MADE IN USA CERTIFIED®

Mexico says, US isn’t respecting WTO meat labeling rules

Adam Reiser — Thu, 23 May 2013 12:14:36 +0000

Adriana Barrera Reuters

MEXICO CITY — The United States is not respecting a World Trade Organization (WTO) ruling on meat labeling, Mexico’s Agriculture Minister Enrique Martinez said on Tuesday, saying it was hurting local industry.

The WTO ruled in late June last year that a U.S. program for labeling imported meat unfairly discriminated against Mexico and Canada, putting pressure on the United States to bring the scheme in line with global country-of-origin meat-labeling rules.

“We can’t understand why once the very WTO … issues a ruling, the government of the United States does not respect it,” Martinez said.

“We have talked with beef producers in the United States and Canada, and totally agree this is an arbitrary decision and means discrimination against Mexican beef, which we will never agree with and as a government will defend against.”

Meat exporters in Canada and Mexico say the new rules would cut even deeper into cattle and hog shipments that have already slumped by as much as half in the last four years.

The Canadian government has threatened a possible retaliatory strike against U.S. imports, and is hoping Mexico will join it.

The WTO Appellate Body said last year that U.S. country-of-origin labeling rules, commonly known as COOL, were wrong because they gave less favorable treatment to beef and pork imported from Mexico and Canada than to U.S. meat.

Meat labels became mandatory in March 2009 after years of debate. U.S. consumer and some farm groups supported the requirement, saying consumers should have information to distinguish between U.S. and foreign products.

Source:http://www.nbcnews.com/business/us-isnt-respecting-meat-labeling-rules-mexico-says-6C10019140

Filed under: Julie Reiser, Made in USA, Product of USA, WTO Tagged: Canada, COOL, Facebook, Julie Reiser, Linkedin, made in usa certified, mexico, politics, product of usa certified, R-Calf, social-media, Tom Vilsack, Twitter, U.S. country of origin labeling laws (COOL), USDA, WTO

Earthwise Award Winner

Adam Reiser — Tue, 14 May 2013 15:32:13 +0000

The Earthwise Group Named “Made in USA Certified Manufacturing Company of the Year” in the Inaugural Made in USA Certified Awards

Organization Wins in Large Company Category –

LIBERTY TOWNSHIP, Ohio, May 14, 2013 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ — The Earthwise Group, LLC, a national network of locally owned, independent manufacturers of windows and doors, is honored to be named “Made in USA Certified� Manufacturing Company of the Year (large company category)” in the inaugural Made in USA Certified Awards. The Earthwise Group will be recognized during an awards luncheon on Tuesday, May 14, 2013 at the Breakers in Palm Beach, Florida.

Made in USA Certified, Inc. is the nation’s leading independent certification source, and The Earthwise Group is the first and only window and door manufacturer to be Made in USA Certified. To earn the certification, the organization went through a rigorous supply chain audit to ensure that at least 75 percent of its products and processes originate and are completed in the United States.

“The Earthwise Group is truly honored to be named Made in USA Certified Manufacturing Company of the Year,” said Mark Davis, executive director, The Earthwise Group, LLC. “The award is a testament to our commitment to manufacturing high-quality windows and doors right here in the United States. We’re doing everything we can to preserve and create jobs for American workers. This is something that all of our Earthwise member companies feel passionately about.”

The Made in USA Certified Awards recognize organizations that exhibit excellence in manufacturing best practices and standards. Winners were selected based on the following criteria: company growth performance; overall business strategy and innovative approaches such as excellence in internal operations; and corporate training and manufacturing processes, including sustainable practices. Nominees were also evaluated on their contribution to job creation in the United States, accurate labeling, and the promotion of their commitment to manufacturing in the USA. Winners were selected in three categories, including Company of the Year, Excellence in Training and Product Innovation.

Earthwise Windows & Doors meet the highest energy standards in the industry, including those set by ENERGY STAR, the National Fenestration Rating Council (NFRC) and The American Architectural Manufacturing Association (AAMA). The organization’s windows and doors also carry the Made in USA Certified seal.

Currently, there are 15 Earthwise manufacturing facilities, with distribution covering the majority of the eastern half of the United States.

For more information on The Earthwise Group, visit http://www.earthwisewindows.com.

For more information on Made is USA Certified, Inc., visit http://www.USA-C.com.

About The Earthwise Group The Earthwise Group is a national network of locally owned, independent manufacturers who make high quality windows and doors. The group consists of fabricators that maintain operations across the eastern half of the United States. For more information, please visit http://www.earthwisewindows.com.

About Made is USA Certified, Inc. Made in USA Certified, Inc. is the leader in independent third party assurance verification for genuine Made in USA products and services. Their Seal of Certification assures the consumer that the Made in USA, Product of USA, Service in USA claim is true- keeping you and your family safe, giving consumers peace of mind and helping to support and promote products and services Made in USA, one factory, one business at a time. Trust but Certify!

        Contact: Jeff Donaldson
                 For The Earthwise Group
                 412-642-7700
                 jeff.donaldson@elias-savion.com

SOURCE The Earthwise Group, LLC

http://rt.prnewswire.com/rt.gif?NewsItemId=NE13573&Transmission_Id=201305141038PR_NEWS_USPR_____NE13573&DateId=20130514

Source: http://www.marketwatch.com/story/the-earthwise-group-named-made-in-usa-certified-manufacturing-company-of-the-year-in-the-inaugural-made-in-usa-certified-awards-2013-05-14

Filed under: Company News, Julie Reiser, made in america, Made in USA, Press Release Tagged: adam reiser, AWARD wINNER, Company of the Year, Earthwise, Earthwise Group i, FL, Frost and Sullivan, Julie Reiser, Mark Davis, ML Summit, MLSUMMIT, Palm Beach, The Breakers

WTO May 23rd and COOL

Adam Reiser — Mon, 06 May 2013 15:35:11 +0000

Do you want to know what country your food comes from? After May 23, 2013 you will NOT.

There is a TOTAL news blackout on an important FOOD issue that affects us all.

U.S. producers must remove PRODUCT OF USA and the U.S. Country of Origin Labeling (COOL). Currently food products must be labeled with what country they originate from. 93(1)% of Americans agree and support the rules as they exist today. The WTO (World Trade Organization), which we are a member of, has found our COOL law is a “Barrier to Entry(2)” for its members. A few of the WTO member countries (Mexico and Canada) filed a lawsuit against the U.S. in their self-appointed biased tribunal court. We were found in violation(3) of putting up barriers to entry; then we appealed(4) and also lost the appeal.

On or before May 23^rd 2013 the U.S. COOL “PRODUCT OF USA” must be removed off all packing for BEEF, PORK, LAMB, CHICKEN, GOAT, SHELL FISH and more….

If you still want to know what country your FOOD comes from we all have to make a lot of noise.

To build awareness like us on Facebook and share it with your friends which does not do much but it is a start.
Tweet This article
Tell your Retailer / Grocery Manager about what is going on and ask them what are they going to do about it?
Please contact any and all MEDIA and POLITICIANS

We have the solution “Product of USA Certified™”

1.http://www.consumersunion.org/news/poll-finds-93-of-consumers-want-labeling-on-meat/

2.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barriers_to_entry

3. http://info.usa-c.com/2011/06/02/wto-rules-against-u-s-cool-program/

4. http://info.usa-c.com/wto/wto-final-ruling-against-us-country-of-origin-labeling/

Filed under: Company News, Made in USA, Movement, Product of USA Tagged: 2013, Barrier to Entry, BEEF, CHICKEN, COOL, Country of Origin Labeling, CPG, food, GOAT, Labeling, LAMB, May 23, News Release, PORK, product of usa, SHELL FISH, Whole foods, WTO

Clothing Excluded From US Manufacturing Resurgence

Adam Reiser — Fri, 03 May 2013 14:58:59 +0000

By: Martha C. White

If you’re angry about the collapse of a garment factory in Bangladesh last week that killed more than 400 people, look at your own closet to see where some of the blame lies.

As Western retailers try to find a way to satisfy demand for cheap clothing while maintaining safety at garment factories overseas, the word “inshoring’ has begun to get bandied about as a possible solution.

American manufacturing icons like Apple and GE already have announced plans to return manufacturing jobs to the United States, but this trend toward “inshoring” is a more elusive goal in the apparel business, despite the outrage sparked by the garment factory collapse in a suburb of Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh.

The problem? Americans love their cheap chinos and cardigans.

“If everybody wants cheap stuff, they’re going to get cheap stuff, and if people can’t make a living making better stuff, they’ll stop doing it,” said Bud Konheim, CEO of Nicole Miller, a company that makes about 80 percent of its clothes in New York City.

“Quality has been devalued a bit in the apparel industry. People want fast and cheap,” said Heather Franzese, director of Good World Solutions, a subsidiary of Fair Trade USA.

“We’ve been totally trained to buy it cheaper. It’s a challenge for the designers and the makers out there,” said Erica Wolf, executive director of Save the Garment Center, a campaign aimed at preserving New York City’s midtown Manhattan garment district. Pricing is “always going to be an issue, especially when it’s a mass-market retailer.”

But Franzese said that even shoppers who want to buy ethically-produced clothing find it difficult, prompting Fair Trade USA to launch a pilot program to certify apparel in 2010.

“One of the big challenges is a lack of awareness and understanding about the realities in the supply chain,” Franzese said. “They don’t know the right questions to ask or the right things to look for.” Material used in a garment might have been woven, dyed and cut in different factories or even different countries, while items like thread and buttons, not to mention the labor to assemble the final product, come from yet other sources.

But it’s also just hard to find clothes made in the United States. While a number of boutique manufacturers and designers with smaller production runs do make products here, they’re few and far between.

In a report last October, the American Apparel & Footwear Association said that although domestic apparel manufacturing grew 11.1 percent in 2011, more than 97 percent is imported. In the 1960s, that number was 95 percent, according to Save the Garment Center.

This migration means the U.S. has few factories, supply chains and skilled labor, Konheim said.

“Most of those people have moved offshore, and what’s moved offshore with them is the supplier and the infrastructure,” he said. Decades ago, a manufacturer in New York City would be just blocks from supplies of thread, zippers, lining material and other components that go into making a garment. “Today it’s a three month delivery period because nobody’s here anymore,” he said.

Said Franzese: “I think it is similar to electronics … those capabilities don’t exist in the United States anymore.”

Sourcing talent is an equally daunting challenge, one referenced by Apple CEO Tim Cook when he addressed Apple’s attempts to manufacture in the U.S.

“It’s not so much about price, it’s about the skills,” Cook told Brian Williams in a December interview on NBC’s Rock Center, in which he discussed investing $100 million to build an iMac line in the United States.

Likewise, Konheim said the pool of skilled tailors and seamstresses in New York has dropped from 400,000 to 20,000. “No one getting out of a New York high school … says I want to be a seamstress,” even though they can make $35,000 to $40,000 a year, he said.

Cook and Konheim both blamed an American education system that focuses on college preparation to the detriment of vocational career training. “We’ve managed as a culture to discourage working with your hands and only encourage sitting behind a desk,” Konheim said.

Play Video

Can Manufacturing Successfully Return Stateside?

Tom Linton, Global Chief Procurement & Supply Chain Officer at Flextronics tells CNBC how the firm is “re-shoring” manufacturing back to the U.S.

And the elephant on the factory floor is labor costs.

“It ultimately boils down to the cost of production,” said Vinod Rangarajan, a retail and sourcing strategist for consulting firm Kurt Salmon. “Especially for the mass-market, large-scale production runs, it’s much more economically feasible to produce overseas, given the labor rates in those countries.”

A 2010 report by the Institute for Global Labour and Human Rights compared U.S. garment wages of $8.25 to $14.00 per hour with those of workers in other countries. (Bangladesh had the lowest labor rate at 21 cents an hour.)

Even taking into consideration the wage inflation of 15 percent or more that has occurred in many Asian countries over the last few years, the gap is still substantial, Rangarajan said.

Advances in robotics have helped companies in other industries save on labor costs when manufacturing in the United States. Instead of 10 or 12 workers performing a task by hand, one or two can operate sophisticated machinery that produces the same amount of output.

But in apparel, there really is no substitute for a sewer’s hands, Rangarajan said. “We haven’t seen very many successful automated production capabilities yet … the construction of a garment just requires a lot of manual work.”

Advocates say they see steps in the right direction. In January, Wal-Mart Stores announced that it would buy $50 billion more in American-made goods over the next decade.

Adam Reiser, co-founder of Made in USA Certified, a certification provider, said he’s working with two American manufacturers — one making T-shirts, the other cargo shorts — that hope to get certified to become vendors under the initiative.

“The latent demand is there. It’s about pioneering companies paving the way for others to follow,” Franzese said.

But she acknowledged change will be slow. “The issue with clothing is that the purchase drivers are different,” she said. Because it’s not just pricing and ethics, she said: “They have to make your butt look good.”

Questions? Comments? Email us at consumernation@cnbc.com.

source: http://www.cnbc.com/id/100701614

Filed under: Co-Founder, Company News, made in america, Made in USA Tagged: Bangladesh, Bud Konheim, clothing, CNBC, Dhaka, economy, Erica Wolf, executive director, Heather Franzese, inshoring, Martha C. White, New York City, Nicole Miller, Save the Garment Center, shopping, style

RD/Leverage® Structural Brand Development/Mold Maker

Adam Reiser — Thu, 02 May 2013 13:24:42 +0000

_______________________________________________________________
R&D/Leverage
MO0AA.0224

1009 SE Browning St
Lee’s Summit, MO64081
816-525-0353
http://www.rdleverage.com

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Robert Schiavone
R&D/Leverage
816-872-4839
rschiavone@rdleverage.com

R&D/Leverage® First To Be “Made In USA Certified®”

Structural Brand Development/Mold Maker

Resurgent U.S. on-shoring of manufacturing holds both supply chain efficiencies and marketing appeal to both customers and employees, according to R&D/Leverage®…

LEE’S SUMMIT Missouri, May 2, 2013 – R&D/Leverage® is the first U.S. mold maker and Structural Brand Development Company to be “Made in USA Certified®,” according to Robert Schiavone, Global Marketing Director for the company, which is the full-service plastic product solutions company that created the “Idea, to Mold” business model.

The announcement from Made in USA Certified, the leader in independent third-party assurance verification for genuine Made in USA products and services, underscores the acceleration of U.S. on-shoring of manufacturing and the concurrent rise of interest in U.S.-sourced products and services amongst customers, the general business community and current and future employees.

“We are proud of our Made in the USA designation, for both our own accomplishments and because it represents the strength and innovation of the U.S. Plastics industry,” said Schiavone. “Belief in our country’s manufacturing prowess has never been greater. Frankly, the scope, strength and innovation of our homegrown Plastics industry is a beacon to all industrialized nations that the U.S. is firing on all cylinders.”

The enhanced problem solving capabilities and scope of expertise of full-service domestic solutions providers such as R&D/Leverage have helped accelerate the flow of project on-shoring to the U.S., as have factors such as rising transportation and labor costs in the Pacific Rim. “When you examine all the elements of the job, from quality to time-to-market, to overall cost, the U.S. plastics solution is extremely attractive to our customers,” Schiavone said. “And for those customers seeking certification will look for suppliers that already have won the designation.”

“In the past, Chinese providers would just throw bodies at an assignment, give the low labor rate. Now, however, the savvy customer sees the big picture, which is that we in the U.S. can increase supply chain efficiencies and deliver a higher quality outcome,” Schiavone said, adding that the Made in USA certification has particular resonance amongst potential employees.

“Experienced military veterans as well as younger folks, two groups that will help lead us in our business’ future, respond very positively to the Made in the USA designation,” he said. “This is a banner that will help us attract the best and brightest of tomorrow’s Plastics industry superstars, and re-ignite interest in U.S. industry amongst some just entering the workforce.”

Added Made in USA Certified’s CEO and Co-Founder, Adam Reiser, “The United States has always dominated the plastics industry. Our country is known the world over as having undisputed quality, workmanship, design and production. This is one leadership position the United States should strive fiercely to protect. We are so pleased to have R&D/Leverage as the very first Made in USA Certified Structural Brand Development and Mold Manufacturer in the U.S.”

(Editor’s Note: Robert Schiavone will address related issues at Amerimold 2013 on June 13, Rosemount, Illinois http://www.amerimoldexpo.com/zones/track-info?alias=knowledge-centers.)

ABOUT R&D/LEVERAGE

R&D/Leverage USA, headquartered in Missouri, services the food and beverage, home and personal care, and healthcare industries. It is the only company to offer both structural brand development and mold manufacturing capabilities. Structural brand development capabilities are upfront research such as retail audits that include trend and color study, ethnographic research, consumer focus groups, concept development, validation, and implementation. Mold manufacturing capabilities include full mold manufacturing for PET tooling, IBM tooling, injection molds, as well as unit tool development, testing, validation, and training. R&D/Leverage Europe is recognized as one of the world’s leading suppliers of single stage tooling. Services include product evaluation, tooling design, tooling manufacture, and technical service assistance. The company also has on-site injection stretch blow molding machines (ISBM), from which the company offers pilot tooling, material trials, color trials, and production tool qualification.

Combined, R&D/Leverage Global serves customers in 32 countries, and is the first and only company to provide this full range of packaging solutions. For more information, visit www.rdleverage.com or email info@rdleverage.com.

About Made in USA Certified, Inc. (usa-c.com)

Made in USA Certified, Inc. is the leader in independent third party assurance verification for genuine Made in USA products and services. Their Seal of Certification assures the consumer that the Made in USA, Product of USA, Service in USA claim is true– keeping you and your family safe, giving consumers peace of mind and helping to support and promote products and services Made in USA, one factory, one business at a time. Trust but Certify!

# # #

Filed under: Company News, Customers, News Releases Tagged: LEE’S SUMMIT Missouri, made in usa certified, Mold Maker, Pacific Rim, R&D/Leverage®, Robert Schiavone, Structural Brand Development, U.S. Plastics industry

Do you want to know what country your food comes from?

Adam Reiser — Fri, 29 Mar 2013 15:10:01 +0000

We think you do and an overwhelming 92% of American’s say -YES in a recent Boston Consulting Group survey of consumers.

Sadly, the WTO (World Trade Organization) doesn’t see it that way. The WTO has ruled that U.S. producers of beef, poultry, lamb and other agriculture products must remove the current legislated Country of Origin Labeling from their packages by May 23rd. (less then 2 short months away)

So, now consumers will lose the transparency in their food supply that for years they have fought for. Scary, but true.

What is even scarier is that mainstream media hasn’t picked up on this story in a major way so, many consumers don’t even know what is about to happen in May to the packaging of the goods they buy everyday for themselves and their families.

So, what can you do about it.

1st Let your Grocer, Retailer and Producer know this is important and you want to know where your food comes from.

2nd tell them we have an independent solution for you to know and you want to see the label “Product of USA Certified”.

Our company is the leader in independent, 3rd party certification of the Product of USA Certified claim. We are a voluntary certification that producers can use on their product and packaging to let consumers know –that they are proudly – PRODUCT OF USA CERTIFIED.

U.S. consumers have the right to now where their food comes from and producers have the right to voluntary market their products with our trademarked certification.

We are the solution that consumers and producers are looking for.

Please get the word out and follow us on
Facebook Twitter Website

“Trust but Certify”

Filed under: Certified, Company News, Movement, Product of USA Tagged: advertising, BEEF, business, CHICKEN, China, COOL, Country of Origin Labeling, food, Julie Reiser, LAMB, Made in USA Certified Inc., POISION, PORK, POULTRY, PRODUCE, product of usa, SAFETY, TAINTED FOOD, World Trade Organization, WTO, YUCK

Label It Bull: Livestock Regulations Spark Backlash From Meat Producers

Adam Reiser — Thu, 14 Mar 2013 17:38:30 +0000

Reblogged from MADE IN USA NEWS:

The U.S. Department of Agriculture is facing a backlash from small livestock producers and others over its move to tighten meat-labeling regulations, which would force them to separate animals based on where they were born, raised and slaughtered.

The step is being billed as a way to bring the U.S. into compliance with World Trade Organization agreements, but there are a growing number in the industry who argue it will alienate the country's trading partners and force small American meat farms out of business.

WEBCAST: Thursday, February 21st at 2 p.m. EST

Adam Reiser — Fri, 15 Feb 2013 17:52:04 +0000

Join the Manufacturing Leadership Council and Made in USA Certified for a FREE 30-Minute Webcast – Thursday, February 21st at 2 p.m. EST. Register now, space is limited.

Driven by shared values and goals, Made in USA Certified is proud to partner with the Manufacturing Leadership Council to ensure that manufacturers in the U.S. can access the strategic insight best practices, and networking opportunities that enable executives, their companies, and the industry to perform at game-changing levels.

Born at Thomas Publishing Co., whose roots in manufacturing date to 1898, the Manufacturing Leadership Council is committed to inspiring great manufacturing enterprises by delivering new ideas for growth, innovation, and leadership.

As industry experts, the Council understands the challenges and opportunities that executives in small, medium, and large enterprises face in an increasingly global manufacturing market.

What are you struggling with in your business? The Manufacturing Leadership Council can help you:

Navigate best practices in emerging markets
Create an adaptive and innovative organization
Monitor risk in global value networks
Address the challenge of finding and retaining a skilled workforce
Understand the potential of new, disruptive technologies

The Manufacturing Leadership Council equips its members with the bold ideas and powerful peer connections necessary to forge ahead in all aspects of your business. Members derive compelling ROI from their participation in the Council through:

Valuable networking with fellow manufacturing executives
Original research on trends that affect your business
Best practice case studies
In-person and online events
An independent awards program
Insightful news and commentary on the industry’s critical issues

Now for the first time, Made in USA Certified and the Manufacturing Leadership Council will host a 30-minute FREE webcast that will outline how Made in USA Certified members can realize compelling ROI from participation in the Manufacturing Leadership Council, the Manufacturing Leadership Summit, and the ML100 Awards program. Space is limited, so register for this FREE event now.

Join David R. Brousell, Global Research VP and Editorial Director at the Manufacturing Leadership Council, and Julie Reiser, President of Made in USA Certified, for this illuminating webcast on Thursday, February 21 at 2 p.m. EST.

Click here to register: Made for USA Certified – MLC Webcast

Filed under: Certified Tagged: David Brousell, David R. Brousell, Julie Reiser, made in usa certified, manufacturing, Manufacturing Leadership Council, Manufacturing Leadership Summit, Palm Beach, ROI, Thomas Publishing, US manufacturing

The Earthwise Group Becomes First Window Manufacturer to Earn “Made in USA Certified®” Designation

Adam Reiser — Thu, 07 Feb 2013 13:13:46 +0000

LIBERTY TOWNSHIP, Ohio, Feb. 4, 2013 /PRNewswire/ — The Earthwise Group, LLC, a national network of locally owned, independent manufacturers of windows and doors, is pleased to announce that the organization has recently been recognized as “Made in USA Certified.” The organization is the first and only window and door manufacturer to be Made in USA Certified.

Made in USA Certified, Inc. is the nation’s leading independent certification source. To earn the certification, The Earthwise Group went through a rigorous supply chain audit to ensure that at least 75 percent of the organization’s products and processes originate and are completed in the United States. The organization’s windows and doors will now carry the Made in USA Certified seal.

“The Earthwise Group and our member companies are committed to keeping our manufacturing operations in the United States,” said Mark Davis, executive director, The Earthwise Group, LLC. “We’ve demonstrated this commitment by producing high-quality windows and doors that our customers can purchase knowing they are supporting American jobs. Our recent Made in USA certification further verifies our ongoing promise that our products are truly made in the U.S.”

Drawing from the strength of its member companies, The Earthwise Group is at the forefront of meeting and exceeding industry demand for windows and doors that balance form, function and energy efficiency. Products produced by Earthwise Group members consistently meet and exceed the rigorous standards set by Energy Star, the National Fenestration Rating Council (NFRC), and the American Architectural Manufacturers Association (AAMA).

Currently, there are 15 Earthwise manufacturing facilities, with distribution covering the majority of the eastern half of the United States.

For more information on the Earthwise Group, visit http://www.earthwisewindows.com.

Contact: Jeff DonaldsonFor The Earthwise Group412-642-7700jeff.donaldson@elias-savion.com

Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20121203/NE23118LOGOPRN Photo Desk, photodesk@prnewswire.com The Earthwise Group, LLC

Made in USA Certified Inc.

Filed under: Company News, Customers, Made in USA, Made in USA NEWS Tagged: Earthwise Group, environment, Jeff Donaldson, made in usa certified, Mark Davis, National Fenestration Rating Council (NFRC), technology

U.S. and Chinese Consumers Willing to Pay More for ‘Made in USA’ Products

Adam Reiser — Wed, 06 Feb 2013 16:12:40 +0000

November 15, 2012 00:01 ET

Driven by Quality and Patriotism, U.S. Shoppers Will Pay a 10 to 60 Percent Premium for the Made in USA Brand Across a Broad Range of Product Categories, According to a Boston Consulting Group Survey

CHICAGO, IL–(Marketwire – Nov 15, 2012) – More than 80 percent of U.S. consumers and, perhaps more surprising, over 60 percent of Chinese consumers say that they are willing to pay more for products labeled “Made in USA” than for those labeled “Made in China,” according to new research released today by The Boston Consulting Group (BCG).

In September, BCG surveyed more than 5,000 consumers in the U.S., China, Germany, and France regarding their attitudes toward the value of the Made in USA brand and their actual buying behavior. The results reveal that U.S. consumers will pay a premium for the Made in USA brand across a broad range of product categories, although the premium varies significantly depending on the category. The following details are among the findings:

About two-thirds of U.S. consumers are willing to pay a premium for ten key product categories that were tested — from baby food and appliances to electronics and apparel.
The premium they are willing to pay varies, ranging from about 10 percent to more than 60 percent in the categories tested.
In every one of the ten categories, at least 20 percent of U.S. consumers are willing to pay a premium of more than 10 percent.
Nearly 60 percent of U.S. consumers had chosen Made in USA products over less expensive Chinese goods at least once in the month before the survey.

In surveying Chinese consumers, BCG found a similar willingness to pay more for U.S.-made goods. The results showed the following:

More than 60 percent of Chinese consumers are willing to pay more for Made in USA goods.
Nearly 50 percent of Chinese consumers prefer a product made in the U.S. to a China-made product of equivalent price and quality.
The premium that Chinese consumers are willing to pay ranges from about 10 percent to almost 80 percent in the categories tested.
More than half had chosen U.S.-made products over less expensive Chinese goods at least once in the month before the survey.

“These findings suggest that there’s a big opportunity for manufacturers and retailers to command a price premium by promoting the Made in USA brand — not only in the U.S. but also in China,” said Harold L. Sirkin, a BCG senior partner and coauthor of the research. “Retailers may want to adjust their strategies to capitalize on the strong consumer interest.”

The findings — part of BCG’s ongoing study of the changing global economics of manufacturing and its Made in America, Again research series — support previous BCG analysis showing that the U.S. is becoming increasingly attractive as a location for making certain products for the U.S. market and as a base for global exports. The U.S. has improved its cost competitiveness compared with China and the advanced economies of Western Europe and Japan, leading BCG to estimate that higher U.S. exports – combined with production “reshored” from China — could create 2.5 million to 5 million new U.S. jobs in manufacturing and related services by the end of the decade.

“The higher brand value of U.S.-made goods is a further reason why companies should rethink their global manufacturing footprint and consider the U.S. as a manufacturing location,” said Michael Zinser, a BCG partner who leads the firm’s manufacturing work in the Americas and is a coauthor of the Made in America, Again series.

In both the U.S. and China, respondents of all age groups and income levels expressed a concern for quality, a key driver of the consumer preference for U.S.-made products. Eighty-five percent of U.S. consumers and 82 percent of Chinese said they “agree” or “strongly agree” that they feel better about Made in USA quality. Patriotism is another strong consideration among U.S. consumers: 93 percent said that they would pay more for U.S.-made goods in order to keep jobs in the U.S., and 80 percent said that buying U.S. products demonstrates patriotism.

“Quality and patriotism are powerful factors that retailers will have to consider in their marketing communications around Made in USA products and in their sourcing strategies,” said Kate Manfred, leader of BCG’s Center for Consumer and Customer Insight in the Americas and a coauthor of the survey.

In contrast to U.S. and Chinese consumers, European consumers strongly prefer products made in their own countries. More than 65 percent of consumers in both Germany and France said that they would be willing to pay more for products made in their home country than for those made in the U.S.

To arrange an interview with a BCG expert, please contact David Fondiller at 212 446 3257 or fondiller.david@bcg.com.

About The Boston Consulting Group

The Boston Consulting Group (BCG) is a global management consulting firm and the world’s leading advisor on business strategy. We partner with clients in all sectors and regions to identify their highest-value opportunities, address their most critical challenges, and transform their businesses. Our customized approach combines deep insight into the dynamics of companies and markets with close collaboration at all levels of the client organization. This ensures that our clients achieve sustainable competitive advantage, build more capable organizations, and secure lasting results. Founded in 1963, BCG is a private company with 77 offices in 42 countries. For more information, please visitwww.bcg.com.

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