Is Anything Made In The USA Anymore?
It seems as if the country that used to make everything is on the brink of making nothing.
In January, 207,000 U.S. manufacturing jobs vanished in the largest one-month drop since October 1982. U.S. factory activity is hovering at a 28-year low.
Even before the recession, plants were hemorrhaging work to foreign competitors with low-cost labor. And some companies were moving production overseas.
But manufacturing in the United States is not dead or even dying. It is moving upscale, following the biggest profits and becoming more efficient, just as Henry Ford did when he created the assembly line to make the Model T car.
So what is made in the U.S.A. these days?
The United States sold more than $200 billion worth of aircraft, missiles and space-related equipment in 2007, and $80 billion worth of autos and auto parts.
Deere, best known for its bright green and yellow tractors, sold $16.5 billion worth of farming equipment last year, much of it to the rest of the world.
Then there are energy products like gas turbines for power plants made by General Electric, computer chips from Intel and fighter jets from Lockheed Martin.
Household names like GE, General Motors, International Business Machines, Boeing and Hewlett-Packard are among the largest manufacturers by revenue.
Several trends have emerged over the decades:
The United States makes things that other countries cannot. Today, “Made in U.S.A.” is more likely to be stamped on heavy equipment or the circuits that go inside other products than the televisions, toys, clothes and other items found on store shelves.
U.S. companies have shifted toward high-end manufacturing as the production of low-value goods has moved overseas. This has resulted in lower prices for shoppers and higher profits for companies.
Photo by somarakis.com.
Jaclyn on February 25th, 2009 12:56 pm
I don’t know about anyone else, but i always buy thing’s that are made in the USA, especially during this current economic crisis we are going through. however, with so little thing’s being made here anymore…i do have to admit that it can be very tough finding good quality items that are actually US made these day’s.
cassy on February 25th, 2009 3:16 pm
for me yes alot,im not a american but i love the products that are USA made,coz it has a good standard and the quality of the product are good,not like the product that are made from china its very substandard and not a good quality.thats why i do buy USA made products.coz they always have new products for market.
SOLESU leather belts on March 9th, 2009 6:48 am
We design and produce handmade leather belts, and small goods made in the USA in Belleville Illinois. As a consumer and an individual who works for a company that produces products in the USA I am very aware how buying US MADe impacts our economy.
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