‘Made in America’ needs a boost

We recently celebrated the Fourth of July, Independence Day. The day is set aside as a national holiday commemorating the adoption of the Declaration of Independence by the second Continental Congress, establishing the United States of America as a sovereign nation and no longer a part of the British Empire.

Years ago, I met a local business owner who said that his business had its origin during those revolutionary times. He showed me a stamping of an eagle on a piece of silverware denoting that it was made in the United States of America. According to him, the eagle stamp was a sign, for decades, of quality products produced in the United States of America, predating the Made in America branding.

Flash quiz:

Who makes the best wristwatch in the world?

Who makes the best piano in the world?

Who makes the best motorcycle in the world?

Who makes the best television in the world?

Who are the best cooks in the world?

According to brief internet search, the answers are: Best wristwatches are Rolex, based in England. Best pianos are Steinway, founded by German immigrant Henry Steinway in New York City in 1853. Kawasaki, of Japan, is the world’s best motorcycle. The world’s best TV is Philips of the Netherlands. Of course the best cooks are our respective moms of whatever soils they called home.

The point of this little quiz was to illuminate that quality products in the global marketplace do not necessarily originate in the United States. Although there was a time when U.S. products, if not the best, could claim market dominance.

Not long ago, the Made in America stamp was code for world-class quality, innovation and customer service. I think most of us would agree that many of our products are no longer at those lofty global heights. Another sign of the reality of the global marketplace is how quickly countries and companies have been able to respond and work around the U.S. in the current tariff disputes.

I attribute the change in world leadership for some brands to the fact that other countries have caught up with us, rather than that the United States has slowed down. The internet and

open source code are two of the complex reasons for others catching up. Quality cultures have existed around the world for centuries and given the right product and infrastructure, it is not surprising to see a quality product appreciated on a global basis. The emphasis on education by many countries around the world is an area where the United States has been surpassed in some cases. These are just a few reasons that support why some products have attained global leadership in this complex and intricate marketplace.

To make the Made in America stamp what it once was will take all of us working together. It takes commitment from our leadership as well as on the individual and corporate levels.