tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-61737083582355926912024-03-06T15:02:18.373-05:00Find US Made.comA Comprehensive Consumer Resource For Goods Made in the USAFind US Made.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12240291903376200079noreply@blogger.comBlogger27125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6173708358235592691.post-71911191330498736612011-06-05T17:56:00.000-04:002011-06-05T17:56:44.432-04:00Invest in China?<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Upon my desk is a computer monitor and there is a small television just to the left on the return. This enables me to easily consume all sorts of media.</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">It does though on occasion present an interesting juxtaposition of information.</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I recently clicked a news link when I heard the words “The fastest train in the world” which prompted me to shift my eyes to the left to watch the following commercial:</span><br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="349" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/tJfof5xCVbM" width="425"></iframe><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I did not react well to that commercial. I am old enough now that I will speak aloud to the television which as a child I always perceived as peculiar adult behavior.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I told my television the following:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">“Who are these iShare idiots that think I should invest in China?” “I got a country right here, the good ol’ U.S. of A that could use some investment.” “Doesn’t China get enough U.S. dollars?” “Let’s keep our own dollars and build the fastest train in the world right here!”</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Disgusted, I shifted my eyes back to the monitor and read the following headline:</span><br />
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<a href="http://mg.co.za/article/2011-05-18-exploding-watermelons-put-spotlight-on-chinese-farming/"><strong>Exploding Watermelons Put Spotlight on Chinese Farming</strong></a></span><br />
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Ah, another innovative product made in China - exploding watermelons. We have nothing like that in the U.S. Our watermelons, while delicious are unexciting because they just sit there waiting to be sliced and eaten. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwPI0Uz9paRqF-2_FtMts4KRRj9puANsU4gd5WdWTTuywmRgQ1toVvXob-3nhzAmII146K1h9UvhzboOki2d-hrJUlFKyqBI8TL3lzb2JpiT2Eg8DKJouXR4jt74zuCYRb_VYwdF_RylE/s1600/WatermelonUS.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwPI0Uz9paRqF-2_FtMts4KRRj9puANsU4gd5WdWTTuywmRgQ1toVvXob-3nhzAmII146K1h9UvhzboOki2d-hrJUlFKyqBI8TL3lzb2JpiT2Eg8DKJouXR4jt74zuCYRb_VYwdF_RylE/s1600/WatermelonUS.jpg" t8="true" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><h1 style="margin: 0in 0in 2.25pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Verdana; font-weight: normal; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Wouldn’t exploding watermelons be perfect for 4th of July celebrations? We could place a few out in the yard after the barbecue, then place bets on which one will explode first. That might make a nice intro for the nearby fireworks display. </span></span></span></h1><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: Verdana; font-weight: normal; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Now while some consumers might like a watermelon that explodes after they purchase it, they don't appear to have any desire to purchase one that already exploded. So these watermelon growers in China have thus far succeeded in producing nothing more than fish food. I think though that if they can perfect the timing of the explosion - they'll be on to something. </span></span></span><br />
<h1 class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimtLhc02c0JiRXK2jObtURcgHygcMY3PaU6AH0pEu3dBD54RgF_BJK59w42yOAs-uPUg7fHsYmlbX0cxdY7hgkjP1Q9hVCqIwgEfoDSm0Q3Szr0uYSNmJOiiBX8B-iZwUhyvaVAkOigUI/s1600/China-exploding-watermelons.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: small;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimtLhc02c0JiRXK2jObtURcgHygcMY3PaU6AH0pEu3dBD54RgF_BJK59w42yOAs-uPUg7fHsYmlbX0cxdY7hgkjP1Q9hVCqIwgEfoDSm0Q3Szr0uYSNmJOiiBX8B-iZwUhyvaVAkOigUI/s1600/China-exploding-watermelons.jpg" t8="true" /></span></a></h1><h1 style="margin: 0in 0in 2.25pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Verdana; font-weight: normal; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-size: small;">The article reminds us of some other Chinese cost cutting innovations including rice with cadmium, milk with melamine, soy sauce with arsenic, mushrooms with bleach and pork with borax.</span></span></h1><h1 style="margin: 0in 0in 2.25pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Verdana; font-weight: normal; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-size: small;"></span></span> </h1><h1 style="margin: 0in 0in 2.25pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Verdana; font-weight: normal; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-size: small;">Yumm.</span></span></h1><h1 style="margin: 0in 0in 2.25pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Verdana; font-weight: normal; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-size: small;"></span></span> </h1><span style="color: black; font-family: Verdana; font-weight: normal; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><h1 style="margin: 0in 0in 2.25pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Verdana; font-weight: normal; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-size: small;">Today, as I was contemplating writing this post, I learned that another new road collapsed in <country-region w:st="on"><place w:st="on">China. </place></country-region><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">After all, why build roads that function for decades when you can build roads to function only for a few years? The roadway does not appear to be situated near any watermelon fields, so I suspect that inferior concrete or steel is to blame for the collapse. I am certain the collapse can be explained by yet another Chinese cost cutting innovation. </span></span></span></h1><h1 style="margin: 0in 0in 2.25pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Verdana; font-weight: normal; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span></span></span> </h1><h1 class="separator" style="clear: both; margin: 0in 0in 2.25pt; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQMt8EBVxZPqKJpErHbQhdt9186y8Vtd41Dv9Erp1_P3n4Wbp4Cfpugi985HGr3s_MWYR0FxVeGM23ntF04UwBt-KoaGZN7BxEDfWmGySzzrbFXyLVLk2vbtScZvqqN06yhnc_0VoMs6g/s1600/ChinaBridge.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="210" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQMt8EBVxZPqKJpErHbQhdt9186y8Vtd41Dv9Erp1_P3n4Wbp4Cfpugi985HGr3s_MWYR0FxVeGM23ntF04UwBt-KoaGZN7BxEDfWmGySzzrbFXyLVLk2vbtScZvqqN06yhnc_0VoMs6g/s320/ChinaBridge.jpg" t8="true" width="320" /></a></h1><span style="color: black; font-family: Verdana; font-weight: normal; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><h1 style="margin: 0in 0in 2.25pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Verdana; font-weight: normal; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-size: small;"></span></span> </h1><h1 style="margin: 0in 0in 2.25pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Verdana; font-weight: normal; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-size: small;">Collapsing roads in <country-region w:st="on">China</country-region> reminded me of the buildings in <country-region w:st="on"><place w:st="on">China</place></country-region> that experience difficulty remaining in a vertical position. Watch any toddler long enough and you'll see that they too at times have difficulty remaining on their feet. Yes, gravity is a powerful force. </span></span></h1><div style="margin: 0in 0in 2.25pt;"><br />
</div><h1 class="separator" style="clear: both; margin: 0in 0in 2.25pt; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtRv3nRWnxUnLTOaGKFVcVWJ-d8SfKc7LU9iXaZ3AyxqB_aNUB7D4bIfJEotu92tv-fZ8Z47SoUBtm71zx2R1F4zUFhHIWPYHtnI6NR7MUuyk8zgfSoYrSwq5khcYc6xJqW4hBPdinHHc/s1600/ChinaBuilding.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtRv3nRWnxUnLTOaGKFVcVWJ-d8SfKc7LU9iXaZ3AyxqB_aNUB7D4bIfJEotu92tv-fZ8Z47SoUBtm71zx2R1F4zUFhHIWPYHtnI6NR7MUuyk8zgfSoYrSwq5khcYc6xJqW4hBPdinHHc/s320/ChinaBuilding.jpg" t8="true" width="320" /></a></h1><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin: 0in 0in 2.25pt; text-align: center;"><br />
</div></span><h1 style="margin: 0in 0in 2.25pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Verdana; font-weight: normal; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-size: small;">It's very easy to understand why the media in China is very tightly controlled by the Chinese government. Just imagine what is not reported...</span></span></h1><div style="margin: 0in 0in 2.25pt;"><br />
</div><h1 style="margin: 0in 0in 2.25pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Verdana; font-weight: normal; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-size: small;">From the iShare commercial – “China is evolving.” </span></span></h1><div style="margin: 0in 0in 2.25pt;"><br />
</div><h1 style="margin: 0in 0in 2.25pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Verdana; font-weight: normal; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-size: small;">Okay, at what point in time does China evolve into a country that can overcome the force of gravity and master what must be the fine art of growing watermelons that can't be confused with landmines?</span></span></h1><h1 style="margin: 0in 0in 2.25pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Verdana; font-weight: normal; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-size: small;"></span></span> </h1><h1 style="margin: 0in 0in 2.25pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Verdana; font-weight: normal; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-size: small;">Hey iShare - invest in China?</span></span></h1><h1 style="margin: 0in 0in 2.25pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Verdana; font-weight: normal; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-size: small;"></span></span> </h1><h1 style="margin: 0in 0in 2.25pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Verdana; font-weight: normal; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-size: small;"></span></span></h1><h1>No!</h1><br />
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Mary - web person for <a href="http://www.findusmade.com/">FindUSMade.com</a></span></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span></span>Find US Made.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12240291903376200079noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6173708358235592691.post-27293168854031212682011-03-06T16:01:00.000-05:002011-03-06T16:01:51.061-05:00An Excellent Series by ABC World News - Made in America<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Consumer interest and desire of Made in USA products continues to increase and there is now an intriguing and informative series unfolding on ABC World News called Made in America.</span><br />
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<a href="http://abcnews.go.com/WN/MadeInAmerica/"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">ABC World News - Made in America</span></a><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">Unlike me, someone who completely furnished my home with Made in USA products across three decades, ABC tackled a more formidable project. They wondered if it was possible to furnish a home completely with Made in USA goods, today. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">I admit that today I simply could not replace everything in my own home without purchasing vintage products. As an example, my parents beautiful stainless waffle maker sits upon my kitchen counter and a new domestic replacement is not available in the marketplace.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">My own personal story can be found on our site <a href="http://www.findusmade.com/Mall/Shame.htm">here.</a></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">Curious isn't it? How much is available today, domestically produced for our homes?</span><br />
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<strong>A Call to Buy Goods Made in America </strong><br />
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<img border="0" height="0" src="http://c.gigcount.com/wildfire/IMP/CXNID=2000002.0NXC/bT*xJmx*PTEyOTkzNzA5MDUzOTAmcHQ9MTI5OTM3MDkxMTE*MCZwPTEyNTg*MTEmZD1BQkNOZXdzX1NGUF9Mb2NrZV9FbWJlZCZn/PTImbz1mN2E3YWExZjBmNjI*OWE4ODI3NjE*NGMzNjg5ODZiNCZvZj*w.gif" style="height: 0px; visibility: hidden; width: 0px;" width="0" /><br />
<img border="0" height="0" src="http://c.gigcount.com/wildfire/IMP/CXNID=2000002.0NXC/bT*xJmx*PTEyOTkzNzE5MDQ4OTAmcHQ9MTI5OTM3MTkwNzQ4NCZwPTEyNTg*MTEmZD1BQkNOZXdzX1NGUF9Mb2NrZV9FbWJlZCZn/PTImbz1mN2E3YWExZjBmNjI*OWE4ODI3NjE*NGMzNjg5ODZiNCZvZj*w.gif" style="height: 0px; visibility: hidden; width: 0px;" width="0" /><object classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=9,0,124,0" height="278" id="ABCESNWID" width="344"><param name="movie" value="http://abcnews.go.com/assets/player/walt2.6/flash/SFP_Walt_2_65.swf" /><param name="quality" value="high" /><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always" /><param name="allowNetworking" value="all" /><param name="flashvars" value="configUrl=http://abcnews.go.com/video/sfp/embedPlayerConfig&configId=406732&clipId=12945048&showId=12945048&gig_lt=1299371904890&gig_pt=1299371907484&gig_g=2" /><param name="allowfullscreen" value="true" /><embed src="http://abcnews.go.com/assets/player/walt2.6/flash/SFP_Walt_2_65.swf" quality="high" allowScriptAccess="always" allowNetworking="all" allowfullscreen="true" pluginspage="http://www.adobe.com/shockwave/download/download.cgi?P1_Prod_Version=ShockwaveFlash" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="344" height="278" flashvars="configUrl=http://abcnews.go.com/video/sfp/embedPlayerConfig&configId=406732&clipId=12945048&showId=12945048&gig_lt=1299371904890&gig_pt=1299371907484&gig_g=2" name="ABCESNWID"></embed></object><br />
<img border="0" height="0" src="http://c.gigcount.com/wildfire/IMP/CXNID=2000002.0NXC/bT*xJmx*PTEyOTkzNjk4MzI2MjUmcHQ9MTI5OTM2OTgzNDkyMSZwPTEyNTg*MTEmZD1BQkNOZXdzX1NGUF9Mb2NrZV9FbWJlZCZn/PTImbz1mN2E3YWExZjBmNjI*OWE4ODI3NjE*NGMzNjg5ODZiNCZvZj*w.gif" style="height: 0px; visibility: hidden; width: 0px;" width="0" /><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Yes, there was a time when our manufacturing base kept the U.S. strong, self reliant and self sufficient. Simply, production is the means to create wealth and we produced our way to the status of the wealthiest country on earth.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">Bankers have a role in our economy, but throughout life I understood that my father with his lunchbox did more to create wealth than the boys on Wall Street who play with papers and who appear to excel only at wealth destruction.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">I've never, never, never understood those dimwitted and deviant individuals who convinced themselves and others that our country could somehow import its way to prosperity. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Unfortunately, I could not include more than one video in a post, so please see below for additional videos with my comments. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Mary - A proud American manufacturer and web person for <a href="http://www.findusmade.com/"><span style="color: #7f7f7f;">FindUSMade.com</span></a></span> </span>Find US Made.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12240291903376200079noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6173708358235592691.post-82286446253038583582011-03-06T15:59:00.000-05:002011-03-06T15:59:53.930-05:00Meet the Usry Family - ABC Series - Made in America<span style="font-family: Verdana;">It was the Usry family that volunteered for the ABC series and in the clip below, they explore their home checking the country of origin on products they own. </span><br />
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<strong>Made in America: What's In Your Home? </strong><br />
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<img border="0" height="0" src="http://c.gigcount.com/wildfire/IMP/CXNID=2000002.0NXC/bT*xJmx*PTEyOTkzNzM3NzAyMDMmcHQ9MTI5OTM3NTIxMjI2NSZwPTEyNTg*MTEmZD1BQkNOZXdzX1NGUF9Mb2NrZV9FbWJlZCZn/PTImbz1mN2E3YWExZjBmNjI*OWE4ODI3NjE*NGMzNjg5ODZiNCZvZj*w.gif" style="height: 0px; visibility: hidden; width: 0px;" width="0" /><object classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=9,0,124,0" height="278" id="ABCESNWID" width="344"><param name="movie" value="http://abcnews.go.com/assets/player/walt2.6/flash/SFP_Walt_2_65.swf" /><param name="quality" value="high" /><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always" /><param name="allowNetworking" value="all" /><param name="flashvars" value="configUrl=http://abcnews.go.com/video/sfp/embedPlayerConfig&configId=406732&clipId=13023882&showId=13023882&gig_lt=1299373770203&gig_pt=1299375212265&gig_g=2" /><param name="allowfullscreen" value="true" /><embed src="http://abcnews.go.com/assets/player/walt2.6/flash/SFP_Walt_2_65.swf" quality="high" allowScriptAccess="always" allowNetworking="all" allowfullscreen="true" pluginspage="http://www.adobe.com/shockwave/download/download.cgi?P1_Prod_Version=ShockwaveFlash" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="344" height="278" flashvars="configUrl=http://abcnews.go.com/video/sfp/embedPlayerConfig&configId=406732&clipId=13023882&showId=13023882&gig_lt=1299373770203&gig_pt=1299375212265&gig_g=2" name="ABCESNWID"></embed></object><br />
<img border="0" height="0" src="http://c.gigcount.com/wildfire/IMP/CXNID=2000002.0NXC/bT*xJmx*PTEyOTkzNzI*MTUwMzEmcHQ9MTI5OTM3MjQxOTg1OSZwPTEyNTg*MTEmZD1BQkNOZXdzX1NGUF9Mb2NrZV9FbWJlZCZn/PTImbz1mN2E3YWExZjBmNjI*OWE4ODI3NjE*NGMzNjg5ODZiNCZvZj*w.gif" style="height: 0px; visibility: hidden; width: 0px;" width="0" /><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I realize that many shoppers don't consider or check the country of origin prior to purchase. There are though, many shoppers like myself who always check the country of origin before we reach into our wallets. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">This series is focused on the importance of job creation but as a manufacturer watching this family explore their home checking products, I thought to myself - fire hazard... risk of formaldehyde... risk of cadmium... lack of durability... risk of lead, etc.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">This is an intriguing series and there is another video with my comments in the following post. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Mary - web person for <a href="http://findusmade.com/">FindUSMade.com</a> </span>Find US Made.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12240291903376200079noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6173708358235592691.post-85292301183022532072011-03-06T15:58:00.003-05:002011-03-25T22:51:34.878-04:00Usry Family - ABC Series, Finding U.S. Products<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I smiled when I saw the hunt begin for a U.S. made coffee maker. My head shook when they thought they found one.</span> <br />
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<strong>Made in America: Finding U.S. Products </strong><br />
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<img border="0" height="0" src="http://c.gigcount.com/wildfire/IMP/CXNID=2000002.0NXC/bT*xJmx*PTEyOTkzNzcyNjcwOTMmcHQ9MTI5OTM3NzI3MDEyNSZwPTEyNTg*MTEmZD1BQkNOZXdzX1NGUF9Mb2NrZV9FbWJlZCZn/PTImbz1mN2E3YWExZjBmNjI*OWE4ODI3NjE*NGMzNjg5ODZiNCZvZj*w.gif" style="height: 0px; visibility: hidden; width: 0px;" width="0" /><object classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=9,0,124,0" height="278" id="ABCESNWID" width="344"><param name="movie" value="http://abcnews.go.com/assets/player/walt2.6/flash/SFP_Walt_2_65.swf" /><param name="quality" value="high" /><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always" /><param name="allowNetworking" value="all" /><param name="flashvars" value="configUrl=http://abcnews.go.com/video/sfp/embedPlayerConfig&configId=406732&clipId=13032785&showId=13032785&gig_lt=1299377267093&gig_pt=1299377270125&gig_g=2" /><param name="allowfullscreen" value="true" /><embed src="http://abcnews.go.com/assets/player/walt2.6/flash/SFP_Walt_2_65.swf" quality="high" allowScriptAccess="always" allowNetworking="all" allowfullscreen="true" pluginspage="http://www.adobe.com/shockwave/download/download.cgi?P1_Prod_Version=ShockwaveFlash" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="344" height="278" flashvars="configUrl=http://abcnews.go.com/video/sfp/embedPlayerConfig&configId=406732&clipId=13032785&showId=13032785&gig_lt=1299377267093&gig_pt=1299377270125&gig_g=2" name="ABCESNWID"></embed></object><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The Usry family is in for a very nice temporary household upgrade, as the products are on loan from the companies. Their home will be filled with American made products that deliver quality and safety, simply - they deliver a good value.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">I do suggest a visit to the ABC World News web page where you can view numerous videos, take a quiz, explore an interactive map, as well as find other engaging material.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;"><a href="http://abcnews.go.com/WN/MadeInAmerica/">ABC World News - Made in America</a></span><span style="font-family: Verdana;"></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">I'm delighted that our national media has seized an important topic and is undoubtedly raising awareness. This is an informative and inspiring series and is actually quite thorough. They stress the jobs that can be created by purchasing Made in USA products.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;"></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">As I've stated on this Blog, consumers are the force within the marketplace. Your every whim, interest, desire, curiosity, inclination, etc., once known will be researched, charted, graphed, and studied resulting in early morning meetings. It only takes a small percentage of shift in your spending habits to trigger those meetings.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">30 years ago, before I was ever a manufacturer, I made a simple decision to buy American because I liked the idea that someone like my dad would get a paycheck from the money I spent. Supporting or creating a job for a fellow American appears to be quite altruistic, a trait I attribute to my mother.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">Across those decades though, I came to realize how much I had done for myself. My home is filled with products that deliver customer satisfaction, durability, quality, innovation, safety and value. Regardless of price, my purchases came with a lower cost to own.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">I am someone who is still using my parents waffle maker. Like them, I spend my money once and I'm done. When I consider folks who purchase imports and spend their money repeatedly, it actually appears quite extravagant to me. My suspicion is they somehow believe they are saving money. Huh.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">You will likely enjoy reading these five Blogs from people who have dedicated themselves to buying American.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;"><a href="http://chinaatemyjeans.com/">China Ate My Jeans</a></span><br />
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<a href="http://joeofamerica.wordpress.com/"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Joe of America</span></a><br />
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<a href="http://buyamericanchallenge.wordpress.com/"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Buy American Challenge</span></a><br />
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<a href="http://shoppingmadeintheusa.wordpress.com/"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Shopping Made in the USA</span></a><br />
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<a href="http://usamade365.blogspot.com/"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Shelley's Made in The USA 365 Day Challenge</span></a><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">Mary - web person for </span><a href="http://findusmade.com/"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: Verdana;">FindUSMade.com</span></a>Find US Made.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12240291903376200079noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6173708358235592691.post-74593558032233918812010-10-05T01:52:00.000-04:002010-10-05T01:52:36.756-04:00Yet Another Made in USA General Store<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I'd like to tell you about my sort of business person. His name is Mark Andol and he's an American manufacturer. He lost a large client to a Chinese competitor and had to close some manufacturing locations and lay off workers which he found disturbing. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Now in this situation a man like Jeff Fettig, CEO of Whirlpool Corporation would start to whine about his company's inability to compete in the marketplace. In 2009 during a recession, Mr. Fettig enjoyed a <strong>77%</strong> increase in his compensation. Nice raise. In 2010, 1,000 Americans in Evansville, Indiana lost their jobs when Whirlpool moved them to Mexico. So that whole competition problem is solved now to Mr. Fettig's satisfaction, correct? Mr. Fettig is only mentioned again on this Blog because he serves as superb contrast to an inspiring and admirable American. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Mr. Andol reacted to foreign competition by investing $50,000 in a 2,000 square foot retail store in Elma, New York. He stocked that store with exclusively Made in USA products. The legal definition isn't quite good enough for Mr. Andol as he insists that every item in his store be 100% Made in USA including the packaging.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Most of the employees Mr. Andol had to lay off he now employs in his store. </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">His store launch was quite successful. The store is stocked with a variety of U.S. made goods as well as his own products. If you are in or near Elma, New York stop in to browse and shop. If you reside elsewhere in the country you can click the photo below and shop his online store.</span> <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.saveourcountryfirst.com/"><img border="0" height="240" px="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIOWOzueQeBRIUQcLypP1DJHiMMob7ZWK4HNwSid9ywLr84CRVlMOtH1wClT_fHIFpDZk-IAxEeQMQbUQTLUum6d7yj8M5MEiqFva-KnPnTyJIe45fMgBqQ3cnrsa0S0PnCmN_i2nGUyA/s400/SaveAmericaFirst.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">As an American manufacturer I can tell you that it's extremely difficult to get shelf space in large chain stores. Large retail chains prefer imported products because they come with a larger profit margin. It makes sense because there isn't quality, safety, innovation, craftsmanship, etc. built into those products. That leaves a greater margin for profit. No, the chain stores didn't pass on any savings to you, the consumer. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">This is the third brick and mortar store that we've found with exclusively Made in USA inventory. Other prudent merchants will likely embrace the same concept. With each new such retail location comes another opportunity for American manufacturers to find shelf space. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">This is the right direction. </span><span style="font-family: Verdana;">Well done Mr. Andol. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Country artist <a href="http://www.countryfriedgirl.com/">Ricky Lee</a> recorded a song that just might be my new favorite Country tune.</span> </div><br />
<object height="325" width="400"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/QYG_imYc7Wo?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0&color1=0x2b405b&color2=0x6b8ab6"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/QYG_imYc7Wo?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0&color1=0x2b405b&color2=0x6b8ab6" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="400" height="325"></embed></object><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: black; font-family: verdana;">Please visit our site to browse and shop the companies who can compete.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Mary - Proud American manufacturer and web person for</span> <span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.findusmade.com/">FindUSMade.com</a></span>Find US Made.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12240291903376200079noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6173708358235592691.post-54091649157452235332010-07-15T20:35:00.001-04:002010-07-27T13:15:20.281-04:00Product of China - "Organic" Foods<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Consumers who carefully check the origin of foods in their local markets, including organic foods, are more often discovering "Product of China" on the packages. </span><br />
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</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Permit me to tell you a bit about food production in China so you can better determine if there is reason for concern.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Farms operate under the strictest guidelines. Foods may not be genetically modified and must meet international food standards. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Organic tea comes from the foothills of Tibet and is fresh, tender and flavorful. On the grasslands of Inner Mongolia hormone-free beef is produced. Rice is grown from specially cultivated seeds by experts from the Jilin Academy of Agricultural Sciences and is watered by the melted mountain snow of Mt. Changbai.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">These food products, which meet the highest standards are certified and stamped with a “Nation A” label.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">That sounds fine, doesn’t it? Is that the organic food that's exported to the U.S.? </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">No, silly.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Is that the food that is available to the Chinese people?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">No silly, I’ve been describing the special food supply, reserved for high level Chinese officials. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Are you now wondering why important officials in China might want and need their own secure and restricted food supply?</span> <br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Are you wondering that if the absolute best, safest and finest food products are reserved for the Chinese elite, then what grade food is exported to the U.S.? </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I'll address those questions. </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Let me tell you about one basic food product that is made in China – cooking oil. (You may find the following information somewhat indelicate.)</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Restaurants in China have waste tanks and cooking oil is siphoned from the raw sewage in those waste tanks. That tainted oil is then refined and resold. </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">As you would expect such an oil product contains toxins namely carcinogenic Aflatoxins. Since tainted and toxic recycled sewage oil sells for one half the price of untainted oil, oil producers in China blend the toxic oil with uncontaminated oil to increase their profit margins.</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">China consumes about 22.5 million tons of cooking oil per year which includes about 2 to 3 million tons of waste oil. </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">If this is what is produced in China for the consumption of the Chinese people, how much care do you suppose is taken with products that are exported to the U.S.?</span><br />
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</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">In 2008 China experienced a problem with melamine in dairy products. (Melamine mimics protein when tested.) A few children died and hundreds of thousands suffered from kidney disorders. Recently, the problem arose again and Chinese authorities seized about 64 tons of raw dairy materials.</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Farmers in China feed their dairy cows low quality feed. That inferior feed leads to low levels of protein in the milk, hence the introduction of melamine so the milk will meet the required minimum protein level. </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Despite prohibitions of melamine in dairy products, dairy producers still use melamine. You can see that the authorities in China have a problem. </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">So, how might the authorities in China address the problem? </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Hmmm…</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Since it occurs to no one in China that perhaps dairy cows need better feed so their milk will contain more protein, the Chinese government has instead lowered the minimum protein level for dairy products to discourage the use of melamine. </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">See, the problem is all fixed.</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">At this point I have to admit, that as an American manufacturer I would never have conceived such a remedy for this problem, never.</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The U.S. and China both produce chicken, yet China imports chicken from the U.S. and we import chicken from China. At a glance that seems ridiculous until you consider that there must be a material difference in the products from both countries.</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Do you suppose that the U.S. produced chicken qualifies for a "Nation A" label?</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">When you shop your local market and you stumble upon food products, including organics, that are a product of China, you are also likely to notice the familiar USDA logo as well as other logos on the packaging. </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL-RAnPKtqytkJrY29Qw6FZuilAWVlYrE8rAO3-vN0cIEPib4-rxJqj_N_IJvs88aIlJMZEep9tWRzG0seSXwC1uhZ8mGEAAfGcOD92OW7endDORzyBStIFL00hhogJ_czhpYlW6djXQc/s1600/USDA_Organic.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" rw="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL-RAnPKtqytkJrY29Qw6FZuilAWVlYrE8rAO3-vN0cIEPib4-rxJqj_N_IJvs88aIlJMZEep9tWRzG0seSXwC1uhZ8mGEAAfGcOD92OW7endDORzyBStIFL00hhogJ_czhpYlW6djXQc/s320/USDA_Organic.gif" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Shouldn’t you, the consumer be able to find certainty and peace of mind in the certifications you find on packaging?</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">That would be nice but it’s not exactly possible and I’ll explain.</span><br />
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</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The USDA inspects food that is produced in the U.S. but it does not inspect imported foods. Unfortunately, the USDA certifies private inspection companies which may not be located in the U.S. Those companies may or may not certify food products from China. If they don’t inspect food in China which is possible and likely, then they rely on the certification from an inspector – wait for it – located on the farms themselves in China.</span><br />
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</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">And those inspectors are paid by whom?</span><br />
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</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">That inspector certifies the supposedly organic products to the middleman who certifies the supposedly organic products to the USDA and everyone’s logo and certification goes onto the packaging.</span><br />
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</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">This is the process which enables everyone in the chain from the farmer in China to your grocer to pretend that a food product from China is safe and possibly organic. </span><br />
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</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">This brings me to a recent email I received from a visitor to our site. From time to time I receive emails from folks who wish to share with me, their displeasure of foreign made products. </span><br />
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</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I read the emails, nod in agreement and reply.</span><br />
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</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The writer shared with me information about a fine fresh food product, found in my own refrigerator but the producer unfortunately licensed their brand name to another company who exports the U.S. product to China. </span><br />
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</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Goodness knows I most certainly support U.S. exports, so this isn't necessarily unwise, except in this situation. The food product is then supposedly made into candy and shipped back to the U.S. packaged with a familiar and trusted brand name. </span><br />
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</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The person who wrote to me had sound concerns about what possible contaminants could be introduced in China during the candy making process while I wondered if U.S. product ever actually made it into the candy. </span><br />
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</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">A food product suitable for my own refrigerator is one I consider “Nation A” grade.</span><br />
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</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Mary - web person for <a href="http://www.findusmade.com/">FindUSMade.com</a></span>Find US Made.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12240291903376200079noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6173708358235592691.post-24019087975272157052010-06-06T16:20:00.005-04:002010-06-06T16:34:37.208-04:00Observations of Growth in U.S. Manufacturing & Consumer Power<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Detailed multi colored reports with graphs are nice, but they don't compare to what my own eyes witness. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We've been conducting a full review of each department on our site. This presented the opportunity for me to visit some businesses I hadn't personally browsed in several months. I am the one who is most familiar with the inventory of all the companies we list. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I'm very pleased to share my observations and conclusions. </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Keep in mind this involves domestic consumer products and this is happening in a down economy at a time when banks aren't lending.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">My observations:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We removed only one link to a site that appears to be offline. It's possible that one company ceased operations but we'll return in the future to see if a new site appears.</span> <br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;">Many smaller companies have invested in their web sites and have redesigned them or added e-commerce. Some companies with attractive and well designed sites have further improved their web sites.</span> </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The updates of a number of web sites now permit them to search in our <a href="http://www.findusmade.com/Mall/Search.htm">Marketplace</a> search. Those sites have since been added and their products can now more easily be found via that feature on our site. </span><br />
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</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Many American manufacturers have expanded their lines. Some have even expanded their lines into other types of products suitable for listing in additional departments. My own company contributed a new product to the marketplace this year so we too are part of this trend. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">There are several manufacturers who are having difficulty meeting demand. They are noting for their customers the expected future date when they can fill orders. (I'm wondering if those companies will soon hire.)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Many retail sites where a keyword such as "USA" was necessary is now unnecessary because those retailers have since added Made in USA departments to their sites. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;"></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We've recently added to our site two new online malls that are filled with U.S. made consumer goods. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We also came across several retailers suggesting to their visitors that purchases of Made in USA products be made early, prior to need because of increased demand for such goods. One retailer even described the increased demand as "extreme." </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We check many things related to the sites we list, including their traffic. The trend is up for nearly all sites, including other directories, Blogs & resources. This indicates to us that there is definitely an increased interest & demand for U.S. made product. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">There is willingness, even in a down economy, to manufacture in the U.S. and enter the marketplace. This is demonstrated to us by a growing number of new companies that we set aside for research & review prior to appearing on our site. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">Overall I see progress, growth and expansion with the American manufacturers & selected retailers we list and I am heartened. I'm looking forward to a full review of the remaining departments. </span><br />
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My conclusions:<br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I conclude that when you, the consumer, take the time and make the effort to purchase an American made product, you do much more than just snag a great product and a good value for yourself. That reason alone is really all the motivation a consumer needs.</span></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Given what I'm witnessing, the dollars that consumers traded for U.S. made goods supported American workers & American manufacturers and enabled them to prosper. When able to expand, such companies will expand and deliver additional U.S. made goods to the marketplace providing consumers with greater variety and selection of Made in USA products.</span> <br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Those consumers who shop for U.S. made product have actually invested in U.S. manufacturing. It appears that prudent and motivated consumers are a fine substitute for a negligent Wall Street.</span><br />
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Now consider Mr. Griggs, a motivated consumer who invested differently in the marketplace. <br />
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Mr. Griggs was a consumer with a need for a set of matching stainless flatware. He searched numerous big box stores and of course noticed the lack of a Made in USA option for flatware. <br />
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<span style="color: black;">Mr. Griggs understands the same as I, that consumers can not be expected to find the value in the marketplace if a Made in USA option is not present. </span><br />
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<span style="color: black;">The choice of one shoddy product from Country A and some other shoddy product from Country B is not a real choice. Where was the option for the consumer who is looking for quality and a fair trade for their money?</span><br />
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<span style="color: black;">Mr. Griggs faced a lack of choice. He knew though what he wanted, what the marketplace needed and what consumers deserved. He spent about a year working on a solution to his problem and he now has his set of matching flatware. It is manufactured in Sherrill, New York. He's now in business</span> selling Made in USA 18/10 & 18/8 stainless steel flatware in 9 tasteful patterns. I have no doubt this flatware will make it from one generation to the next. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" gu="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzO6P8iphNRuYMT8ywg0XJfXdVCCOcKoSASCH3vOjc2Lz2zJueIGnOX_Unfsu9-6DzyQjDJce2IvxucZ9SYhuFOnto8Jafv3cws3xWdY3Y9LntOBGcU8Z9I_IQ0wLuZZe7NL8n095bjWc/s320/DSC_3789-Raw-Tungston--125x125.jpg" /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.libertytabletop.com/">Liberty Tabletop</a></div><span style="color: black;"><br />
</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Well done Mr. Griggs.</span> <br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">While the review continues I will of course be shopping. </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.epicureancs.com/">Epicurean</a> is now <span style="color: black;">manufacturing kitchen utensils & coasters</span>, <a href="http://www.okabashi.com/">Okabashi</a> is now manufacturing children's footwear and <a href="http://www.thethreeweaverswalcot.com/">The Three Weavers</a> are back in business. </span><br />
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<span style="color: black; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;">American manufacturers seem intent on keeping me busy with updates to our site while tempting me with desirable product.</span> </span><br />
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<span style="color: black; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Good on 'em.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">Mary - web person for <a href="http://findusmade.com/">FindUSMade.com</a> </span></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span></span>Find US Made.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12240291903376200079noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6173708358235592691.post-8756376862396300512010-02-28T20:42:00.012-05:002010-02-28T22:50:19.427-05:00Whirlpool Update - 19.3 Million Taxpayer Dollars<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><strong>Disclosure:</strong> Whirlpool Corporation is not a competitor to my own company. </span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">A company's reputation and public image is very important. C</span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">ompanies often spend a bundle to carefully craft their image for consumers and no company looks forward to bad publicity. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"></span><span style="color: black;"><br />
<span style="font-family: verdana;">A brand name is carefully developed and promoted with the hope it will embed itself in the conscious and subconscious minds of consumers.</span> <span style="font-family: verdana;">I cultivate and guard the reputation of my own brand as will my son after me.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: verdana;">Whirlpool, the company and the brand enjoyed decades of consumer trust and regard. They are a splendid example though of how a brand is betrayed.</span> </span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">I wrote a post in September 2009 about Whirlpool and there is now more to write about the company.</span> </span><br />
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Whirlpool is presently engaged in damage control. There is fallout from their decision to close their Evansville, Indiana plant. </span></span><br />
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Whirlpool is not committed to U.S. manufacturing, precisely why they sit on our watch list. They've spent years </span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">closing U.S. plants and moving production abroad to low wage countries. They have several plants in Mexico where they will pay inexperienced workers $70.00 per week after they close the Evansville plant. Whirlpool is presently busy removing equipment & machinery from the plant and shipping it to Mexico.</span></span> <br />
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<span style="color: black; font-family: Verdana;">It does not matter that my company and the thousands we list on our site can compete in the marketplace. </span><span style="color: black; font-family: Verdana;">It does not matter that G.E. returned to the U.S. to manufacture appliances. It does not matter that Evansville extended numerous tax breaks to Whirlpool and community members, including Whirlpool employees actually subsidized the corporation. It does not matter that Whirlpool applied for and received $19.3 million taxpayer dollars in stimulus funds to offset their research costs. It also does not matter that Whirlpool enjoys about $19 billion per year in sales.</span> <br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: verdana;">Even though the rest of us can compete - what matters is that appliance giant Whirlpool is unable to compete, </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">even with taxpayer assistance. </span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Whirlpool Corporation can only afford $1.75 per hour employees. </span></span><br />
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">This is Mr. Jeff Fettig, CEO of Whirlpool Corporation.</span></span> <br />
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<img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5442397006161911810" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBXTi8bTtAHrQx5bRBdJs84nrPzIE0IjnPwC3aK4jk3Bke3lBMuNvVDmCpXlAC8kk_96vczg36PSdTb9xVo5thLOTvUHfwSzkIS-dRQSo51slVwGnYtGv1jrTPi87q-5HLqRGT2no_Tog/s400/JeffFettig_WhirlpoolCEO.jpg" style="cursor: hand; display: block; height: 317px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 227px;" /><span style="color: black; font-family: verdana;">You and I know the buck stops at his desk but you'll have to excuse him because he's been preoccupied. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;"><span style="color: black;">Whirlpool Corporation is headquartered in Benton Harbor, Michigan. Ever since Whirlpool and other manufacturers moved production from Benton Harbor, the area has been in decline and a state of decay set in with high unemployment and poverty. The cruel and deplorable results of offshoring lay just outside Whirlpool's doors. Rather than witness & comprehend what their </span></span><span style="font-family: Verdana;"><span style="color: black;">management & policies delivered to their fellow Americans, </span></span><span style="font-family: Verdana;"><span style="color: black;">Whirlpool sought to remake the area as a community befitting a global corporation. </span></span><br />
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<span style="color: black; font-family: Verdana;">Mr. Fettig, like the CEO before him wanted a "world class community" with a world class golf course. Mr. Fettig and a developer were busy for several years battling with local residents over a public park.</span> <br />
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<span style="font-family: verdana;">In 1917, 73 acres of land situated on Lake Michigan were donated to the townspeople of Benton Harbor in perpetuity. It was known as Jean Klock Park.</span> <br />
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<span style="font-family: verdana;">John & Carrie Klock deeded the property to the city in honor of their deceased daughter, Jean. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">"Perhaps some of you do not own a foot of ground, remember then, that this is your park, it belongs to you. Perhaps some of you have no piano or phonograph, the roll of the water murmuring in calm, roaring in storm, is your music, your piano and music box... The beach is yours, the drive is yours, the dunes are yours, all yours. It is not so much a gift from my wife and myself, it's a gift from a little child. See to it, that the park is the children's." - John Nellis Klock</span> <br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">The community treasured their park and fought for it but Whirlpool needed that lakefront property for their world class golf course. </span><span style="font-family: Verdana;">The majestic Lake Michigan views are now for Mr. Fettig and other Whirlpool executives to enjoy. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">The developer, Harbor Shores did receive at least 120 million in funding and tax incentives from the state of Michigan. To compensate for the community's reduction in public parkland, Harbor Shores swapped some other parcels of land for the desired public property. It turned out that those other parcels were contaminated with dangerous levels of lead, </span><span style="font-family: Verdana;">arsenic, volatile organic compounds, and polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons. The Harbor Shores Board President is David Whitwam, retired Whirlpool CEO. I'm sure Mr. Whitwam considered a swap of contaminated inland parcels for pristine lake front public property a square deal. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">This is Mr. David R. Whitwam, Retired Whirlpool CEO, Harbor Shores Board President.</span><br />
<img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5443414724427494082" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT6W_TWSlJhYwbNpp9SadANhbBc9RpqnaS3GlXAePdDPv5xAvqt0GgAjLYqCl7iy3wAxGPeDIB7zHlqGbZaLxtlw9lwYP4gaTpaRGis4_Wbp-2ASJOsaWsTtrbFNw99lppRTSpdezA2n0/s400/David_Whitwam.jpg" style="display: block; height: 140px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 150px;" /><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">Whirlpool insisted that the course would benefit the community. Per capita income for Benton Harbor is $8,965, the lowest in Michigan. I</span><span style="font-family: Verdana;">f you are in the area and you'd like to play this course rather than the numerous other courses in the vicinity, </span><span style="font-family: Verdana;">schedule a tee time two weeks in advance and take about $175.00 with you - the cost of a round of golf. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">I have no doubt that such a course is a morale </span><span style="font-family: Verdana;">booster for Whirlpool executives. As I recall <span style="color: black;">time spent at my </span></span><span style="font-family: Verdana;"><span style="color: black;">club, the course is a relaxing place to discuss business. </span></span><span style="font-family: Verdana;"><span style="color: black;">I don't expect any Whirlpool executives to catch a clue though by the 18th hole as they ponder ways to approach damage control.</span></span><span style="color: black;"> </span><br />
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">You see the 1,000 American workers in Evansville are understandably </span><span style="font-family: Verdana;">displeased with the closure of their plant. As Americans with strongly held views will do, they planned a demonstration outside their workplace. Upon learning of these plans, one of Whirlpool's executives laid down his golf club long enough to send a memo to those employees explaining that </span><span style="font-family: Verdana;">"these negative activities will only hamper employees when they look for future jobs." </span></span><br />
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">The purpose of the </span><span style="font-family: Verdana;">memo was to limit publicity and public </span><span style="font-family: Verdana;">awareness of Whirlpool's actions. Whirlpool prefers to discreetly export American jobs while reaching into taxpayers pockets. After all, they do have a brand to protect. </span></span><br />
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">Whirlpool attempted to intimidate their employees who held their demonstration anyway and have now filed a Federal case against Whirlpool with the National Labor Relations Board. </span></span><br />
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">In a recent interview Mr. Fettig was asked the following question:</span> </span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">"Ethics has also been a big issue in the press. Some companies and some sectors in particular have been hit very hard by ethical issues. Are you doing anything differently in this arena?"</span> </span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">This was Mr. Fettig's answer to the question:</span> </span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">"We have had a long history, dating back to the beginning of the company, of being a very ethical and morally responsible company. It is part of our culture. We evaluate people on ethics. We have a very broad compliance and training program. We have a saying at Whirlpool: There's no right way to do the wrong thing. At the same time, we are a big global company. We have 70,000 people in 170 different countries. You always worry that someone somewhere could do something that is not appropriate."</span></span> </span><br />
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Next year, Whirlpool will market their new smart dryers which you, the American taxpayer helped finance. They will only cost </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">you about $10.00 to $20.00 more and are expected </span></span><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="color: black;">to save you between $20.00 and $40.00 per year in electric costs. Sales are down for Whirlpool and they no doubt have high hopes for this innovation. By </span></span><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="color: black;">2015 they will incorporate this technology into all their electric appliances they produce worldwide.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="color: black;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5443412408338997922" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj748OgORKMrygl-ZTW6cuSuMZEI9NxGj9vHLEvzVUH4I3hCtC3haIXY9i1b603yqEDbB2pqfs210hiSNGE6azN5q6bvKNQ5eqTtoYjf6j4ho96DYNs9huRbOq6-U_UlQFc23kw16zbS84/s400/WhirlpoolLogo.jpg" style="cursor: hand; display: block; height: 110px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 185px;" /></span></span><span style="color: black; font-family: Verdana;">This U.S. taxpayer funded innovation could improve sales </span><span style="color: black; font-family: Verdana;">for Whirlpool - well, unless someone somewhere did something that was not appropriate and hurt their brand.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: verdana;">Mary </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">- Proud American manufacturer and webperson for <a href="http://www.findusmade.com/">FindUSMade.com</a></span>Find US Made.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12240291903376200079noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6173708358235592691.post-50176261991518107172009-10-30T00:06:00.044-04:002010-07-16T19:33:13.519-04:00A Truly American General Store & American Aisle<span style="font-family: Verdana;"></span><span style="font-family: Verdana;"></span><a href="http://www.nortonsusa.com/"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5255173284903240738" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQXru77zW6y8wKMTlWm7_9mVFuSn0LBsBydZoxHZuSgd3YF_mkugym8WCXGFHAAXCu7_3bgd9n1oomcngoeOsXGdVwY0ORal6VAW212LcNB0xKwRLktpBYy7JlUXLaHdhGBEpYIR7Fcsw/s320/Nortons.jpg" style="cursor: hand; float: left; margin: 0px 10px 10px 0px;" /></a><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: verdana;">A General Store is a rarity in communities across the country - even more rare is one that is filled with only Made in USA goods.</span><br />
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<span style="color: black; font-family: verdana;">That is exactly the inventory that shopkeeper Deborah Leydig wisely chose to offer folks in her community of Barrington, Illinois. </span><a href="http://www.nortonsusa.com/"><span style="color: #6633ff; font-family: verdana;">Norton's U.S.A.</span></a><span style="color: black; font-family: verdana;"> offers housewares, greeting cards, toys, glassware, jewelry, apparel, gift wrap, ribbons, china & much more.</span><br />
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<a href="http://www.nortonsusa.com/"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5398236061927435330" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHcUv-0xlqN3nL-tobo1wA2ttpWqMXjk7taoSA6I80OFX7Ny1SrjMAwNf9QB9s-mjBLaro2Uh8VDxMrpQvkIuuMYvHO3KmYH9uhkwCryWHICzgUaSwlDMHjh1EAW35Jpe5UK17F6RFgUs/s400/NortonsUSA.jpg" style="cursor: hand; display: block; height: 300px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: verdana;">While there are numerous examples of online malls filled exclusively with US made products, </span><a href="http://www.findusmade.com/Mall/USA_Sites.htm"><span style="color: #6666cc; font-family: verdana;">listed here</span></a><span style="color: black; font-family: verdana;">, this was the first example we found of a brick and mortar mixed inventory store that decided in favor of only US made goods. </span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: verdana;">The second example we found was a shop called American Aisle. It's located in <span style="color: black;">Round Lake Beach, Illinois. The two owners, Nitai Pandya and Mia Kenig-Bujnarowski cut the ribbon on their shop in December 2008. They offer their patrons Made in the USA cosmetics, toys, cutlery, kitchen items, wallets, hair accessories, lunch boxes & much more. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;"></span><a href="http://www.americanaisle.com/"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5398264896581436850" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0g2-8F5rAeCEl2fS-ZL1Bf4nSSJtsNUAHNnAp8bOyWROzVBGlevw9R2S_anP22rTfjggU1ddJ1CLFLMAPUDcy11Nw_s5vZ8x88eVzFH00xIzoGZ47DNm4PDuwTZWtIeMl-mK_IvVhzE8/s400/AmericanAisle.jpg" style="display: block; height: 248px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /><span style="color: black; font-family: verdana;"><span style="color: black;"></span></span></a><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: verdana;"><span style="color: black;">Fortunately for shoppers across the country, <a href="http://www.americanaisle.com/">American Aisle</a> has opened an online store so that we all might browse and shop a brick & mortar merchant that is devoted to supporting U.S. manufacturing. </span></span><br />
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<span style="color: black; font-family: verdana;"><span style="color: black;">Their online store is now searchable in our <a href="http://www.findusmade.com/Mall/Search.htm">Marketplace</a> search. </span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: verdana;"><span style="color: black;">In my travels across the Internet, I've come across other people with dreams of </span><span style="color: black;">opening a Made in USA store - a shop with only US made products. The two merchants noted above are demonstrating that such a dream is feasible. </span></span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: verdana;"><span style="color: black;"></span></span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: verdana;"><span style="color: black;">My own personal dream is an eco-friendly shopping complex with a number of different shops, each with distinct domestic inventory that meet shoppers various needs. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"></span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: Verdana;">I so thoroughly enjoyed adding American Aisle to our Marketplace search this day. It's strange sometimes, how dreams are realized in unexpected ways.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">UPDATE - 07/16/2010</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">Another occasion to smile as today I added <a href="http://shop.nortonsusa.com/">Norton's USA</a> new online store to our site and Marketplace search. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;"><span style="color: black;">Mary - Webperson for</span> <a href="http://www.findusmade.com/">FindUSMade.com</a></span>Find US Made.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12240291903376200079noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6173708358235592691.post-6003829874513923152009-09-20T16:08:00.088-04:002009-09-21T16:16:28.766-04:00Whirlpool Corporation - Another Failure to Compete<p></p><p><object height="344" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/Zj-vIOMtVY0&hl=en&fs=1&rel=0&color1=0x2b405b&color2=0x6b8ab6"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/Zj-vIOMtVY0&hl=en&fs=1&rel=0&color1=0x2b405b&color2=0x6b8ab6" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object><span style="font-family:Verdana;"></span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;color:#000000;">Advertisement Transcript:</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;color:#000000;">This country may be in danger<br />It could be losing something we can’t afford to lose.<br /><br />Once in this country when a man produced a product it was the best he could possibly make<br /><br />He stood behind it<br />With pride<br /><br />He lived a simple idea<br />Do it right or don’t do it at all<br /><br />Nobody told him that<br />No government agency dictated it<br /><br />And it built a standard of living<br />For the world to aim at<br /><br />Now that idea is threatened<br />By shod, the second rate<br /><br />To some it means quick riches<br /><br />To some it means quick death<br />Of the standards we have built<br /><br />Some are fighting this threat<br /><br />Whirlpool Corporation believes in one simple idea<br />To continue to design, build and service home appliances<br />The right way, with pride, so you can live with them comfortably for years<br />Or they will not build them at all<br /><br />If we can’t keep this simple idea alive<br />Then indeed we are the endangered species.</span><br /><span style="font-family:Verdana;color:#660000;">___________________________________________________</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="color:#000000;">Countless times as a child, I heard the message from both my parents, “do it right or don’t do it at all.” I was raised on that philosophy just as I suspect were many Americans. I agree with the message in the above advertisement even if I lack that particular level of testosterone. Yes, Americans worked hard, produced the best products possible and built a standard of living for the balance of the world to strive to achieve. W</span><span style="color:#000000;">hirlpool Corporation, like myself perceived a threat to this country from “the second rate.” </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="color:#000000;">Today, the difference between Whirlpool Corporation and myself is that I maintain my ideals not unlike the many thousands of American manufacturers we list on our site.</span> </span></p><p><span style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="color:#000000;">Once upon a time, Whirlpool Corporation had a fine reputation due to their innovation & dedication to quality. Today their concern is cost cutting - not innovation, quality or keeping alive a “simple idea.”</span><br /><p><span style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="color:#000000;">Whirlpool announced that they will close their plant in Evansville, Indiana and move production of their top mount refrigerators to Mexico next year demonstrating again that Whirlpool now embraces what it once recognized as a threat. </span><br /><p><span style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="color:#000000;">From their August 28, 2009 press conference:</span><br /><p><span style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="color:#000000;">"While Evansville has most certainly had the best quality, it has not been competitive in terms of cost and asset utilization for some time. That combined with a decrease in demand for top mount refrigerators, aggressive new global competitors and the continued effects of a recessionary economy, are requiring Whirlpool, like many companies, to take unprecedented steps to help ensure that it remains competitive."</span><br /><p><span style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="color:#000000;">Please note that Whirlpool acknowledges that their Evansville plant has the best quality and they are willing to sacrifice that quality for other concerns. Whirlpool also states that this recessionary economy contributed to their decision to move production. That recessionary economy is the very same one that the thousands of manufacturers we list on our site navigate and persevere yet proves too difficult for Whirlpool. I’m smiling now thinking my own company must be better managed than Whirlpool Corporation.</span><br /><p><span style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="color:#000000;">Two other things struck me in that paragraph from their press conference. The use of the word “requiring” implies that this decision was the result of having no other choice, or that some external entity is forcing them to close this plant. If those who manage Whirlpool Corporation lack an understanding of corporate responsibility, they likely also lack an understanding of personal responsibility.</span><br /><p><span style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="color:#000000;">There is also the phrase “like many companies,” as though no one need take this decision personally or think ill of Whirlpool since they are just one of many companies moving production and are actually part of a trend - m’kay?</span><br /><p><span style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="color:#000000;">I can tell you about a trend - in lean manufacturing, something many companies are pursuing and utilizing enabling them to better compete in the marketplace. By comparison, Whirlpool established committees to explore such techniques. Those committees meet regularly and discuss what other companies are actually busy implementing.</span><br /><p><span style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="color:#000000;">Okay, so Whirlpool Corporation is not exactly trend setting or cutting edge. They needed to cut costs so the first thing, or the second thing they considered, after establishing committees was to move production to a low wage country. Or perhaps it wasn’t the first thing they considered. </span><br /><p><span style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="color:#000000;">Perhaps they reviewed their entire operation and business model. Perhaps they reviewed their levels of management and compensation packages. Perhaps they studied each and every one of their expenses and made all prudent cuts eliminating all waste. Perhaps they engaged with their workforce and implemented the ideas and suggestions from the very people who daily have their hands on product. Perhaps they are truly operating as effectively and efficiently as possible - honest to goodness running lean & mean and is still reduced to moving production to Mexico.</span><br /><p><span style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="color:#000000;">Which scenario strikes you as more likely?</span><br /><p><span style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="color:#000000;">The Whirlpool press conference also noted "unprecedented steps" which confuses me since Whirlpool had already closed some plants in the US and moved production to Mexico. There doesn’t seem to be anything unprecedented about this type of production move, it’s just another step that indicates Whirlpool’s inability to innovate and compete. I would though categorize as “unprecedented steps” the occasion when Whirlpool moved some production from Mexico back to the US because of a high failure rate in those particular foreign made appliances.</span><br /><p><span style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="color:#000000;">The average person may believe that highly paid/compensated individuals, well educated and with experience, such as those who run large corporations, certainly must know what they are doing.</span><br /><p><span style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="color:#000000;">Pause for a moment and consider our bankers…</span><br /><p><span style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="color:#000000;">Couldn’t you make better decisions? Give it a try. Come sit in the big chair in the large office on the top floor. You need to cut costs for your company. You can continue to manufacture in the US with your skilled experienced workforce and cut other costs. Trust me on this - if you are blessed with a capable, highly trained & experienced workforce, you have one heck of an asset! Then, if you manage a company well, you can make some real money. </span><br /><p><span style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="color:#000000;">Or, you can move production to northern Mexico, incurring some freight costs and hassles at the border. You leave behind the most productive workers in the world, American workers trading for low wage workers. That cuts wage costs but you’ll have higher, ongoing training costs due to the high attrition rate in the Mexican workforce. You’ll trade the infrastructure in the US for the infrastructure in Mexico. You’ll operate in a country with drug cartels with armed thugs that number as large as the Mexican military. Consider also that those drug cartels sometimes extort “protection” money from US companies. </span><br /><p><span style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="color:#000000;">You might also consider the growing desire for US made goods by American consumers and their growing dissatisfaction with imported products. Now consider that my own company is operating in this recessionary economy and I made cuts in our costs, none of which had any impact whatsoever on product or workers. My approach was to cut fat, not meat.</span><br /><p><span style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="color:#000000;">What would be your approach?</span><br /><p><span style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="color:#000000;">That’s what I thought. See, you would do well seated in the big chair in the office on the top floor. </span><br /><p><span style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="color:#000000;">When companies can so easily and readily abandon manufacturing here for manufacturing elsewhere, there really isn’t a framework in place to compel companies to focus on themselves and their products so they can improve, advance & innovate, is there? They can simply trot off to another country with their same poor practices, inefficiencies, behaviors & imprudent management decisions. They can readily preserve the “fat” in their companies while sacrificing the “meat.” The consumer is not well served in such an environment.</span><br /><p><span style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="color:#000000;">As a consumer, would you purchase the refrigerator that was built by Americans with decades of experience or would you buy the refrigerator built by a person with perhaps months of experience if they lasted that long on the job?</span><br /><p><span style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="color:#000000;">Whirlpool is moving production to Mexico supposedly so they can better compete with new global competitors, correct? So consumers can expect a decrease in the price of those top mount refrigerators that will be made in Mexico, correct? Now if the price remains stable, we’ll know that Whirlpool simply enlarged their profit margin, won’t we? And they only had to sacrifice quality and over 1,000 American jobs to accomplish that feat.</span><br /><p><span style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="color:#000000;">We’ve all been to this rodeo, haven’t we?</span><br /><p><span style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="color:#000000;">Whirlpool Corporation has many divisions and still manufactures some brands in the US such as KitchenAid products. I have no confidence in their dedication to US manufacturing so their product lines sit on our watch list. Personally, I would still purchase those US made brands, placing greater faith in American workers than I do in the management personnel of Whirlpool Corporation. </span><br /><p><span style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="color:#000000;">It’s pitiful and sad to me to see a once great company falter and fail with their best days behind them.</span><br /><p><span style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="color:#000000;">Sadly, Whirlpool Corporation is unable to keep a simple idea alive.</span><br /><p><span style="font-family:verdana;color:#000000;">“Do it right or don’t do it at all,” as my parents would say…</span></p><p><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;color:#000000;">Please visit our site to browse and shop the companies who can compete</span></p><span style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="color:#000000;">Mary - Webperson for</span> </span><a style="TEXT-DECORATION: none" href="http://www.findusmade.com/"><span style="font-family:verdana;">FindUSMade.com</span></a><br /><br /></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br /></span>Find US Made.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12240291903376200079noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6173708358235592691.post-24416219102205749452009-07-28T00:24:00.022-04:002009-07-28T18:37:27.259-04:00JCPenney's "American Made" Tee Shirt is Made in Mexico<span style="font-family:verdana;color:#000000;">JCPenney has a line of products which they call American Living. The line includes apparel, luggage, furniture, home furnishings & decor items.</span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;color:#000000;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;color:#000000;">Reading labels at JCPenney reveals an array of countries that contribute to their inventory including China, Taiwan, Honduras, Vietnam, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Mexico, etc. How might you expect the U.S. to be represented in such a diverse setting? You might like to think that the American Living brand would be the ideal means for the U.S. to be included, but alas, that brand is nearly all or entirely foreign made.</span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;color:#000000;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;color:#000000;">Before you frown, upset that so many other countries contribute to JCPenney's inventory rather than the U.S. - know that JCPenney found a use for our beloved country. </span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;color:#000000;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;color:#000000;">The U.S. & all things American makes a splendid marketing tool for JCPenney.</span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;color:#000000;"></span><br /><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="font-family:verdana;">Yes, the foreign made American Living brand has a logo with a bald eagle carrying our U.S. flag and the brand is marketed with wholesome American families, country bands & singers, and white picket fences. JCPenney doesn't feel obligated to actually offer American made products instead they are content to simply brand foreign made products with all things that are American. </span></span><br /><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span><object height="265" width="320"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/1HXaj8R58LM&hl=en&fs=1&rel=0"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/1HXaj8R58LM&hl=en&fs=1&rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="320" height="265"></embed></object><br /><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span></span><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="font-family:verdana;color:#000000;">In addition to leveraging our national symbols and our American lifestyle to hawk foreign made goods, JCPenney placed a Memorial Day advertisement for a tee shirt with the slogan "American Made."</span></span></span><br /><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="font-family:verdana;color:#000000;"></span></span></span><br /><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="font-family:verdana;color:#000000;">The advertisement caught the eye of a man named Joe Allen.</span></span></span><br /><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="font-family:verdana;color:#000000;"></span></span></span><br /><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="font-family:verdana;color:#000000;">Mr. Allen was a clothing manufacturer until his company was lost due to unfair foreign competition.</span></span></span><br /><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="font-family:verdana;color:#000000;"></span></span></span><br /><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="font-family:verdana;color:#000000;">At first, Mr. Allen was delighted with the tee shirt that JCPenney advertised with "American Made" across the front until he read the label in the store that disclosed the shirt was made in Mexico.</span></span></span><br /><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="font-family:verdana;color:#000000;"></span></span></span><br /><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="font-family:verdana;color:#000000;">Incensed, Mr. Allen brought the tee shirt to the attention of the A.A.M. who contacted JCPenney about the garment. Their spokesperson, Kelly Sanchez explained the slogan "American Made." "This type of slogan is referring to the actual person wearing the shirt and not to the manufacturing of the merchandise." </span></span></span><br /><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="font-family:verdana;color:#000000;"></span></span></span><br /><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="font-family:verdana;color:#000000;">As I sit here in my American made chair, at my American made desk, wearing my American made undergarments, Capri pants, top & New Balance footwear, I realize that I was lost to the fact that I myself am American made. Does this mean there is a Made in USA label stitched to my birth certificate?</span></span></span><br /><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="font-family:verdana;color:#000000;"></span></span></span><br /><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="font-family:verdana;color:#000000;">We have JCPenney resorting to reminding their customers that at least they are themselves American made if not the garments that JCPenney wants to sell to them. JCPenney thinks we Americans might be in need of a shirt that promotes American made people, but not American made products.<br /></span></span></span><br /><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="font-family:verdana;color:#000000;">It gets better - JCPenney told BusinessWeek that the line is “intended to evoke our American lifestyle and pride in being American.”<br /></span></span></span><br /><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="font-family:verdana;color:#000000;">I've not seen the shirt yet somehow it most certainly evoked something in me which can not be described as pride.<br /></span></span></span><br /><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="font-family:verdana;color:#000000;"><span style="color:#000000;">So, JCPenney believes that pride in being American is best accomplished with a shirt that is made in Mexico. I'm now wondering if JCPenney requires an American flag to fly outside their headquarters that was made in China for them to feel pride in being American.</span> </span></span></span><br /><br /><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="font-family:verdana;color:#000000;">JCPenney has been in operation in the U.S. for 105 years yet I can't help but conclude that their management & marketing personnel have not been in this country for long.<br /></span></span></span><br /><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="font-family:verdana;color:#000000;">As a businessperson, I'm sensitive and mindful of marketing. The origin of that tee shirt & the American Living brand makes all the difference in the world between a sincere marketing message and one that is profoundly vacant.<br /></span></span></span><br /><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="font-family:verdana;color:#000000;">All things American brings a world of meaning to us which is exactly why JCPenney unconscionably brands all things imported with everything that is American.<br /></span></span></span><br /><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="font-family:verdana;color:#000000;">JCPenney hi-jacked our American flag, our bald eagle, our American families & lifestyles, our country & Rock 'N Roll artists, our celebrations in life, our nations scenery, even our white picket fences to brand their imported schlock and now wants to sell Americans a made in Mexico shirt to promote pride in being American.<br /></span></span></span><br /><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="font-family:verdana;color:#000000;">All things American holds no greater meaning for JCPenney than how well it can move imported product out the door.<br /></span></span></span><br /><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="font-family:verdana;color:#000000;">All things American though goes bone deep to the rest of us.<br /></span></span></span><br /><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="font-family:verdana;color:#000000;">The only thing in all of this that I recognize as genuinely American is Mr. Allen.<br /></span></span></span><br /><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="font-family:verdana;color:#000000;">This elderly former American manufacturer was tricked by JCPenney into thinking they were offering a tee shirt that was made in our own country promoting a message that was very important and meaningful to him.<br /></span></span></span><br /><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="font-family:verdana;color:#000000;">It was a wasted trip to the store for Mr. Allen - he found nothing American at JCPenney. </span></span></span><br /><span style="font-family:Verdana;"></span><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="font-family:verdana;"><br /><br /></span></span><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="color:#000000;">If you care to share your views, you can contact JCPenney's CEO, Myron Ullman at 972-431-8200. You can also phone Kelly Sanchez at 972-431-3961 or email her at</span> <a href="mailto:ksanch18@jcpenney.com">ksanch18@jcpenney.com</a>.</span></span><br /><br /><span style="color:#000000;"></span></span></span><br /><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="color:#000000;">For an example of a sincere marketing message, see the New Balance video in the post below.</span> </span></span><br /><br /></span><span style="color:#000000;"><p><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="font-family:verdana;">If you are shopping for an American made tee shirt, may I suggest </span><a style="TEXT-DECORATION: none" href="http://www.unionshirtsupply.com/"><span style="font-family:verdana;">Union Shirt Supply</span></a><span style="font-family:verdana;">. They offer 100% USA union made tee shirts. A loose fitting style for women in colors can be purchased for $7.50. </span></span></span><br /></p><p><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="font-family:verdana;">The imported American Living tee shirts at JCPenney with their logo were selling for $30.00 and are presently priced at $14.99. </span></span></span><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="font-family:verdana;"><br /><br /></p><p>Mary - Webperson for <a style="TEXT-DECORATION: none" href="http://www.findusmade.com/">FindUSMade.com</a></span></span></span></p>Find US Made.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12240291903376200079noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6173708358235592691.post-255143664317655472009-06-27T12:31:00.011-04:002009-07-07T19:33:12.824-04:00New Balance Footwear - A Personal Favorite<span style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="color:#000000;">Twenty years ago, I discovered a simple US made product that enriched my life.<br /><br />It was a pair of walking shoes.<br /><br />As I aged, I realized my body was less tolerant of abuse. I could no longer sleep on my tummy or improperly lift and back pain became a part of my life.<br /><br />The first directive from my physician was to purchase a good pair of walking shoes. I learned about caring for my back and shopped for walking shoes - needed for the hours each day that I wasn't wearing 1 1/2 inch heels with my suits.<br /><br />My search for a US made walking shoe fortunately led me to New Balance. At the time, there was a sign that I read near their display in the store. It addressed unwise trade policies and the importance of US manufacturing. After reading that sign, I purchased my first pair.<br /><br />With good, supportive & comfortable walking shoes on my feet, my back pain was soon relieved. Free of discomfort, I was able to again enjoy walks in the evening which is good for my overall health. I even did some landscaping at my family's home whereupon I fell from a low retaining wall, turning over on my ankle.<br /><br />I was surprised to learn that it takes months to recover from such a sprain. I soon turned over on the same weakened ankle while watching my son march in a parade.<br /><br />Again, fortunately, I discovered a style of New Balance shoes that has a "rollbar" feature. I think of it as a stopper on the edge of the shoe. It does a splendid job of discouraging and preventing someone from turning over on their ankle. This style was 810, now called 811 and soon the weakness in my ankle dissipated. My ankle regained strength and I've not sprained my ankle since.<br /><br />No type of compensation is involved - this post results from the good will that New Balance has earned with me over the past 20 years. I'm a very satisfied customer.<br /><br />I'd like to thank New Balance for terrific products that serve me extraordinarily well. My style can be had for under $90.00 which is kind to my wallet. I'm pleased that New Balance seems understandably proud of their communities and their capable workforce.<br /><br />I'd also like to thank whichever of my fellow Americans made my footwear. Your craftsmanship is apparent in the fine product you produce. You arise early every morning, work hard all day long and your work contributed to a marked improvement in the quality of my life, thank you. I wear this footwear for hours each day and they wear for years. Less than $90.00 permits me years of activity & mobility that is free of discomfort.<br /><br />New Balance has been and remains committed to manufacturing in the US. Some New Balance styles are imported but New Balance operates five manufacturing facilities in the US which produce walking & running shoes for men & women.<br /><br />It's possible to spend hundreds of dollars on athletic footwear that is made in China or perhaps Korea manufactured by New Balance competitors.<br /><br />Can you spot the value in the marketplace?</span> </span><br /><span style="font-family:Verdana;color:#660000;">__________________________________________________</span><br /><span style="font-family:Verdana;color:#660000;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Verdana;color:#000000;">New Balance has presented a video that honors their community, US manufacturing and my fellow Americans who craft my footwear.</span><br /><br /><object height="295" width="480"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/ZiGhXGfheEo&hl=en&fs=1&color1=0x2b405b&color2=0x6b8ab6"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/ZiGhXGfheEo&hl=en&fs=1&color1=0x2b405b&color2=0x6b8ab6" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="295"></embed></object><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="color:#000000;">Visit</span> <a href="http://www.newbalance.com/"><span style="color:#000099;">New Balance Here</span></a></span><br /><span style="font-family:Verdana;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="color:#000000;">Mary - web person for</span> <a href="http://www.findusmade.com/"><span style="color:#000099;">FindUSMade.com</span></a></span>Find US Made.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12240291903376200079noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6173708358235592691.post-85862790219091460622009-05-01T00:11:00.035-04:002009-05-01T00:40:38.855-04:00Do You Have What It Takes To Be An American Manufacturer?<div><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="font-family:verdana;">Could I interest you in some role-playing? Would you like to test yourself by making some important business decisions? Would you like to explore your ethics and values as well as your business savvy? If you’re game, please keep reading.<br /><br />Let’s review our respective circumstances in this role-playing exercise.<br /><br />I’m a manufacturer in the US and I must pay at least the minimum wage for labor.<br /><br />I operate according to guidelines, regulations and laws that govern my product and my conduct. There’s a set of standards and regulations for every manufacturer operating in the US. They govern what I can and can’t do when I manufacture.<br /><br />Perhaps you’re thinking that my circumstance is somewhat stifling, enough possibly to get in the way of profits. I’m thinking though that I have the easy role in this exercise.<br /><br />You are a manufacturer in China. Technically, there is a minimum wage but you can ignore that if you like and pay what you wish for labor.<br /><br />The Chinese government takes no proactive role in manufacturing and only addresses problems if they become known and made public. It’s extremely doubtful that your product will ever be inspected or tested. With no regulations in place to get in your way, you are free to make all sorts of choices.<br /><br />That sounds rather splendid doesn't it? As a theory, regulations are an unnecessary burden that would just get in the way of your profits, right? Let’s take that theory to the real world and test your ability to make decisions.<br /><br />All sorts of US companies have come to your country, China, looking for the absolute cheapest price for goods. Quality & innovation can be had elsewhere so everyone comes to you solely for cheap prices. You’re positioned well with great flexibility on how you manufacture and how low you’re able to keep labor costs. You’re ready to make some money, aren't you?<br /><br />This exercise could be accomplished with a variety of products from any industry, but we’ll use simple, familiar examples.<br /><br />For now, you get to manufacture paint. It’s okay if you don’t know much about chemicals because I have only 1 decision for you.<br /><br />Do you use lead pigment in your paint or a more expensive alternative?<br /><br />I know you just started manufacturing and this is new to you but this decision must be made in your new business. Do you have an answer? You can secure a contract and move product out the door if you've sharpened your pencil. How badly do you want a contract? Using lead pigment lowers your product cost, right?</span><br /></span><span style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="font-family:verdana;">How nice that the government - delighted with their role in the global economy, doesn't care about the decisions you make in your business. You deserve to succeed, correct? You certainly deserve the contract.<br /><br />Somehow I sense that you haven’t yet committed to a decision on the lead pigment. Does something give you pause about such a choice? Oh, you know that lead is a poison, don’t you? You might worry that your paint would be used on toys. Children would be exposed to the lead in your paint and they could suffer with blood and brain disorders.<br /><br />Is there any reason though to drag ethics and conscience into a business decision?<br /><br />Don’t look at me, I face no such choice. I could have contracted product in China but it never crossed my mind because I don’t want any part of such a decision so I’m manufacturing in the US. You’re the one with the freedom and flexibility, which should serve business well, right?<br /><br />So, do you use lead pigment in your paint or a more expensive alternative?<br /><br />I understand your hesitation, believe me, I understand.<br /><br />Your fellow manufacturers in China will readily make that decision so we’ll leave the paint manufacturing to them and find you another role.<br /><br />Okay, how about a fun business like making toys? Congratulations, you’re now a toy maker in China. Disney is already knocking on your door with a contract for swell and cool looking painted toys. They want them of course, as cheaply as possible.<br /><br />Painted toys? Eh. You know a thing or two now about paint in China, don’t you? Your government even signed a meaningless agreement in 2007 that banned the use of lead paint on toys. It’s not enforced and is ignored by your fellow manufacturers.<br /><br />You’d rather not use any paint on your toys that has lead pigment. Where would you find some and what would it cost? What would it cost to test so you could be certain it was free of lead? </span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;"></span><br /></span><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="font-family:verdana;">Pressure to produce goods cheaply, always seems to turn you and your fellow manufacturers toward difficult choices, doesn't it? Maybe you can cut back further on payroll and hope your people will still come to work. You can’t save money by cutting frivolous things like safety equipment because unlike me, you never made any such purchases. Ensuring any product safety just adds cost to your product and makes it harder to compete for contracts. You’d certainly like that contract with Disney though…<br /><br />What do you do?<br /><br />You haven’t had any fun yet nor have you made any money.<br /><br />You know it’s possible, but maybe you’re just not cut out to be a manufacturer in China. That’s okay, neither am I.<br /><br />Maybe you’d like to own an American business and outsource your manufacturing. That role comes with many perks. That could be fun. You see, if you outsource production, you can trade labor & material costs for a massive profit margin. Nice. </span><span style="font-family:verdana;">Retailers love that margin and they'll throw consumers a dollar or three in savings to bait them into buying something imported over something domestic. Your products will get a ton of shelf space. </span><br /><span style="font-family:Verdana;"></span><br /></span><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="font-family:verdana;">Go ahead and arrange that fitting for new suits at the tailor. Check out the Hamptons and choose from the many available homes. Select a designer and get the boardroom redecorated.<br /><br />You'll make lots of money in business and that's what counts, right? You can nail the American dream. Who would have guessed that the path to the American dream ran through China? You'll be part of the global economy and you can have a nice office building with an American flag flying out front. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">The likelihood exists that one of your products will one day be recalled, but given your massive profits, you'll be able to handle the loss from such an event. </span><br /><br /></div></span><p><span style="font-family:verdana;color:#000000;">Would that role suit you?<br /><br />You don’t have to wonder at all if I envy someone in that role because if I did I would have outsourced my own production.<br /><br />You know, there’s a reader I lost earlier when they decided in favor of lead pigment. I lost another reader who would have crossed their fingers when they bought paint for their toys. I lost yet another reader who is daydreaming about grand homes in the Hamptons.<br /><br />I’m left only with you, someone who hasn't yet found a role that suits them in this exercise.<br /><br />Welcome brother. Come have a seat by me because it’s clear that you have what it takes to be an American manufacturer. Let me tell you about the role. You won’t make massive amounts of money but if you work hard you can make a good living. In addition to income, you’ll have wonderful people who work with you daily and help you succeed in business. You’ll view them not as an expense, but as family.<br /><br />You'll make decisions that serve you in the long term, not the short term since you're building a business for this generation and the next.<br /><br />You’ll have to deal at times with retailers that can be downright hostile to your products because of their smaller profit margin, but you’ll take great pride in the products you produce.<br /><br />You’ll sleep well and contentedly at night except when you worry about competitors foreign made products because you know where they cut corners.<br /><br />When shoppers question you about your products, you can tell them honestly that quality and safety matter to you because your actions prove it every day. Any time you like you can leave your desk and step out on the shop floor. Keep your eyes and ears open because the same people with hands on your product can offer tips and ideas that you can use.<br /><br />An especially good part is the customers. You’ll come to treasure them because they’re the ones who value what you produce. You’ll come to recognize their names and faces because they return so often to do business with you. You’ll be thankful that at no point in your lifetime will you likely look one of these people in the eye and apologize because your product harmed one of their family members.<br /><br />You’ll also get to set up a special file. It’s not for complaints, no, it’s for those hand written letters from your customers. You’ll be surprised and flattered whenever you receive them, yet, there they’ll be with expressions of gratitude. Yep. You’ll get them and treasure them as well. You might even have them framed so they can adorn your office walls because you consider them the most prestigious awards you won this year.<br /><br />You and I can laugh at those rewarded only with dollars and who don’t realize that ethics and values are very much a part of smart business. We’ll agree that the American way is the very thing we should </span><span style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="color:#000000;">export in the global economy.<br /><br /></p></span></span><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5330710049601712578" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 331px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCY1TdU-nM80F-P2EIKabDWq-v0NHFfo4TLYIoKj5wTepLZL8FQkLJASiBmWuBzisvJHYpd_tFgQjFPNHyXzFOEdZWFKB1gwzKIN8fHAUNu52EOo5WTTTfEdcLWo45JqlJQbqluFNgiA0/s400/Plant.jpg" border="0" /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="color:#000000;"><p></span></span></p><span style="font-family:verdana;color:#000000;">Outside your plant, you’ll likely fly the American flag. You might even raise it yourself in the morning. You’ll know the same as I that the path to the American dream doesn't run through China. You’ll recognize everything that is right and just about that flag flying outside your door. It’s fitting for everyone whose love of country is greater than their love of money. </span><br /><p><span style="font-family:verdana;color:#000000;"><span style="color:#000000;">Mary - A proud American manufacturer and web person for</span><span style="color:#000000;"> <a style="TEXT-DECORATION: none" href="http://www.findusmade.com/">FindUSMade.com</a></span></span> </p>Find US Made.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12240291903376200079noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6173708358235592691.post-13596215970176232472009-04-21T08:15:00.021-04:002009-04-21T09:26:23.867-04:00American Manufacturers Shop With You For Made in USA Products<span style="color:#000000;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;">Who might you think, first and foremost is most supportive of American manufacturing? I ask the question because I suspect that most consumers who shop for Made in USA products, don't realize who is shopping with them.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:Verdana;">I've mentioned that for the past 3 decades I've been an ardent consumer of US made products. My home is filled with domestic goods, as is my business.</span><br /><span style="font-family:Verdana;"></span></span><br /><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;">The boxes and shipping tape I purchase for our shipping department - Made in USA. </span><span style="font-family:Verdana;">The desks, chairs, paper, envelopes, pens, binders, etc. that I purchase for our office - Made in USA. I also purchase product material, some of which is recycled - </span><span style="font-family:Verdana;">Made in USA. Equipment & tools that I purchase such as fire extinguishers and hand trucks - Made in USA. Our </span><span style="font-family:Verdana;">company vehicles are union Made in USA. My business buys US made products whenever possible. </span><br /><span style="font-family:Verdana;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Verdana;">Are my shopping & purchasing habits unusual for an American manufacturer? Goodness, no, they are commonplace. </span><br /></span><span style="color:#000000;"></span></span><br /><p><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;">There is more to this than American manufacturers acting in support of our beloved country and each other, it's also a cost effective business practice. American manufacturers, like consumers, want products that deliver value. Don't show us something cheap and shoddy that we'll only need to replace in three months. We want dependability and quality. We understand well why an imported product may come at a slight savings, so we'll happily spend the difference to obtain quality and safety. </span></span><br /></p><p><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;">There is another consideration. Who would understand manufacturing processes if not manufacturers. We know well why lead & toxins are found in so many foreign made products. </span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family:Verdana;">We know that 98% of recalled products are foreign made and that about 90% are made in China. </span><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;">We know that most consumers never learn of recalled goods. We know that most recalled products are never returned to stores and instead remain in homes and businesses. </span><br /><br /></span><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;">Like you, we have no desire to expose our children, grandchildren, customers, employees, pets or ourselves to the dangers of substandard products. </span></span></span></p><p><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;">There is a very nice symmetry at play here in that the very same things we seek for our businesses & households, namely quality, safety, value & dependability, are the very same things we offer to consumers with our own products.</span></span></span><br /></p><p><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;">When you next visit our site, keep in mind that we're shopping with you. And don't be surprised if perhaps one of Mattel's VP's is shopping right along with us. </span></span></span><br /></p><p><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="color:#000000;">Mary - web person for</span> <a style="TEXT-DECORATION: none" href="http://www.findusmade.com/">FindUSMade.com</a></span></p>Find US Made.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12240291903376200079noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6173708358235592691.post-22284406946523454352009-03-17T18:25:00.000-04:002009-03-17T18:25:56.370-04:00Country of Origin Labeling on Meat Products<span style="color:#000000;"><span style="font-family:verdana;">New labeling requirements for meat products are now in effect which should hopefully better inform consumers about the origin of meat offered to them in stores. </span></span><br /><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="font-family:verdana;"></span></span><br /><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="font-family:verdana;">One contributor to our site lives in a state that shares a border with Mexico. He phoned today with concerns about labeling he saw on a package of ground beef he found at a Walmart store. It might be helpful then to review the guidelines for this new labeling. If you shop for meat products of US origin, you need to check for this particular labeling:</span></span><span style="color:#000000;"><br /></span><br /><span style="font-family:Verdana;color:#000000;"><strong>Muscle Cut Labels</strong></span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:Verdana;color:#000000;">United States Origin - only meat from livestock that are born, raised and processed in the US may say "Product of the US."</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:Verdana;color:#000000;"><strong>Ground Meat Product Labels</strong></span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:Verdana;color:#000000;">United States Origin - only meat from livestock that are born, raised and processed into ground meat in the US may say "Product of the US."</span><br /><br /><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;">What that contributor discovered of concern to him was a package of ground beef that was labeled, "Product of USA, Canada, Mexico" He asked if he should believe that the beef in the package came from all three countries.</span></span><br /><br /><p><span style="color:#000000;"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5314231525699682642" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-D-Oy6V0m5d7BvmQZEOWo-xYvN9wBDsT9zQE5aZnVk1oBtVmObN8cQyBDvlGVuRPDz1Vi-1XzGG2VSkzo95tdoA_QiLhYE_tQkbAWcPXtgzhrwTB3bLmt8MAI5RB1ELVgvfQkna2FwCs/s320/WalmartMeat.jpg" border="0" /><br /></span><span style="font-family:Verdana;color:#000000;">I explained to him the problem I saw with the new regulations as they pertain to ground meat. It's possible that this package actually contains beef from all three countries, and it might also contain beef from just two countries; perhaps Mexico and Canada. It's also possible that this package actually contains beef sourced only from Mexico but was produced in a US plant that typically also sources raw materials from Canada and the US for other products. </span><br /><span style="font-family:Verdana;color:#000000;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Verdana;color:#000000;">Unfortunately, the consumer still won't know the country of origin from such a label. Ground beef may be sourced from different countries to be processed in one US plant and the label need only reflect the countries from which the company typically sourced its raw materials for products over the past few months. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:Verdana;color:#000000;">In the US we also typically source leaner beef from grass fed livestock from New Zealand & Australia, countries that may be listed on some labels of ground beef.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:Verdana;color:#000000;"><span style="color:#000000;">We also import young cattle from Mexico & Canada to be fed & fattened in the US. Meat products from such cattle will carry multiple countries of origin on their labels.</span> </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:Verdana;color:#000000;">If the consumer desires a truly domestic meat product, they will need to seek the "Product of the US" label.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:Verdana;color:#000000;">The phone conversation I had with this contributor was overheard by shoppers in the Walmart store. At the end of our conversation he told me that nearby shoppers had removed packages of meat from their carts and returned them to the meat case. He, and perhaps the nearby shoppers, had concerns that the ground beef offered at this Walmart store was likely sourced from Mexico and produced in a plant that also processes meat from the US and Canada. </span><br /></p><p><span style="font-family:Verdana;color:#000000;">Unfortunately, the new label does nothing to designate the actual country of origin of ground beef for consumers. </span><br /></p><p><span style="font-family:Verdana;color:#000000;">After shoppers decided against their meat purchases, our contributor was asked to leave the store by Walmart personnel. While I've proudly never set foot in a Walmart store, he is quite accustomed to such treatment. He's learned repeatedly that Walmart does not like information sharing with their customers, even accidental sharing from overheard cell phone conversations. </span><br /><span style="font-family:Verdana;color:#000000;"></span><br /><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;">It could be the new country of origin labeling is an improvement but not yet satisfactory for consumers, at least with ground meat products. </span></span><br /></p><p><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;">Sources for domestic meat & seafood products can be found in our <a href="http://www.findusmade.com/Mall/Gourmet_Food.htm">Gourmet Food/Drink</a> department. </span></span><span style="color:#000000;"><br /><span style="font-family:Verdana;"></span><br /></span><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="color:#000000;">Mary - Web person for FindUSMade.com</span> </span></span></p>Find US Made.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12240291903376200079noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6173708358235592691.post-16650444867596439312008-12-26T18:04:00.007-05:002008-12-28T17:28:12.214-05:00New Feature - Resource Search<span style="color:#000000;"><span style="font-family:verdana;">We hope everyone is having a lovely holiday season. During this period, we returned briefly to our site in order to implement a new feature for our visitors. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:Verdana;">There are a number of other resources that appear to make an honest effort to assist consumers with locating Made in the USA products which we very much appreciate. We list these other resources on our site but it occurred to us that a dynamic search of those resources could prove helpful for shoppers. </span><br /><br /></span><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="color:#000000;">So we combined those sites and their pages into a custom search and they can all now be simultaneously searched from one location. You can give this new search a try here:</span> <a href="http://www.findusmade.com/Mall/USA_Sites.htm">Resource Search of Made in the USA Sites</a></span><br /><br /><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="font-family:verdana;">Some of these resources are shopper friendly with links to sources of US made goods. Some merely list, without links - manufacturers, retailers or other sources. These sites can be helpful though and a comprehensive search of those sites could provide greater efficiency for shoppers. If a consumer simply finds a company or manufacturer name, that information alone could lead them to goods that we overlooked or have not yet listed. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:Verdana;">Each resource was tagged with either Resource or Resource/Blog. Two of the sites in this search are also Blogs which usually review American made products and also offer Weekly Giveaway's of US made products. The search results includes these tags so that visitors will know the type of site appearing in the results before they click and visit.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:Verdana;">Our own site is included in the search and may appear in some search results. The purpose of the search though is to highlight other resources and the hopefully helpful information they offer to shoppers. We are not responsible though for the content presented on those other sites. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:Verdana;">We'll resume work on FindUSMade.com in January after a bit of a break to spend time with our families. Again, we offer our best wishes for a lovely holiday and a happy and prosperous New Year. </span><br /><span style="font-family:Verdana;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Verdana;">Mary - web person for FindUSMade.com</span></span>Find US Made.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12240291903376200079noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6173708358235592691.post-58174576829857363462008-12-20T19:06:00.000-05:002008-12-20T19:25:50.718-05:00New Department - Union Made in the USA<span style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="color:#000000;">Our descriptions usually note if union made goods are offered at a location and we've decided to gather up such sites and duplicate them in a new department -</span><a href="http://www.findusmade.com/Mall/Union_Made.htm"><span style="color:#3333ff;">Union Made in the USA</span></a></span><span style="font-family:verdana;color:#000000;"> This will permit visitors to more easily browse and shop products made by union workers. </span><br /><br /><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="font-family:verdana;">Union workers tend to understand well the value of manufacturing in the US and they also tend to shop wisely in the marketplace for US made goods. </span><br /><br /><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="font-family:verdana;">Many commercial goods, which aren't listed on our site, are made by union workers. There is a considerable amount of consumer goods that are made by union workers so this new department will expand in the future. Presently, there is a sampling of a number of consumer products that visitors can browse. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:Verdana;color:#000000;">I suspect often consumers don't realize how many well liked products are union made. The EMCO storm doors you may have purchased for your home - made by union workers. If there's Land 'O Lakes butter in your refrigerator - it's union made. And if there's a Bradford White water heater delivering hot water for your <span style="color:#990000;"><span style="color:#000000;">shower in the morning - that's union made.</span> </span></span></span><br /><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="color:#660000;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;">_______________________________________________</span><br /></span><span style="font-family:verdana;color:#000000;"></span><br /><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="font-family:verdana;color:#000000;">When I first started work on our site, during verification there was a union made urban tee & sweatpants that caught my eye. I ordered them and when they arrived I marvelled at those garments. I'm so accustomed to US made quality, yet I found my new purchases impressive. The tee was heavyweight, soft cotton, expertly stitched. The sweatpants were also heavyweight, fleece lined, double stitched and had 2 large side pockets. They are so snugly warm and they look great. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:Verdana;color:#000000;">Out of curiosity I went to Amazon and searched for sweatpants. I found them. They were imported, lightweight and had no pockets. They were $18.00 - just what I paid for my union made domestic pair. Neither was sale priced. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:Verdana;color:#000000;">The maker of my sweatpants was <a href="http://www.eaglesportswear.com/"><span style="color:#3333ff;">Eagle USA</span></a> and they made a profit on my purchase and paid union workers. I can't help but wonder what the profit margin was for that foreign manufacturer who had much less in labor & material costs. There was no savings for the consumer, but there was a larger profit margin for the manufacturer.<br /><br /><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;color:#000000;">Somewhere there was a shopper on Amazon that bought those imported sweatpants. Possibly they thought they got a deal. Foreign manufacturers and retailers promote the notion that consumers will find savings with imported goods. US made products are so expensive, right? </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:Verdana;color:#000000;">Wrong. That poor Amazon shopper will probably be on their third or fourth pair of sweatpants in the time it takes me to wear through these. That shopper may have spent $18.00 on their pair, but I invested $18.00 in mine. </span><br /><br /><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;color:#000000;">The first time I used our site when live was to reorder these sweatpants in other colors. I wanted a good source for <a href="http://www.eaglesportswear.com/"><span style="color:#3333ff;">Eagle USA</span></a> which has a <a href="http://www.eaglesportswear.com/DealerLocator.asp"><span style="color:#3333ff;">Dealer Locator</span></a> but I discovered that by using a search engine and searching Eagle USA with the style number of the garment I wanted, I could usually snag the item at a retailer. This is when I discovered my sweatpants on <a href="http://store.stitchxpress.com/product_info.php?manufacturers_id=39&products_id=94044"><span style="color:#3333ff;">StitchXpress</span></a> for $16.44 available in 10 colors. Well now, I can buy union made in the USA for less than imported. Does this mean more whining from foreign manufacturers about competition?</span></span></span></span></span><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="color:#000000;"> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br /><br /><p><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;color:#000000;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="color:#000000;">Sadly, some folks think union wages add to the cost of products. As an American manufacturer I understand well the distribution of profit behind the ultimate price to the consumer. The presence of union workers in US manufacturing explains only the value & craftsmanship found in the products they produce. </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;color:#000000;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="color:#000000;">Did you, the consumer, believe that companies moved production abroad with an altruistic intent to pass on the savings to you?<br /><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="color:#660000;">_______________________________________________<br /></span><br /><span style="font-family:Verdana;color:#000000;">I offer my appreciation to whichever of my fellow Americans made my tee and sweatpants. I've often laughed aloud in stores at poorly made imported goods but I've always owned US made sweatpants and these are the nicest I've ever owned. The stitching is expert & they launder extremely well. The long trip to the mailbox is much easier to brave this winter with this fleece lining. I've hauled pet toys, mail, paperwork and several cans of soda in these huge pockets. You've artfully mastered product quality, value & customer satisfaction. You're the competition the foreign manufacturers whined about, aren't you? The best they could do was match the price while coming nowhere close to matching the quality. (Bless their hearts, they think they can compete with you.) </span><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="color:#000000;"><br /></span></span></span></span><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="color:#000000;"><br /><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;color:#000000;">Now I can ponder whether those foreign manufacturers are simply enriching themselves by manufacturing abroad or if perhaps they're just terribly inefficient operations unlike domestic manufacturers with union employees...</span><br /><br /><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;">Mary - web person for FindUSMade.com</span></p></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span>Find US Made.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12240291903376200079noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6173708358235592691.post-12639291182381775732008-10-25T15:38:00.008-04:002008-10-25T16:06:55.504-04:00A Family Favorite, Anderson-Little Is Back!<span style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="color:#000000;">The classic New England clothier,</span> </span><a href="http://www.andersonlittle.com/"><span style="font-family:verdana;">Anderson-Little</span></a><span style="font-family:verdana;"> <span style="color:#000000;">is again making apparel in the USA. Founded in 1933 by Morris B. Anderson, this apparel manufacturer pioneered the concept of "factory direct to you." Anderson-Little garments were well received and appreciated by consumers and the company grew to 40 outlets. At one time, they employed 600 people in Fall River, Massachusetts. </span><br /><br /><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;">Anderson-Little was a regional brand and was sold in 1966 to Richman Brothers, a national chain. The brand was bought and sold a few times until finally the last store was closed in 1998. </span><br /><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><br /><span style="font-family:Verdana;">My family considered this a noteworthy loss because Anderson-Little was a family favorite. </span><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;color:#000000;">The garments were smartly designed, well made & comfortable. They wore well and as with most US made goods, they were fairly priced. Somehow the fit was ideal because I can't recall ever exchanging an Anderson-Little garment.</span><br /><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="color:#000000;"><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-IFtaIehLLaeLVwxM8XAkod8OFDySYg78b3uXsJRIsvynrywh11pOrWyYXgGLj7-U3O5GkLEeuik2yrNwZlZ9AoxRfwe0aRQZTuGLz3lqMP6RO5Nvorsc_3TpZd_vryTgd6fTvlu21EI/s1600-h/ADL_MADEBUTTON.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5260541060150024146" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 150px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-IFtaIehLLaeLVwxM8XAkod8OFDySYg78b3uXsJRIsvynrywh11pOrWyYXgGLj7-U3O5GkLEeuik2yrNwZlZ9AoxRfwe0aRQZTuGLz3lqMP6RO5Nvorsc_3TpZd_vryTgd6fTvlu21EI/s320/ADL_MADEBUTTON.jpg" border="0" /></a> <span style="font-size:85%;color:#000099;">The Classic Blue Blazer - $139.00 plus free shipping</span> <span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="color:#000000;"><br /><br /><span style="color:#000000;">The Anderson-Little label and my own family are an example of business done right. This solid brand earned our trust & loyalty and wove its way into the fabric of our lives, our celebrations and memories.</span><span style="color:#000000;"> Birthdays, anniversaries and Christmas were all occasions that included a well received gift from this clothier and they were also the occasions this clothier's garments were worn.</span><span style="color:#000000;"><br /><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"></span></span></span></span><br /><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;">It took years for the indomitable Scott Anderson, grandson of Morris Anderson to legally reclaim the name Anderson-Little. I'm not surprised that the Anderson family would return to what they know and do well - manufacturing men's apparel. It's not simply something they do - it's who they are; which as an American manufacturer, I understand. </span><br /><br /></span><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;">Many US made products bear someone's name which traces to the pride they feel in what they've produced. Such folks understand there's a better way to do business and they're stubborn in insisting on employing American workers, offering the value of fairly priced well made goods and delivering superb customer service. </span><br /><br /></span><span style="font-family:Verdana;color:#000000;">No type of compensation is involved as my words are offered as a satisfied customer. I find comfort in a familiar and time tested brand. I can spend my money and be assured of quality, fit and value. I can also do business with folks, not unlike myself, who embrace standards and who treasure their reputation as I do my own.</span><br /><br /><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;">As the Anderson family tradition continues so will the tradition in my own family. They'll be a box under the tree this Christmas for my son. He'll receive a classic blue blazer with a label that bears the name Anderson-Little, just as things should be in my home. </span><span style="font-family:Verdana;">I'll be proud of the gift I purchase and I have no doubt my son will take pride in his appearance, just like his father and grandfather before him.</span><br /><br /></span><span style="font-family:Verdana;color:#000000;">Thank you Mr. Scott Anderson & Mr. Stuart Anderson. Your family reminds me of who we are as a people and I thoroughly appreciate the reminder. Moxie is after all a hallmark of American manufacturers. Please know that your return to the American marketplace is greatly welcomed. </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><div><br /><div></div><a href="http://www.andersonlittle.com/"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5261185128657379250" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 241px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIxbZrV69CPGoHM9WLKjs7bI6rq2LpNzxvjRIv5oHhKghNZWNqDtktjRIRFSTzQa_s-dRpP2i7kG86NM0Q6eoOBdTbwUthxWePNJ_J94b7uS__Oa9r0TYqmQ8rWFjZPjV44ahgmEbiiXE/s320/Anderson_Little.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div><span style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="color:#000000;">No surprise here that I could quickly dip into my stockpile of gift boxes and retrieve</span> a suitable box for my son's Christmas present. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="color:#000000;">This long lived box is sturdy - like the garments - like the family - like the brand. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="color:#000000;">Should anyone wonder why I buy American made goods?</span><br /></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="font-family:verdana;color:#000000;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="color:#000000;">Mary - web person for Find US Made.com</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div></div>Find US Made.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12240291903376200079noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6173708358235592691.post-148481679446657042008-08-18T09:44:00.003-04:002008-11-02T21:28:28.831-05:00Gateway to the American Made Marketplace©<p><span style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="color:#000000;">Our professional logo is in place & the code for our link banner was written, but we're excited most about the new search feature on our site which we've dubbed -</span> </span><a href="http://www.findusmade.com/Mall/Search.htm"><span style="font-family:verdana;">Gateway to the American Made Marketplace©</span></a> </p><p><span style="font-family:verdana;color:#000000;"><span style="color:#000000;">Unlike your local retail store where the rare find is a US made item, we’d like to introduce you to the reverse situation.</span> </span></p><p><span style="font-family:verdana;color:#000000;">Behind a simple search interface, we carefully assembled a vast collection of the prime Internet locations with 100% or virtually 100% Made in the USA products.*</span> </p><p><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="font-family:verdana;color:#000000;">The locations we search include the online malls, state malls, manufacturers’ sites and selected merchants whose inventory is exclusively Made in the USA. All of these different locations can now be simultaneously searched in one place.</span> </span></p><p><span style="font-family:verdana;color:#000000;">Relieved of the clutter from imports, we view this search as the simplest, quickest & most efficient means to match a US made product with a shopper who seeks such a product. </span></p><p><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="font-family:verdana;color:#000000;">Nearly all locations in our search have a shopping cart, so a shopper can promptly locate & purchase US made goods if they wish. Since the balance of the inventory is US made on the sites in our search, the discerning consumer can continue to browse or shop for other US made goods.</span> </span></p><p><span style="color:#000000;"><strong><span style="font-family:verdana;color:#000000;">About Our Search:</span></strong></p><p><span style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="color:#000000;">All sites and their inventory were carefully researched & vetted prior to inclusion in our search.</span> </span></p><span style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="color:#000000;">*We held to this rule while developing this search. If a location had only 1 identified imported product while the balance of the inventory was Made in the USA, they were acceptable. If they had more than 1 imported item or if it was not identified as such, the location was excluded. This is how we achieved such a pure concentration of Made in the USA products and it explains the 8 isolated imports in our vast search - imports which are identified as such in the product descriptions.</span><br /><br /><p><span style="font-family:verdana;color:#000000;">While we have no control over the inventory offered by the sites in our search, we do have control over whether or not a location remains. If we become aware of an increase in the number of imported products offered on a site in our search, it will be eliminated from the search. Likewise, as we find additional suitable locations with 100% US made products, they will be included. </span></p><p><span style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="color:#000000;">A few of the sites in our search note product origin only on their Home, About Us or FAQ pages so you may not see the origin in some product descriptions. We've checked but since inventory can change, you may wish to verify the origin yourself prior to any purchase.</span> </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family:verdana;color:#000000;">In some cases, a site's technology was somehow incompatible with our search and so unfortunately, they were not included. In the future, we hope to correct that situation, if possible. Locations that were not included in our search are marked with a red asterisk in our departments. We suggest browsing our departments in addition to the search for additional locations for US made goods. </span></p><span style="font-family:verdana;"><strong><span style="color:#000000;">Search Tips</span></strong><br /><br /><p><span style="font-family:verdana;color:#000000;">Results from a query are based primarily on relevance and they can range from No Results to numerous pages dependant upon the search query. (No location appears in our search due to any type of compensation.) They are present because the goods they offer are exclusively US made. </span></p><p><span style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="color:#000000;">When using the Gateway to the American Made Marketplace©, it can be helpful to use both less specific and more specific search terms. By simply searching the two words shower and curtain, results will deliver both shower curtains and shower curtain rings. Rather than simply searching for stuffed animals, a specific animal can be searched such as a stuffed giraffe.</span> </span></p><p><span style="font-family:verdana;color:#000000;">Sizes can be searched successfully such as Plus Size or Big & Tall. Brands and companies can also be searched. </span></p><p><span style="font-family:verdana;color:#000000;">Results can differ when using or not using quotation marks or from singular and plural versions of words. You might like to try your searches with and without quotations and in a singular and plural form. Terminology can achieve different results such as searching the word overalls or coveralls. </span></p><p><span style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="color:#000000;">Presently, the search represents about 50% of the compatible sites from our departments. It is already possible to search and locate a surprising quantity and variety of goods, all Made in the USA. We'll continue to contribute and enlarge the search over the next few months. We're noting our progress for users in the left column of our search page.</span> </span></p><p><span style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="color:#000000;">Please take a few minutes and give our search a test drive. We'd be delighted to hear from you about our site or our search. Please send any comments or feedback to</span> </span><a href="mailto:mary@findusmade.com"><span style="font-family:verdana;">mary@findusmade.com</span></a><span style="font-family:verdana;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="color:#000000;">Mary - web person for Find US Made.com</span> </span></p></span></span></span>Find US Made.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12240291903376200079noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6173708358235592691.post-45823324105968060262008-06-29T02:38:00.005-04:002008-07-05T12:22:15.685-04:00Discover American Manufacturing<p><a href="http://www.findusmade.com/"><span style="font-family:verdana;">Find US Made.com</span></a><span style="font-family:verdana;"> can be a learning experience for visitors. Not everyone is aware that we produce potato vodka, caviar & extra virgin olive oil in the US.</span></p><p><span style="font-family:verdana;">Our oldest rice mill is still in operation as well as Indiana’s oldest commercial water-powered flour mill. Since 1888, Charles H. Baldwin has produced possibly the absolute best vanilla extract. The Frye Co. is our oldest continuously operated shoe company and for the past 166 years, Johnson Woolen Mills has been producing wool apparel.</span></p><p><span style="font-family:verdana;">Consumers are wise. When they find a value, they return to it time and again which explains our 8th generation companies. </span></p><p><span style="font-family:verdana;">Recycling and technology has brought new businesses and new products to the American marketplace. The growing demand for organic products is being met by many of them. Environmental concerns are spawning eco-friendly products and I believe technology will one day fulfill consumers wildest dreams.</span></p><p><span style="font-family:verdana;">What is common to both long established companies & the new companies listed on our site, are their values and their dedication to domestic manufacturing. They chose to employ Americans. They chose to be subject to our laws, codes & regulations. They also chose to compete in the American marketplace, even against unfair subsidized foreign competition. American manufacturers have moxie, don't they? </span></p><p><span style="font-family:verdana;">Even the merchants that we list, carefully selected the lines they would offer to consumers, and they wisely chose to include American made goods.</span></p><p><span style="font-family:verdana;">Your local large retailer has no doubt selfishly chosen to limit your options by filling their stores with imported products. Unfortunately, you, the consumer is not well served by limited options. You can't be expected to find the value in the marketplace if US made products are absent. </span></p><p><span style="font-family:verdana;">Permit us then to introduce you to the choices you've been missing.</span></p><p><span style="font-family:verdana;">Consumers deserve their choice of US made large stainless steel utensils from </span><a style="COLOR: #940f04; TEXT-DECORATION: none" href="http://www.kwik-kut.com/spoon.html"><span style="font-family:verdana;">Kwik Kut</span></a><span style="font-family:verdana;">, 6 pieces for $11.25. Casual shorts from </span><a style="COLOR: #940f04; TEXT-DECORATION: none" href="http://www.duckscrubs.com/shortandskirts.htm"><span style="font-family:verdana;">Duck Scrubs</span></a><span style="font-family:verdana;"> are $10.00. An organic cotton nightshirt from </span><a style="COLOR: #940f04; TEXT-DECORATION: none" href="http://www.sosfromtexas.com/mm5/merchant.mvc?Screen=CTGY&Store_Code=sos&Category_Code=NS"><span style="font-family:verdana;">SOS From Texas</span></a><span style="font-family:verdana;"> is $12.50. A 17 piece recycled plastic tea set from </span><a style="COLOR: #940f04; TEXT-DECORATION: none" href="http://www.madeinusaforever.com/toys.html"><span style="font-family:verdana;">Green Toys</span></a><span style="font-family:verdana;"> is $24.99. The consumer also has the choice of colored glass tree ornaments from </span><a style="COLOR: #940f04; TEXT-DECORATION: none" href="http://bronners.ecommerce-site-search.com/?page=3&catalog=bronners&query=usa"><span style="font-family:verdana;">Bronner's</span></a><span style="font-family:verdana;">, 8 for $4.99.</span> </p><p><span style="font-family:verdana;color:#000000;">Consumers should be aware of all available options, and we're working hard to spotlight the US made products so often absent from your local store.<br /><br />The most recent generation of American manufacturers - you know, the ones with moxie, are anxious to meet you. They've worked hard in the American marketplace while playing by the rules and they deserve the opportunity to meet and hopefully impress you. I've visited each and every one of the thousands of locations listed on our site and goodness knows they've impressed me.<br /><br /></span><span style="font-family:verdana;color:#000000;">Now I'm wondering which of these new companies will be in their 8th generation years from now. </span></p><p><span style="font-family:verdana;">The wise consumer will explore their options and discover value in the marketplace. They'll be rewarded with products they'd purchase again from the manufacturers who earn their business.</span></p><p><span style="font-family:verdana;">What might you discover?</span></p><p><span style="font-family:Verdana;">Mary - web person for Find US Made.com</span></p>Find US Made.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12240291903376200079noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6173708358235592691.post-90055812954430584552008-06-25T19:20:00.000-04:002008-06-29T12:31:56.804-04:00Trenway Textiles<span style="font-family:verdana;">We're delighted to share this information from a recent email. Trenway Textiles was contacted about the origin of their products. They replied explaining that for a time, some of their products were manufactured abroad. They found themselves dissatisfied however with the quality of the products and they've returned to manufacturing their entire line of socks in the USA.<br /><br />We now have them listed in the </span><a href="http://www.findusmade.com/Mall/Footwear.htm"><span style="font-family:verdana;">Footwear/Headwear</span></a><span style="font-family:verdana;"> & </span><a href="http://www.findusmade.com/Mall/Sports&Hobbies.htm"><span style="font-family:verdana;">Sports & Hobbies</span></a><span style="font-family:verdana;"> departments on our site.<br /><br />Mary - web person for Find US Made.com</span>Find US Made.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12240291903376200079noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6173708358235592691.post-62408783904326925282008-06-20T17:20:00.000-04:002008-06-28T01:54:52.613-04:00Do You Have Tips For Us?<span style="font-family:verdana;">While we make our way through our remaining folders, we've been receiving tips from site visitors. Thank you all very much. </span><span style="font-family:verdana;">We promptly visit and review site submissions and suitable links usually appear within 24 hours. (If the site is found eventually in one of our folders, it will be treated as a duplicate.)</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:Verdana;">Consumers built our site and consumers will continue to impact and change the site. Your tips are most welcomed and you can send them to me at <a href="mailto:mary@findusmade.com">mary@findusmade.com</a></span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:Verdana;">Due to the volume of our links, we've already split <a href="http://www.findusmade.com/Mall/Games_Categorized.htm">Toys</a> into 2 departments. We suspect the same will happen as we complete the Designer Apparel department. A Home Improvement/Renovation department is likely to appear in the future.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:Verdana;">Presently though, we've presented thousands of fruitful locations with Made in the USA products, placing what must be millions of US made products at the fingertips of our visitors. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:Verdana;">If you have some time, we have some remarkable products to show you... </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:Verdana;">Mary - web person for Find US Made.com</span>Find US Made.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12240291903376200079noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6173708358235592691.post-31593894100645578862008-06-15T15:58:00.000-04:002008-06-28T01:57:36.810-04:00Power in the Marketplace<span style="font-family:verdana;">As a small business person, I get up early every morning, work all day long, most evenings and some weekends, all with the hope of earning some of your hard earned dollars.<br /><br />Corporate manufacturers and large retailers are no different as they also hope to earn your money. After the toy recalls I noticed a change in the complexion of the toys offered by JCPenney. I noticed US made toys offered now at full price while imported versions were on sale. That large retailer quickly & wisely responded to consumer demand.<br /><br />Believe me, if the consumer decided that desirable products should be adorned with - let’s say purple stars, then corporate manufacturers and small businesses like ours would be busy affixing purple stars on our products. I would likely be up even earlier in the day affixing the purple stars myself and get my product to market before the large corporations. My products are here already, while the corporations would be awaiting ships to reach a dock. Our pricing would be comparable and competitive mainly because small businesses tend to run efficiently without layers of bloated management. Products without purple stars would be on sale at JCPenney while products with purple stars would be offered at full price.<br /><br />All of this fuss would have happened because consumers developed a penchant for products adorned with purple stars.<br /><br />Yes, you have this much power in the marketplace.<br /><br />Mary - web person for Find US Made.com </span>Find US Made.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12240291903376200079noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6173708358235592691.post-32417734985938921142008-06-09T02:15:00.000-04:002008-06-17T13:46:25.440-04:00We've Outsourced Our National Security<span style="font-family:verdana;">I recently read a comment on a blog, the topic of which was the ramifications of domestic and foreign manufacturing. A woman offered a comment from her husband. He had told her that he doubted our country could defend itself in the event of a military attack, the reason being that we would most likely be awaiting parts from China. </span><span style="font-family:verdana;">It may have been a flippant comment but it haunts me.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">We're friendly with the owners of another small business. One of the lines they distribute was US made until recently. The line is now manufactured in China. The products are used by hospitals, police departments, government offices and our military. While there is no complaint presently with the quality of the products, there is on occasion a back-order of some items. Currently they face a 6 to 8 month wait on delivery of an item requested by a facility in the state of Texas. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">Now, what if this was an emergency?</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:Verdana;">Mary - web person for Find US Made.com </span>Find US Made.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12240291903376200079noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6173708358235592691.post-32878248753110617392008-06-07T20:40:00.000-04:002008-06-17T13:45:56.499-04:003 Decades of Purchasing US Made Products<span style="font-family:verdana;">Buying US made products isn't a new idea - it's one I embraced 30 years ago when I first made my home. I learned much along the way in life, including how wise it was to fill my home with Made in the USA products.<br /><br />I'm presently an American manufacturer so in some ways, I've come full circle. I realize more than ever that domestic manufacturing is essential to our nation's economic security.<br /><br />I took a page on our site to explain my journey over 30 years. You can read my full comments here: </span><a href="http://www.findusmade.com/Mall/Shame.htm"><span style="font-family:verdana;">Comments</span></a><span style="font-family:verdana;"><br /><br />Should you visit our site, you'll likely be surprised at what you'll find in our departments. American manufacturers and workers have been busy, very busy...<br /><br />Mary - web person for Find US Made.com </span>Find US Made.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12240291903376200079noreply@blogger.com0