Made in England, they say…
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This post is an old song, really, but since this morning I thought that some toolmakers would be reasonably free of that thing that we could say “doubt”. I’ve read several times in Paul’s blog about new tools from “classic” makers that are made in Asia now. Cheaper materials, less strict quality controls, poor finish and so on. Well, it’s the sign of times and it seems there is no escape.
This morning I’ve seen a set of Stanley chisels. I’ve seen a little note on the external label: “Made in England with global components”. In other Stanley tools the text was similar “Made in England with global materials”. I suppose what this means: “assembled in England using plastic handles and steel both made in China” (or in some country like that). Made in Sheffield steel is, finally, over. “Global materials”… awesome words.
I work in a big petroleum company, that has a plant in China. I’ve seen a curious thing with chinese people: they sell everything to the whole world, but when they build an industrial plant they DON’T want chinese heaters, chinese heat exchangers or chinese motorpumps. They don’t want chinese steel in particular. They buy western equipment. They ask for german, british or american steel. I wonder why. Meanwhile here, in Europe, we can buy “global materials”.
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This topic was modified 6 years, 9 months ago by
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This topic was modified 6 years, 9 months ago by
I like to think of Chinese steel as recycled Buicks, Pontiacs, and other old cars. I try to avoid “Global Materials” as much as possible. I have a friend who worked as a machinist in shop that had outsourced the majority of their work to some Asian country. The shop had laid off most of their employees except for the ones that they had to keep on to correct the 50+% of the parts that were being made overseas. Unfortunately cheaper is better in our disposable society.
Some of my Granddad’s old tools say “Empire Made”. Even in 1930-1940’s no-one really knew where materials were from or where the assembly was carried-out.
Quality never seemed to be an issue. Perhaps only the good stuff survives, so we tend to think it was all good.There’s a bit more to it than uncertainty of a particular commodity’s origin.
Nowadays items sold in the UK and Europe are marked ‘CE’, which is a legal requirement and ensures free trade throughout the EU and the EEC.
Going back to the inter-war years (and earlier) there was a universal system of trade protection. Great Britain and the Empire at the time were anxious to preserve their commerce and lock out other countries with punitive import tariffs.
It was at various times termed ‘Imperial Preference’.
To be fair other countries did exactly the same thing in reverse.
This is why British products from that era are marked ‘British Made’ or ‘Made in England’; likewise products from the Empire were marked ‘Empire Made’.
It was difficult for American firms to sell into the UK and the Empire, hence in the woodworking tools’ trades, firms like Stanley opened up in Sheffield and Disston, for example established a factory in Canada, thereby originating their export products in the Empire, as Canada was in those days, and making them elligible for sale in Britain – this is one reason why there are so many Disston saws on UK Ebay, nowadays.
Nothing new under the sun, as it were and good old-fashioned Protectionism looks ready for a come-back ….. but, in a nutshell, that’s why products were so marked. Nothing to do with quality or the lack of it, more about where the thing came from and how much tax was paid.
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This topic was modified 6 years, 9 months ago by
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