A Made in the U.S.A. Surge

The announcement yesterday may be a first for a smart phone manufacturer.  Motorola has announced its next phone will be made in the U.S.A.

Though the first in their sector, it's not the first manufacturer to announce this "new" approach.

Local companies here have done it forever.  Screen Machine Industries (boasting made in America since 1966) and Ariel Corp come to mind right away for long-standing Made in the USA manufacturers. 

Locally-headquartered Longaberger moved to increased U.S. manufacturing with an announcement last year and a move to ceramic manufacturing in Buffalo announced recently.

Walmart committed to buy $50 billion (yes that's a b) more in U.S.-made goods in the next ten years.

Feel the surge?

In my book, it's not so much a surge of patriotism as much as it is a surge of pragmatism. 

It's, frankly, easier and increasingly cheaper to manufacture in the U.S. anyway so the announcements should keep coming and coming.  The last 15 years model of export of our manufacturing and import of the products to the U.S. was probably a bad idea in the first place for many products.

Expect more.