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View Full Version : Televisions made in the USA!!



2ndRick
01-09-2012, 03:34 PM
A Minneapolis-based company called Element is spooling up a production facility in the Detroit area to assemble a line of flat-panel HDTVs.

http://www.news10.net/news/watercooler/171887/335/HDTVs-Now-Made-in-America

I am not familiar with this brand as of today, but I like that this is happening.

I remember being on the sales floor back when people would ask about US made televisions. Back then, RCA and Zenith still had some sets that were made in the US, but they were definitely not high performance. (at the time, my store sold Panasonic GAOO Superflat and Toshiba CinemaSeries).

2ndRick
01-09-2012, 03:37 PM
For anyone seeking a frame of reference on the previous end of television manufacturing in the US, I believe this Chicago Tribune article on Zenith layoffs from April of 98 describes the end of that era.

Zenith Cuts 409 Jobs In Melrose Park (http://articles.chicagotribune.com/1998-04-03/business/9804030373_1_zenith-picture-tube-television-sets)

It was certainly the end of the picture tube production. I am not sure whether anyone assembled RPTVs in the US after that date.

Greg_C
01-09-2012, 03:44 PM
Remember Element being a cheap POS sold at Best Buy before they had their high quality Insigna line. http://www.elementelectronics.com/

CCD
01-09-2012, 08:28 PM
I recently installed a Vizio that said "Made in USA from foreign and domestic parts". I also used to sell some POS tvs to hotels that said the same. Basically there are a few companies that do final assembly here.

jonnyg
01-10-2012, 04:03 PM
I recently installed a Vizio that said "Made in USA from foreign and domestic parts". I also used to sell some POS tvs to hotels that said the same. Basically there are a few companies that do final assembly here.

This is usually happens when a foreign company hires a Consultant (American or European) to figure out how to make more $ on their products.

I'm sure this will be a growing trend, as most parts aren't made in the US. Hell, my '88 Chevy S-10 was manufactured in the US. Funny thing is, it had a Mitsubishi transmission and all the nuts and bolts seem to be metric. :)

TonyAngelo
01-10-2012, 04:43 PM
This is usually happens when a foreign company hires a Consultant (American or European) to figure out how to make more $ on their products.

In the case of Vizio it has more to do with their business model that the final assembly is done in the USA than any marketing gimmicks.