Made in U.S.A.

Create a Post
Rick Granick

Rick Granick

SPFG, Supreme Picture Framing God
Forum Donor
Resource Provider
Joined
Jun 30, 1999
Posts
21,886
Loc
Cincinnati, OH
There was recent discussion about which LJ mouldings are made in China. These are the ones they say are made in the U.S.A.:
American Classics, Ascot, Ashland, Bandana, Banister, Barrington, Cascade, Contemporary Hardwoods, Cranbrook, Eastlake, Heritage, Heyward, Naturals, Pine River, Reflections, Saranac, Sedona, Stitch, Tuscany, Vermont
:cool: Rick
 
There's a lot to be said for this industry - I'll expand the domestic discussion to Canada - North America makes its own glass, matboard, molding, supplies, and is comparable to the food and auto industries in supplying consumers with domestically-sourced goods. I picked up a load this morning from a New York border point, and told the Canada customs guy that it was all made in the USA, meaning better tariff treatment. But the main point is that we can easily sell picture framing as a made-in-USA or Canada product. And as I said before, every other tourist trap in town is flogging China stuff.
 
It's interesting the lack of response here to made in the U.S. products.
Maybe that's part of the problem, nobody gives a d*mn.
If we really gave a d*mn we would buy more U.S. (or at least North American) made products and quit sending so much money to China so they can build their infrastructure while ours crumbles.
I am not rich, but I am willing to pay a little more to buy American made products and to support jobs and people in my country.
 
When I am selling Crescent or Bainbridge mats, TruVue Glass, Bainbridge foam core, Nielson frames and my labor, I always let my customer know this is all Made in America. The other frames on my wall are not made in China, so that is my other selling point. Customers are always grateful to know that.
 
...and if it's from China, I keep my mouth shut and pocket the profit. I don't care where it's from if the quality is there and I can sell it for a profit. :p
 
Balance....

neilframer said:
It's interesting the lack of response here to made in the U.S. products.
Maybe that's part of the problem, nobody gives a d*mn.
If we really gave a d*mn we would buy more U.S. (or at least North American) made products and quit sending so much money to China so they can build their infrastructure while ours crumbles.
I am not rich, but I am willing to pay a little more to buy American made products and to support jobs and people in my country.
Click to expand...

Neil,

I think that it's not really a lack of concern, it's simply the fact that consummers spend their money cautiously and they simply don't look at where it's made - sadly. It's too easy for manufacturers to take the easiest route and reduce price by going "off shore".

Our shop pride's itself on selling 95% made in North America / Europe / and first world countries with it's gift lines (50%) of our business. When this figure is shared with reps or other retailers, there typically response is "Really - that's hard!" With care and focus, it can be done....

Ulbricht, Steinbach, KWO nutcrackers, smokers, pyramids - All made in Germany

Inge-glas Ornaments - All made in Germany

Roma Photo Frames - Italian Moudling, made in Canada

Prisma Photo Frames - All made in USA (Chicago)

Bedford Downing Photo Frames - All made in USA (New York)

Mauruca Handbags - All made in USA (Boulder, CO)

Illume Candles - All made in USA (Minnesota)

Heritage Gallery Cards - All made in Canada

Luke Adams Blown Glass - All made in USA (Massachusetts)

Glass Eye Studio - All made in USA (Washington)

Candy said:
...The other frames on my wall are not made in China, so that is my other selling point. Customers are always grateful to know that.
Click to expand...

Candy - when an Italian manufacturer walked through my shop recently, I was surprised at the number of corner samples that he was able to identifiy as being made in Asia.

Within the framing industry in the U.S. it is more Asian product as a percentage than I thought... I asked some reputable distributors to give me a clue on the percentage sold in the U.S. custom framing market and was told about 40%. :(

John
 
neilframer said:
It's interesting the lack of response here to made in the U.S. products.
Maybe that's part of the problem, nobody gives a d*mn...
Click to expand...


I think there is still a large number of people that do care. However, they let price trump their conviction.
 
People respond very well when we tell them their frame is made in the USA. It's usually very well received. I usually hit them with a trifecta: Made in the USA, PFC certified and what it means, and that the frame is still a great value.
 
On a similar subject, I am getting tired of people commenting on my Honda Element as a "foriegn " car.

It so happens that less than 20% of the content is from Japan, and it is made in Ohio by USA workers and profits go to the American Honda Corp (where a friend of mine happens to an engineer.) All design and developement are done in the USA and most parts are of USA origin, as is the assembly .

Also, if an Element is purchased in Japan it is an import from the USA and even has a small chrome eagel emblem with made in USA emblazed on it . I tried to get one of those emblems for my Element but we can't buy the emblem here, they are for use exclusively for export to Japan.

My Dodge truck and my Chevy truck have more "imported" content than my Honda, and the Dodge is also assembled in Mexico.

My point is...on most big ticket items it is hardv to know where the contents or assembly are from without some research.

One of the pilots I know regularly made remarks about my Honda until I pointed out to him that his new Cessna was built in China, of which he was unaware, and is now livid about that.

End of rant.

Ok...end of this rant.

One guy who
 
Thanks for posting that link, Andrew. They seem to make an effort to update the information if the company starts to outsource.
:cool: Rick

neilframer said:
I am not rich, but I am willing to pay a little more to buy American made products and to support jobs and people in my country.
Click to expand...

Me too. I wish more companies would give us a chance to do that.
 
couture's gallery said:
...One of the pilots I know regularly made remarks about my Honda until I pointed out to him that his new Cessna was built in China, of which he was unaware, and is now livid about that...
Click to expand...

He should be livid about lawyers for that. Light airplanes have inherent risk. Lawyers have put most of the industry out of business.
:kaffeetrinker_2:
 
I wonder how many people that say "buy USA made goods" are wearing Levis or Wrangler or Lee jeans. They are ALL made in Pakistan, Vietnam or other 3rd world countries.

The quality is not there and the prices are high for what they are.

I will not post a link to the only American jean company I buy from because this thread is not about that. (PM me if you want to)

What I do is, anything I want to buy, sneakers, tools, etc is go to google and type in the item I am looking for and "made in USA) afterward. Then shop accordingly.

We can't complain about other countries taking over manufacturing if we keep giving them our money.




I'm stepping off my soapbox for now.:soapbox:

Bob
 
Since I stock all of my mouldings I see the country of origin on all of them. Total footage break down is about this:

1/3 Italy
1/3 Indonesia
10% USA
10% Spain
Balance is assorted such as Malaysia, Brazil and very select items from China.

The very select Chinese items I own are very high quality and are every bit as good as the Italian stuff. Nothing I have from the US can even get close to the Chinese mouldings as far as quality. Equal quality from the US would cost at least 10 times as much as the Chinese mouldings.
 
Pat Murphey said:
He should be livid about lawyers for that. Light airplanes have inherent risk. Lawyers have put most of the industry out of business.
:kaffeetrinker_2:
Click to expand...

I agree with you 100%, but found it interesting that a guy could order a new Cessna and not be aware of it's manufacturing counrty. Especially a guy who gives me grief because I drive a Honda. I own an old Beech Sundowner, by the way.
 
couture's gallery said:
I agree with you 100%, but found it interesting that a guy could order a new Cessna and not be aware of it's manufacturing counrty. Especially a guy who gives me grief because I drive a Honda. I own an old Beech Sundowner, by the way.
Click to expand...

Funny to hear it called old. in 1965, we had a brand new A23 (165hp Continental still called a Musketeer) at the business where I worked prior to TWA. It was improperly maligned by those who didn't understand the need for partial flaps for good takeoff performance and high enough rpm for decent cruise performance. I loved flying it, rugged solid Beech quality, nicely finished, quiet, roomy, and nicely balanced flight controls.
 
Just because a product says it is from a country, doesn't mean things are the
way they were 20 yrs ago.

When we toured some of the plants in Spain and Italy, I had no problems with
communicating with my pidgin Mandarin. There is the same here in the USA . . .
it may say it's a Chinese restaurant, but it is 95% of the time Spanish being spoken in the kitchen.

I used to get karp about my "rice-burner" Goldwing - - that was made in Ohio,
except the electronics & fiberglass. This was at a time when 85% of Harley was
"made in America" - - central & south. And the chevy "Heartbeat of America"
was made in Mexico & Canada.

BTW: my book will be printed in SC, USA
 
I recently puchased a small quantity of moulding which was made in Italy. The bulk of the product was manufactured in a plant in China where one of my other high end mouldings was made. It was then sent to Italy where the walnut veneer was applied along with the finish. That was enough to earn it a Made in Italy stamp.

S.C. appreciates your support Baer. This area will reach nearly 20% unemployment during the winter.
 
Jeff Rodier said:
...The bulk of the product was manufactured in a plant in China where one of my other high end mouldings was made. It was then sent to Italy where the walnut veneer was applied along with the finish. That was enough to earn it a Made in Italy stamp...
Click to expand...

Here lies the biggest problem in this conversation. As I understand it, the U.S. requires items to declare the primary country of manufacture, if they've had a "journey" where other countries do not, like the example that Jeff cites "Made in Italy"

John
 
On a related note, something that gets to me is I worked part time at our local C&B (clothing store) and we would get ladies in all the time that would ask to see products that were "Made in the USA" only.............Great, that's awesome, they were doing their best to support our American economy. I love that, but I felt like they were being sort of decieved when I learned of this:

http://glo.bmwe.org/public/journal/1999/09sep/b04.htm

Thanks to a loophole in our current laws a lot of the clothes that carry the "Made in USA" tags are not really supporting our American employees at all. :fire:
 
Now foreign countries are buying U.S. made merchandise more than ever before. None of the purchases are made for the quality of the products but consider it a status symbol like a designer label. Go to a BB frame seller and you will see most of the lowest quality merchandise is the made in the U.S. stuff.
 
homeaccents said:
Thanks to a loophole in our current laws a lot of the clothes that carry the "Made in USA" tags are not really supporting our American employees at all. :fire:
Click to expand...
For some insight into that, as well as into a lot of the problems with our current political/economic environment, watch the documentary Casino Jack and the United States of Money.
:kaffeetrinker_2: Rick
 
homeaccents said:
On a related note, something that gets to me is I worked part time at our local C&B (clothing store) and we would get ladies in all the time that would ask to see products that were "Made in the USA" only.............Great, that's awesome, they were doing their best to support our American economy. I love that, but I felt like they were being sort of decieved when I learned of this:

http://glo.bmwe.org/public/journal/1999/09sep/b04.htm

Thanks to a loophole in our current laws a lot of the clothes that carry the "Made in USA" tags are not really supporting our American employees at all. :fire:
Click to expand...

I was concerned about that before I switched to buying jeans from allamericanclothing.com but when you receive your order from them there is a tracking number on every pair so you can see which farm the cotton was grown on and where it went from there. All employees are citizens and even the packaging is made in the US and sent through US companies.

(I am not affiliated with them at all, just been very happy with a superior product that also supports US jobs)

Bob
 
This is great information Bob........Thanks for sharing!
 
CAframer said:
Here's an interesting site ... http://www.stillmadeinusa.com/
Click to expand...

I took the time to look at this website, and compare (for example) ladies clothing "Made in America" with stuff I've purchased that was made in other countries. The interesting thing was that in many cases - the things made in America were less expensive!!!
Somehow I suspect we'll be seeing that more and more as the playing field evens out, and it costs more to produce things in Asia.
Guess the wheel always comes full circle!

:icon21:
 
Create a Post
Back
Top