Originally Posted By: KD0AXS
I don't mind this at HF. I know if I go to HF I'm getting cheap Chinese garbage for the most part. What bothers me is when you go to spend good money on what should be a quality product made in the USA, and find out it's still made in China.
If HF is guilty of misrepresentation with their Pittsburgh brand, then so is another brand named after an American city.
Made in China is not the issue (well for some it is and I was one of them). The real the issue is Made by whom in China. Many companies have opened plants in China and do their own training, provide the raw materials and QC.
Those are not a problem the ones that out source to the lowest bidder and put their once good name on are the reason for all the negatives.
I agree Milwaukee and quite a lot of others are no better than HF in this regard, the company exist in name only and is owned by a Chinese firm.
This is the Makita factory, Hilti, INA, Sanden, Nikon, Cannon, Bosch, SKF and countless others have their own plants there.
I read an article about the average Chinese worker making about $100 a month, these companies pay considerably more so workers value their jobs and do good work to keep them.
Makes sense to me. I rather have a A/C compressor for example made in China by Sanden in a Sanden factory and assembled with care in China than one assembled in Texas by low skilled possibly migrant workers from the same parts from China and cost $200 more.