You’ve seen the phrase on products, labels, and websites: Made In The USA.
Maybe it’s important to you. Maybe you don’t pay much attention to it. But it’s not just a label or a slogan; “Made In The USA” is a commitment to hiring workers from the United States, supporting the economy, and helping better protect our environment.
So how, exactly, does a company benefit from U.S.-based electronics manufacturing? Below are five benefits for companies in any industry, of any size, looking to manufacture in the USA.
- Protect Your Intellectual Property (IP)
- Lower Your Carbon Footprint
- Utilize Top Talent & Support Reshoring Efforts
- Better Communication When You Need Help
- Enjoy Higher Quality Products
Protecting your IP is crucial but, unfortunately, several countries have been known to regularly infringe on IP – China remains the world’s principal IP infringer across all types of IP theft, according to a spokesman for the IP Commission, which estimates up $600 billion annually in cost to the U.S. economy from these actions. A CNBC CFO survey reported that one in five North American corporations have had their IP stolen by China within the last year. And “just under one-third of CFOs of North America-based companies on the CNBC Global CFO Council say Chinese firms have stolen from them at some point during the past decade.”
IP theft can be incredibly damaging and is one of the reasons we recommend potting and conformal coating for suitable builds. There are several epoxy-based coatings on the market that can serve as an inexpensive alternative to potting compounds that allow for minimization and IP protection to co-exist.
Products made overseas create more metric tons of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere than if those products were manufactured in the U.S. This is due, in part, to lax environmental regulations in other countries. Shifting production to less-efficient factories governed by looser emissions regulations has led to greater levels of pollution – for example, China’s steel manufacturers, on average, emit 23% more carbon dioxide per ton of steel produced than American and German manufacturers.
Additionally, products manufactured in countries like China or India must be shipped across the ocean to reach American shores, burning fossil fuel with every mile they travel.
Made In The USA means a contract manufacturer (CM) has taken the time to hire some of the best and brightest U.S.-based engineers, technicians, operators, supply chain managers, and assemblers. Creating profitable, stable, and rewarding employment opportunities in the manufacturing sector is a vital component of supporting the nation’s middle class – and we’ve seen efforts to reshore manufacturing (the practice of bringing manufacturing back to the U.S. from overseas) increase in popularity over the last several years. It’s a fast and efficient way to strengthen the U.S. economy as it helps balance the trade and budget deficits, reduces unemployment by creating well-paying manufacturing jobs, and fosters a skilled workforce.
Have you ever called a company for assistance only to get the runaround? It’s annoying, isn’t it? You call the company only to get endlessly redirected (and ultimately lost) by an automated system, or you finally get to speak with someone, but they know little about the product or service offered and aren’t really able to help you at all.
We’re not like that. When you call NAS, we always connect you to the person within our facility who can answer your questions, resolve issues, and provide feedback on a build. You will speak with a knowledgeable, friendly person who wants to help.
Electronics production facilities and printed circuit board (PCB) manufacturers operating in the U.S. must follow high standards to yield reliable, first-rate products. Many U.S. manufacturers have highly precise assembly and pick-and-place machines that not only reduce the cost of a build, but produce high-quality products.
When you work with a U.S.-based company like NAS, quality systems have been implemented to ensure low fault tolerance and a high first-pass yield (FPY). NAS Electronics operates in a state-of-the-art, ISO-certified manufacturing facility where we have established quality control methods of production to ensure excellence in every build we manufacture.
Ready To Get Started?
We work with clients in a wide range of industries – from signage and gaming to aerospace and medical, we have the in-house capability to manufacture, program, test, and ship PCBs according to exacting specifications. If you’re ready to partner with an electronics manufacturing company that will manufacture your build quickly and reliably, contact us today!