You’ve noticed “Made in the USA” labels on products and heard the phrase enthusiastically shouted on commercials. So what does it really mean for you, the consumer?
When a company puts the “Made in the USA” label on its products, that’s an important claim. In the eyes of consumers, it plays on patriotic emotions in a big way—as it should!
However, it is very important that any company making such a claim doesn’t do so lightly.
According to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC): “For a product to be called Made in USA, the product must be all or virtually all made in the USA.”
“All” or “virtually all” means that all significant parts AND processing that go into the product must be of United States origin.
“Made in the USA” Meaning: the product should contain no or negligible foreign content.
Manufacturing vs. Country of Origin
There are fire hose manufacturers and distributors who assemble or couple hoses using (some) foreign component parts and sell the finished product as “Made in USA.”
Although in the truest sense of the word, manufacturing is defined as value added production of merchandise for use or sale, using labor, machines, chemical or biological processing, or formulation. In other words, it means the changing or altering the state of some type of merchandise.
Loosely interpreted into the fire hose industry, the making of a hose assembly from globally sourced hose and/or couplings could and sometimes is considered manufactured or made (in the USA).
An alternative to inquiring as to where a particular product was made would be to ask about the country of origin of the respective component parts. This line of questioning backs out where the product was assembled made or manufactured.
Relative to fire hose products, the news is very good. With the advent of standardization by virtue of organizations such as NFPA (National Fire Protection Agency) whose specifications for both the manufacturing of and the use of fire hose assemblies have commanded global conforming. That being said, nearly all fire hose manufactured worldwide adheres to strict specifications and requirements.
We Optimize Resources for Competitive Prices
In order to maintain an inventory in four (4) warehouse locations, be competitively priced and maintain 1- and 2-day delivery times to most of the United States, Rawhide Fire Hose optimizes resources. We accomplish that by virtue of domestic hose products from domestic manufacturers, global hose products from domestic manufacturers, and global hose products from global manufacturers. Clear as mud?
Rawhide Fire Hose will provide 100 percent American country of origin hose products to those customers whose specification(s) require it. Rawhide Fire Hose will NOT sell ANY product(s) as “Made in the USA” that have component parts that have been manufactured abroad, nor assemblies (performed by Rawhide or any manufacturer) with foreign components. That’s our promise to you.
Rawhide Fire Hose has always been and will continue to be upfront and honest as to the country of origin of any product(s).
Shop high-quality fire hose products from Rawhide Fire Hose today.
