4 Reason Why Made in America Matters

Made in America is much more than just a slogan tossed around by U.S. manufacturers to increase sales.

By Tim Williams, G.A.P. Roofing.

Before joining the G.A.P. Roofing team, I had the opportunity to run the sales team for a very well-known synthetic roofing brand. I traveled dozens of times to India and China and witnessed first-hand how the financial ‘system’ worked with off-shore companies. The U.S. is greatly disadvantaged by the tax shelters and collusion on raw material prices (all legal in these countries, by the way).

When the opportunity to work for G.A.P. Roofing, a company that truly is one hundred percent American made, I jumped at the chance. After experiencing the other side, I’ve become an advocate for purchasing American made products whenever possible. Take our quiz about American-made products at the end of this article and you will receive a $5 gift card.

Here are four reasons why Made in America matters:

1 – It prevents the loss of jobs for capable and hard-working U.S. workers. Off-shore workers are less efficient and ineffective, but since they are so cheap to hire, companies just add more workers to do the same job at half the price.

American ingenuity is still the greatest in the world. Being able to make decisions, observe and manage quality, and innovate the production process is all unique to American workers/companies.  Off-shore, they use our skills to train, our knowledge to teach and then steal our ideas because they do not have their own.  Also, off-shore, job turnover is very high so product consistency suffers.

2 – It keeps the money and innovation in America! China, India and Korea are notorious for stealing our ideas, secrets, capabilities and our profits (money).

As for the money, transfer taxes and off-shore tax havens leave U.S. corporations with greater than $2.1 trillion outside of the U.S. and untouchable to U.S. taxation. This creates losses in U.S. tax revenue, domestic reinvestment and research and development.  The proof that this is happening is that the U.S. corporate tax rate is 35%, but “the 2016 average effective tax rate to our largest and most profitable corporations was only 12.6%,” (from Center for American Progress, January 9, 2017). We all pay our share of personal income tax, but corporations can legally avoid it by off-shoring “our” business…our jobs and our money!

3 – North American quality and performance standards are second to none. North America has totally different health and product performance standards. Product ingredients must be approved and certified safe in North America.  However, case after case demonstrates that off-shore deals have allowed lead in paints, the volatile off gassing of sulfides in drywall, formaldehydes found in Chinese flooring, and coal tar found in Chinese building papers. These are just a few that were caught.  How many more are out there?

If our products are unsafe, fail or don’t last, our name (and yours), brand and reputation is on the line.

4 – As a business, we must stand behind our products. We do it because we believe in our customers and products.  If we don’t stand behind our products, we lose customers and the industry is not very forgiving.  You cannot sue or hold China, India or Korea liable, so who is left holding the bag?  The consumer!

We have legal and moral liability to stand behind our product for “fit for use”.  If an unknown off-shore company passes on an unsafe, inferior product, they just move on to someone else with nothing to lose.  Additionally, off-shore companies will print or say anything on products and their supposed capabilities with no regard to supporting or legally standing behind their claims.

So, are you willing to “roll the dice” or be assured and confident that what you are selling is exactly how it is advertised and claimed?!?!

Are you ready for the quiz? Follow this link to test your knowledge of American made and how overseas manufacturing has made a negative impact. You will receive a $5 gift card!

About the author: Tim Williams is Director of Sales for G.A.P. Roofing and an advocate of Made in America. Contact him at tim@gaproofing.us or 918.530.8584.