U.S.A. Made is Making a Comeback

As most Americans are very aware, the United States has given up millions of jobs by outsourcing manufacturing overseas in the past few decades. Recently though, a new trend has begun, and some of these jobs are being brought back home. While a complete reverse isn't going to happen overnight, this movement is expected only to grow in the coming years.

There are many factors stimulating decisions to bring more manufacturing back to the United States. The main motivation for companies opening factories overseas has always been to lower production costs. Now, rising foreign labor expenses, surges in fuel prices and currency fluctuations have started to narrow the gap between the cost of manufacturing internationally and doing so domestically. Businesses are also starting to place a higher value on having more control over the development of their products and the ability to guarantee safety compliance and quality.

Consumer demand has also played big a role in the changing market. As the recession continues and unemployment rates remain sky high, many Americans have developed a renewed interest in purchasing U.S.A. Made products. They are realizing that if they change their buying habits, the US economy will recover at a much faster rate. While we have limited opportunities to vote on the leaders of our country who are entrusted with the power to make economic changes, we have opportunities every day to vote with the dollars we spend. As the votes for domestic goods have steadily increased, businesses have started responding.

Companies in all types of industries are following this trend, and Ad Specialties is no exception. Many manufacturers of promotional goods have begun adding more U.S.A. Made products to their lines and are expected to expand that in the next few years. This change has been stimulated in part by the increase in consumer demand, as many companies are realizing that putting their logo on American Made products makes a strong statement about their own brand and evokes a positive response. Similar to supporting a charity, supporting our country has become a new philanthropy.

Domestic manufacturing also allows companies who produce branded goods to improve inventory availability and shorten production times, which has become impossible at times for factories overseas. This has grown to be a huge advantage in recent years, as smaller marketing budgets cause companies to make more spending decisions last minute in order to avoid over-committing themselves.

Even though hard economic times drive people to pinch pennies, they also foster the realization that the cheapest product does not necessarily provide the most value. As Americans begin to place more importance on quality and patriotism, you can expect to see more of a balance brought to the number of U.S.A. Made products available in the promotional industry. It won't happen overnight, but change is on the way.