100 years ago, the phrase “Made in America” didn’t exist in the U.S. Why not? Because everything here was made in America. The U.S. was a manufacturing powerhouse, and it was unthinkable that goods might be produced elsewhere.
Fast-forward to the mid-1960s, and this was no longer the case. Foreign labor was the hot new manufacturing trend: it was cheap, it was quick, and it allowed manufacturers to turn a higher profit on their products.
As the decades passed, more and more manufacturing was moved abroad - and with it went U.S. jobs, innovation, and global competitiveness.
Today, manufacturing is beginning to return to U.S. soil, spurring the popularity of the patriotic “Made in America” slogan. But this movement goes far beyond pride; it has a tangible effect on the U.S. economy, businesses, and consumers. Here’s what “Made in America” really means for the United States:
1. Better Quality Products
A few decades after the start of the “cheap foreign labor” trend, consumers began to realize they were getting the short end of the stick. Those lower product costs induced some unwanted side effects: lower quality and lower value.
Today, businesses and consumers alike have a vested interest in high-quality, safe, durable, and effective manufactured goods. For that reason, a greater number of manufacturers are bidding farewell to cheap foreign labor, tools, and processes and returning their operations to American soil.
“Made in America” products may never be as cheap as those made overseas, but they’re top of line when it comes to quality and long-lasting value.
2. Protection of Human and Environmental Health
Speaking of cheap manufacturing, many of those foreign nations are only able to produce goods at such low costs because of lax labor laws and safety regulations. Fair wages and humane working conditions for laborers are simply not guaranteed in all regions of the world.
Additionally, not all nations have the same strict environmental laws that American manufacturers are legally required to abide by. Depending on the goods being manufactured, this lack of environmental regulation can take a toll on air quality, lakes, rivers, oceans, forests, and the animals who depend on those habitats to survive.
Supporting “Made in America” goods means supporting a cleaner environment, safe labor laws, and human health around the globe.
3. Jobs Are Returning to American Soil
Over the past few decades, the U.S. has lost millions of jobs to overseas manufacturing and production. This shift has negatively impacted both the national economy and thousands of local economies.
Did you know that every U.S. manufacturing job supports nearly three other jobs in the economy? Without manufacturers to produce goods, other jobs like research, sales, marketing, and purchasing wouldn’t exist.
Bringing manufacturing and production back to U.S. soil is one of the best ways to secure valuable jobs for U.S. workers, and to ensure employment opportunities for future generations of Americans.
4. U.S. Remains Globally Competitive
According to the National Association of Manufacturers, manufacturing drives more R&D innovation than any of other sector of the U.S. economy. That innovation is what helps America stay competitive in terms of developing new technology, product design, medicine, and other important goods.
But as more manufacturing has been pushed overseas, the U.S. has seen a steady drop in its innovation. Meanwhile, manufacturing-heavy countries like Korea, China, and Japan have become more innovative and globally competitive in recent years.
This shift has led to the U.S. becoming dependent on foreign nations to supply the tools, technologies, solutions, and goods we need to succeed as a nation. The “Made in America” movement serves to secure America’s position as a top innovator and world powerhouse.
F.R. Burger & Associates is proud to support U.S. manufacturers and American jobs. For more information, please contact us by phone at 440.773.3486 or by email at brian@frburger.com.