Are the New Mac Pros Assembled in the USA?

[law guy]

I found that my PowerMac dual 1.42 G4 was assembed in the US and have read on a posting once of a user whos iMac was labled "Assembled in the USA".

I am curious to know from new Mac Pro owners where your machines were assembled?

I suppose it's a sensativity to some poor US trade policies that have discouraged American manufacturing in favor of far east options that have become cheaper with the advent of new policies, or a sense of annoyance that if Dell can assemble in Round Rock Texas, why can't Apple do more in the US - combined with a general sense of wanting to buy things that aren't made in countries with lower environmental standards, employment standards, etc. Touched off by labor day, it made me curious (and hopeful) to know if the new Mac Pros were assembled in the US.

 

[kered22]

Odds are it's an Assembled in the USA but made with parts from other countries. One of the photo sets of the MacPros showed a Foxconn sticker inside on one of the cables. They're the ones famously accused in the iPod factory condiitions story, they're one of the largest electronics manufacturers around I believe.

As for why Apple doesn't build more of it's stuff in the US... economics. They used to, they had factories out here in California, another in Colorado and one in Cork Ireland (there are likely more that I don't know about). So they designed the hardware themselves and manufactured it themselves, it lead to higher quality but also to higher prices. When Gil Amelio (CEO before Steve Jobs) took over, he started the transition to 3rd party manufacturing by selling the plant in Colorado, Apple was a serious money crunch and had to do something to cut costs. So they outsourced to China and Taiwan. It'd be nice to see some Apple machines made here too, but we probably won't see it for awhile or again, it's just not economical.

 

[Josias]

MacBook:
Designed by Apple in California - Assembled in China.

iPod Shuffle:
Designed by Apple in California - Assembled in China.

BT Mighty Mouse:
Designed by Apple in California - Assembled in Malaysia.

iPod charger:
Designed by Apple in California - Assembled in China.

I though they didn't assemble stuff in the US at all?

 

[danhig123]

When I ordered my Mac Pro I was told by the sales rep that it would have to be shipped from China.... So I am guessing China but I haven't read the label yet.

Danny

 

[Chaszmyr]

A few years ago many of Apple's products were assembled in the USA, but these days I don't believe anything is assembled in the USA.

 

[Josias]

Well, why don't the MP owners download Coconut IdentityCard, and see where their Mac was assembled.

 

[Macmadant]

My computer was assembled in Ireland somewhere between 10th and 16th November 2003, which i then brought December 03

 

[YS2003]

I don't see the point Apple builds its own plant. I think 3rd party contract manufacturing is the way to go in this business. Apple focuses on innovation, product development, features, marketing, and engineering while its partners (contract manufacturers) focus on producing units according to Apple's specs.

I just don't believe "made in USA" mean high quality automatically in this global economy. Even though workers in USA are capable workforce, I often amazed at strong work ethics and ambitions Asian workers have. Who in the USA work for a company which has bank beds for its workers because the factory is very far from worker's home towns? This is in reference to an iPod factory in China.

As far as Mac Pro, that thing is very heavy. Is it like 30 lbs. or 50 lbs? If Apple is assembling it here in the states, that would be because of the shipping cost. I think Apple changed the packaging for MBP and MB partly to reduce the chargeable weight of shipment. The air carrier's chargeable weight for the shipment is whichever is higher, actual weight or volume weight. Volume weight is 6000 cm3 = 1 kg.

 

[Trekkie]

Odds are it's an Assembled in the USA but made with parts from other countries. One of the photo sets of the MacPros showed a Foxconn sticker inside on one of the cables. They're the ones famously accused in the iPod factory condiitions story, they're one of the largest electronics manufacturers around I believe.

FYI Foxconn is also a cable and connector manufacturer, that doesn't necessarily mean it was built at a foxconn plant.

But as others are pointing out, it's a sad fact of life that the entire computer industry has been able to drive lower costs and lower prices by moving almost all manufacturing out of the United States to China. If you want to 'buy american' honestly I say good luck. Until the policies of the United States government change and apply the same tax on imported goods than American made goods this will continue to happen. If you think about it a device of any kind made in the US has Soc Sec Tax, FICA, Medicare, Unemployement, and all sorts of other taxes and then wages built into the cost.

In China, they've got severely depressed wages compared to the US built in, and that's it. Other contries tag a VAT of a 12 - 17% or higher onto imported goods. The VAT (Value Added Tax) 'evens the score' so that it's a little harder to import goods to skirt the taxes the government is due, whether you agree with it or not.

Some days I wish the income tax would be trashed for a national VAT. So if you buy something, you pay tax, if you save your money, you don't. Though the idea of a VAT on a home or a car scares off many people. I say look at the federal witholding column on your last W2 and think what you could have done with that extra money.

 

[Neurorad]

Where Mane

Well, why don't the MP owners download Coconut IdentityCard, and see where their Mac was assembled.

Doesn't work. Just says NA, even when entering the serial number.

 

[Dont Hurt Me]

A few years ago many of Apple's products were assembled in the USA, but these days I don't believe anything is assembled in the USA.

I wish Apple had a American line if you will. MY old Quicksilver was made in California and that machine was perfect,just perfect. Bring back the American Macintosh!

 

[displaced]

FYI Foxconn is also a cable and connector manufacturer, that doesn't necessarily mean it was built at a foxconn plant.

Not strictly true. Foxconn's a trading name of Hon Hai Precision Industry Co. (Ltd.), which is one of the largest electronics manufacturers in the world -- see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foxconn

However, the only place I've actually seen the Foxconn logo was on the insides of D-SUB connectors

But as others are pointing out, it's a sad fact of life that the entire computer industry has been able to drive lower costs and lower prices by moving almost all manufacturing out of the United States to China. If you want to 'buy american' honestly I say good luck. Until the policies of the United States government change and apply the same tax on imported goods than American made goods this will continue to happen. If you think about it a device of any kind made in the US has Soc Sec Tax, FICA, Medicare, Unemployement, and all sorts of other taxes and then wages built into the cost.

Indeed -- and it's not only the computer industry, but pretty much *every* manufacturing industry.

In China, they've got severely depressed wages compared to the US built in, and that's it. Other contries tag a VAT of a 12 - 17% or higher onto imported goods. The VAT (Value Added Tax) 'evens the score' so that it's a little harder to import goods to skirt the taxes the government is due, whether you agree with it or not.

Not quite. VAT (at least in the UK) is nothing to do with whether a product is imported or domestic. VAT is essentially the same as US state-specific Sales Tax.

In fact, the trade barriers you're suggesting are rather anti-free market (whether or not that's a good thing depends on your perspective). Protectionism tends to preserve national industries, at the expense of efficiency and cost. Would people be willing to bear the increased cost of computers and other products if these trade barriers were imposed?

Some days I wish the income tax would be trashed for a national VAT. So if you buy something, you pay tax, if you save your money, you don't. Though the idea of a VAT on a home or a car scares off many people. I say look at the federal witholding column on your last W2 and think what you could have done with that extra money.

Again, I don't think our VAT is quite what you're imagining it to be. VAT is in addition to income tax, in the same way as US states' Sales Tax is in addition to income tax, and since Sales Tax is a state-sanctioned tax, rather than a federal one, it's unlikely to be unified across the nation.