DeWalt is widely known as a reliable and trustworthy company. Consumers like their tools and usually feel as though they are well-made. One of the reasons why many people purchase DeWalt products is because the company claims that they are built in the USA, but let’s find out: Are DeWalt tools actually made in China?
DeWalt manufactures its tool all around the world, including in the many plants it has in China. DeWalt manufacturing centers can also be found in Mexico, the UK, the Czech Republic, Mexico, Italy, Brazil, and the United States. DeWalt calls its tools “Made in the USA with Global Materials” in order to satisfy its customers.
In this article, we will discuss exactly where the various DeWalt tools are actually made, as well as how many plants the company has in China and how much of their production is based there. So keep reading; you will be a DeWalt tool manufacturing expert in just a few minutes.
Where Are DeWalt Tools Made?
Over the past decade, the American consumer has become much more curious about the products they purchase. In fact, according to a 2013 survey by the Consumer Reports National Research Center, 78% of Americans would rather buy an American product than one made abroad.
In order to keep its customers content, DeWalt decided to move a large portion of its manufacturing to US soil around that time. It also enabled the company to start putting the big “Made in the USA with Global Materials” sticker on many of the products.
It’s tough to ignore the big American flag on the front of the box, and the marketing scheme really did wonders for DeWalt. However, people were still curious about what “Global Materials” actually meant.
Here’s the breakdown: DeWalt has seven manufacturing plants in the USA, but they also have dozens around the world in China, Mexico, Italy, Brazil, the UK, and the Czech Republic.
Most DeWalt tools are made in at least two countries, i.e., some parts are made in one location, and the assembly is completed in another. The truth is, it is almost impossible to find out if your specific DeWalt tool was made in China, as the manufacturing of the tool probably spanned several countries.
Are DeWalt Tools Made in China?
To come back to our original question, yes, some DeWalt tools are made in China. However, at this point in time, it is highly likely that the entire tool was not constructed there.
It’s more common that parts of the tools are made in DeWalt’s production plants in China, and then the components will be shipped in bulk to one of their many other manufacturing locations, such as in the United States, to be assembled.
Of the almost 50 tools that DeWalt makes, as well as the more than 500 types of accessories, you can assume that at least part of the tool was made in China.
How to Tell If Your DeWalt Tool Was Made in China
At the moment, there is no way to tell if your DeWalt tool was made in China. While the company claims that they are working towards making their manufacturing locations more transparent, we haven’t seen a lot of change since the 2010s.
As a way to boost sales and encourage customer satisfaction among their American clients, DeWalt started putting American flag labels on most of their products about ten years ago. While you now know that these tools were not completely made in the United States, because they assemble them here, DeWalt does not have to put the older Made in China labels.
Are DeWalt Tools Made in China Good Products?
The good news is that even though some of DeWalt’s tools, and many of the parts of the tools, are made in China, the company is still renowned for having fantastic, reliable, and trustworthy products.
Most experts have reported that while DeWalt tools may not be on the very high end of the spectrum, they are certainly good quality and worth purchasing.
If you do not want to buy any tools made in China, DeWalt products may not be for you, but you will most likely struggle to find a power tool company that does not make at least some parts of their tools in China.
The Bottom Line
Hopefully, you now understand that while yes, DeWalt tools are often made in China, they are also made in the United States, Italy, Brazil, Mexico, the Czech Republic, and the UK.
Unfortunately, it is currently impossible to find out exactly where the DeWalt tool you own or want to purchase was made, as most of the tools boast that they were “Made in the USA with Global Materials.” And this simply means they could have been assembled and distributed on US soil while actually being made anywhere in the world, including in China.
