A Trump Tariff Case Study: Can the U.S. Again Be the Power Tool King?
My DeWalt 20-volt cordless drill/driver combo set is a beaut—powerful, smooth, comfortable in the hand, and not too expensive; I got it on sale for about a hundred bucks. It’s also a tribute to the wonders of the transnational supply chain, its components traversing the earth before they came together and found their way to my door. The drill and driver were made in Mexico, but their batteries were made in China, as were the battery charger and the handy tote bag that came with it. DeWalt, a brand familiar to every woodworker and DIY enthusiast, is a division of Stanley Black & Decker, a global conglomerate headquartered in Connecticut that owns brands including Craftsman, Porter-Cable, Bostitch, and many others. In 2024, it sold $15.4 billion worth of tools.
While the company does some domestic manufacturing, its power tools—drills, saws, routers, and the like—are all made abroad. The same is true of most of the power tool brands you’ll find at your local Home Depot or Lowe’s; many started as American companies but are now part of multinational corporations that do little manufacturing in the United States. Your Milwaukee reciprocating saw and Ryobi sander may sound like they come from the U.S. and Japan, but both companies are owned by Techtronic Industries, which is headquartered in Hong Kong. Your dad called his circular saw a “skilsaw,” but Skil is now owned by Chervon, a Chinese company.
