With the recent celebration of July 4th, we reflect on our American independence. We live in a country that has always prided itself on entrepreneurship, encouraging the growth of locally run businesses. At Malco, we uphold the same values. Our company had humble beginnings with a young steel supply salesman, Mark Keymer, working in a garage that served as an office. This is when Malco’s manufacturing and marketing of American-made hand tools began.
Almost 70 years later, we continue our founder’s legacy. Today, Malco Products, SBC is an American business that is proud to engineer, manufacture, assemble, and package specialty hand tools at our Annandale, MN plant. Purchasing tools made in the U.S. not only shows patriotism to our country, but it also helps to create jobs, reduces our carbon footprint, and drives the economy, among other benefits. Keep reading to learn about the top five reasons why you should make the conscious decision to buy American-made hand tools!
Creating Jobs
By buying domestically made tools, you are contributing to a hard-working American’s wages. At Malco, employee turnover is low. Average tenure stands at over 15 years, and more than a quarter of our employees have been with the company for 25+ years. We pride ourselves as an employee-owned company, and your business means that we can continue operations and provide jobs for our workers. Throughout the years, we’ve been honored to receive employer awards recognizing our company as an Outstanding Disability Employer by the Minnesota Organization for Habilitation and Rehabilitation and as one of the Top Workplaces in Minnesota by the Star Tribune.
Lower Carbon Footprint & Pollution
With global warming as a pressing issue that affects us all, consumers should be aware that hand tools made overseas have a higher carbon footprint than American-made hand tools. Foreign goods have to be shipped all the way from across the ocean to reach our stores, burning fossil fuel and emitting greenhouse gases as they travel. It’s typically cheaper to make goods in developing countries because many of them have few to no regulations to protect air and water health. Since we manufacture and distribute the majority of our tools from our Annandale plant, we maintain an overall lower carbon footprint on precious mother earth.
High-Quality Goods
We take pride in our products that are “made in the USA” because they represent quality and excellent craftsmanship through years of research, development, testing, and high manufacturing standards. While price tags can be higher for American-made hand tools, the cost per use is actually lower, since these products will often last longer. At Malco, we are continuously innovating and making upgrades to our existing line of tools to exceed user expectations. We believe in top-quality products that work hard, enhance performance, and stand up to years of real-world use on the job.
Strengthen Our Economy
Buying our tools supports the workers who make them, in addition to benefitting the entire economy. When American factories prosper, they typically hire local construction firms to expand their operations, accounting firms to handle their money, and energy suppliers to provide them with power. The Economic Policy Institute estimates that every U.S. manufacturing job supports an additional 1.4 jobs in other parts of our nation’s economy. Our company’s growing success helps to stimulate the economy, and we have our customers to thank for it.
Preserving U.S. Independence
By purchasing tools made in the U.S., you are strengthening America’s independence, instead of relying on other countries for support. We are able to utilize our own resources, including our workforce, to promote industrial growth and bring more business to our country. Outsourcing to other countries has also erupted into a business issue and a national discussion. At Malco, we continue to believe in American ingenuity and U.S. manufacturing, and we’ve been able to adapt, adjust, and release successful products by targeting markets and identifying specialized industry niches.
We continue our founder’s tradition of leadership and innovation by addressing the changing industry landscape and responding to emerging market needs for new customized products. Since 1950, Malco has been an inventor and American manufacturer of tools and accessories that improve productivity and promote the health and safety of pros who use them. An unchanged objective for nearly 70 years!