wait…this economy with lost manufacturing jobs has hurt their numbers too.

Ron Komorowski
Inventor of Handi-Straps
www.handi-straps.com

I feel that you should make the product where it makes the most sense to produce it based on what it is, what it costs and how much you would need to make off each item to turn a profit worth doing it for.

I have nothing against China or any other country for that matter. As long as the materials used are quality and safe it’s really a numbers game. There are marketing benefits to having a product made in the U.S. You gain on peoples patriotism, you show you care about our direct economy and it implies a certain level of quality whether it’s deserved or not just because it’s us!

We are becoming a world economy more so each and everyday as Ron describes below. You really need to do your homework to determine what is best from every aspect of selling your item. You may be able to produce it cheaper overseas but then you have all the shipping, the time delays, the added pollution from having to ship it by yak, by train, by freighter buy truck. Very expensive rush air shipments when something goes wrong in the chain, etc…

But along the way the yak herder, the shipping company, the trucking company all got a piece of the action so you really helped the world economy by making it in China not to mention the phone company and software companies for all the phone calls and teleconferencing meetings you had to have to make it happen.

Make it in the US though and you still have a lot of people involved just they are now on “our side” It’ll probably cost you more in labor and materials because we like to make more money but you’ll save on the other expenses so it balances out. You gain the Made in America tag, the perception of quality, the feel good factor for helping your own and yes you helped the world economy too. You probably save a lot on time and frustrating communications by staying in the U.S.

It’s really up to you. If the company isn’t happy with where you are making your product let them know you’ll gladly move the production wherever they want and you’ll need to adjust the price to boot. They may actually take you up on it or they’ll say “I can’t pay that” and you can come back and say that’s why it’s in China, you should be more patriotic and pay the increased cost and support America…what’s wrong with you.

It may even be cheaper in the U.S. you really don’t know until you research all the factors. Like Ron is getting at below, we should all at least give America a chance on producing our items and that’s coming from someone who has 2 products in China right now. I didn’t have a say in where they are being produced but I get why it’s China. They were both Engineered here though.

Ron, Phillip

First I want to thank you for your honest opinions. I do understand the importance of “made in America”. My goal was to have my bag crafted here in the good ole U.S. of A. Only after I approached 5 bag manufacturers (through Thomas Register) and my prototype company in New Mexico, did I seek manufacturers in China.

At the time, 1 company wasn’t responsive to my inquiries, 2 of the companies I felt comfortable with, were doing work for the government (2004 – producing items for the war in Iraq) and had no time to take on production of my product, 2 other manufacturers as well as my prototype company couldn’t produce my product at a price point where I could make, even a small profit selling on the internet alone (the amount for producing my product was going to be more than I could sell at retail cost). I spent almost 6 months trying to obtain an American manufacturer for my product.
Even my prototype company gave me contacts with Mexican manufacturers that I didn’t use (wasn’t comfortable with them).

Yes Phillip, you are correct in that, it all needs to make sense, I crunched the numbers as much as possible, and China was able to produced (including shipping and packaging) my bag at ¼ retail value. I wish I could have gotten at least ½ here, I could have still made a small profit selling online after marketing costs.

I have and will continue to seek and use American companies when I can for my products manufacturing, prototype work, patents, marketing, shipping, packaging, trade show materials, etc.

Again Thanks,

Gerald Roeback
www.crossoverseries.com

I don’t believe the United States has shifted away from being a manufacturing company because Americans have gotten lazy. I believe it’s because of the exorbitant cost of doing business in our country.

In order for someone in China to manufacturer a product, they need to bring in materials and cheap labor. A U.S. manufacturer needs to incur the cost of materials, high-paying jobs, maintaining strict OSHA requirements, environmental impact fees, waste disposal fees, insurance, and workman’s comp (to name a few). When you add the fact that U.S. companies are already being taxed out of business, it’s no wonder why it seems we manufacture very little these days.

I’m strong on US manufacturing. Did it for 25 years, but we never supplied a product for national distribution, talking millions of pieces. Couple parts to 100k, but never really beyond that. My products are currently made local, the first potential licensee went back and forth between whether it should stay here or go to China. We still talk, but they may never sign on the dotted line.

I have been contacted by bunches of overseas mfg. and about to begin talking with another. These guys have something to gain other than from the sales of my product, it will promote theirs as well. In this case, since their product would be an accessory, I believe that my products will still maintain the requirements for “made in the USA” labelling… but were just talking now.

US mfg is getting a punch in the stomach, as it should be. I don’t know how Asia can produce as cheap as they do, but… If the local boys didn’t try to get rich fast and just billed a reasonable amount you would begin to see a shift. The rewards would probably come just as quickly but it would be done thru volume sales. You have to find the “individual manufacturer”, you can not and should not, lump them all together. they are individuals that do not all think alike.

Gerald my item is made from a steel rod 1/4 inch round, I would guess, to have China make this, you would have to export the steel to them. No?

Ok…a bit off-thread again, but I’m still wondering…with all the products from China that run into problems here in the states with health, etc, do the Chinese sell those products, dyes, other unsafe items to their OWN people? Or are these products/processes merely the ones they know are faulty and figure …“let’s sell those to USA…they’ll buy anything…if the price is right.” Like a relatively new news story that surfaced again yesterday about Chinese drywall on some newsmagazine show. Everyone here who has it in their house is getting ill…really ill. Now for something that big (the size of the product itself) , it should be easy to find out if Chinese houses have that drywall too, and are getting sick, shouldn’t it?

I have a guess…that the Chinese government won’t share that info…but seriously, why don’t our reporters ask that question? I would think Chinese houses would ALL have the stuff. Maybe a Chinese inventor has patented an antedote for preventing illnesses from toxic products and won’t share. LOL.

Now, eeeeeasy RON (you human POP UP AD for EN (lol))…I am not knocking Chinese products in any way, shape or form…I am just curious if they use the same products they send us, or have less stringent controls. I know we need affordable manufacturing. I’m just wondering…

human pop-up ad :-)
I like it.

The best deal for inventions in the U.S. for inventors is Edison Nation. BEWARE of these over seas promises! Unless you want to learn Chinese and go fight over there in court for years.

This is an Edison Nation forum and it just happens to be Edison Nation is your best bet. I was on TV in Sweden last night with my invention. A bunch of orders came in today. This ultimately happened because Edison Nation helped me. They have also put me in the only U.S. inventor’s magazine 3 times!!! I have been on TV in the U.S. and a number of other countries…THANK YOU EDISON NATION AND CREW! (don’t listen to all these licensing agents on this forum trying to steal business from Edison Nation)

This post has been reported.

Ron,

I been trying to keep my trap shut. But I’m fed up with your BS.

You don’t license anything thru EN, do you?
You have no idea whether they strike a good deal when it comes down to the negotiating table, do you?
EN does things for you, that they will not do for me nor other people on this forum, correct?
EN licenses inventions that IF they go into mass production, will possibly be licensed to be manufactured overseas, correct?
White collar crime in the US is has done a great deal of damage to the US economy and trust. These are the same people you believe we should be doing business with, is this correct?
You believe we should all roll over and play dead until the economy turns around, correct?
You are the only one here that has any business savy and that us “lower than though” aught stay with the ever endowing wisdom of EN who does not communicate with their potential business associates, correct?
If I get blacklisted and blakballed because of this post, so be it. Good bye

<<—— steps up to the bar and buys Scott a drink… Cheers :)

Ron thinks the way he does, and Scott thinks the way he does, and so do I. Getting upset for what someone thinks in Rons case believes, is no reason to be upset.

Ron takes a lot of abuse for what he believes, but you don’t see him getting all upset.

Please take a big deep breath and count to ten and come out swinging, Just kiding, we are all adults here, and we know adults get mad, and we know adults get over being mad.

Don’t approach a keyboard angry, Confucius

bahh I have to call you on the Confucious.. didn’t have keyboards..

Wow Scott!, I agree, but everyone has an opinion, I just think you left out if you disagree then you either don’t get it or are stupid, but other than that I think you hit the nail on the head…. But I really don’t care what anyone thinks, I will do what I feel I need to do and if I am wrong, so be it…..I have been wrong before and it hasn’t destroyed me…….As they say…..You learn from your mistakes so you win either way!

Hey David,

To your question about having to export steel. I would say, most likely you would not have to export the steel. They have the facilities to manufacture your products (AND PARTS) to your specification. I would also believe you should be able to export the steel direct to the manufacturer if you choose and come to an agreement with them on that arrangement.

(you may need a representative/importer/legal to assist you with a deal like that)

I feel (as an independent inventor)the goal is to make a profit, be it large or small. To do that one must calculate ALL the costs involved (shipping,manufacturing packaging, prototypes, etc.)especially where the product is manufactured. Some countries may be better at manufacturing some products than other countries, I say, do the research and then make an informed decision.

Happy Inventing!

So Logan what’s your point? There’s manufacturing in China?

Thank you.

No, really, thank you. I did not know that.

First of all I think all manufacturers here in the US would agree we would love to make all retail products here – the problem is we simply can’t.

It’s a self-licking Ice Cream cone – as a worker we want high paying jobs, lots of benefits, and ample time off with our families – but as a consumer we want high quality materials and low prices. It simply can’t work.

So we compromise – we move the manufacturing of the actual product off shore but keep the shipping, the warehousing, the delivery, the billing, the funding, the storage, and the sales – all the other components of the product here in the US.

When you look at the hundreds of people involved in making a simple product, from the engineering to the warehouse worker – all but one function has remained here in the US. The actual manufacturing.

China Good or Bad? …..depends on how much of the big picture you choose to look at.

Mark
http://inventoropinion.blogspot.com/

yes, depends on how much of the big picture you choose to look at

click on the below link, then click on the ‘watch now’ button.

it’s a 20 minute eye-opener on how things are made and who pays the "EXTERNAL’ costs—-

http://www.storyofstuff.com

I agree there needs to be change – but real change happens through education – not drama.

Shouldn’t she be naked and chiseling her presentation into a rock? She uses the same products she rants against….funny how that works.

Mark
http://inventoropinion.blogspot.com/

I was fortunate enough to attend the Response Expo in San Diego yesterday and attend a lecture moderated by Mike Drummond (Inventors Digest) with Louis Foreman, Warren Tuttle, Russ Williams and BJ Fazelli on the panel.

One of the discussions was ‘made in China’ and it was mentioned that although something is made there, the bulk of the money remains in the United States: sales, materials, etc. So many of us have been sticklers to the Made in the USA premise that maybe we are missing the big picture: being able to produce a product which people can afford to buy. I’m still not sold on going off-shore but I will give it another look – maybe with guidance from the above mentioned speakers if I am lucky enough.

Well at least you are keeping and open mind.

I truly believe we would all love to make our products here in teh US. But it is so hard to get the math to work out – so I think we simply do the next best thing. We give up one set of jobs to save the others, hoping in the long run we are helping more people then we hurt.

Mark
Talking NDA’s
http://inventoropinion.blogspot.com/