There was a time when the United States of America was the powerhouse of the world when it came to manufacturing. Sadly, over the last few decades we have lost that title as we moved from manufacturing domestically to outsourcing overseas in order for companies to reduce expenses and increase profits. The number one manufacturer now? China. Unfortunately, the move to outsource has left us with more problems than solutions. It has hurt our economy, it has increased manufacturing unemployment, it has left us with a tremendous gap between demand and supply, it has riddled us with poorly made products that don’t meet quality standards, and it has taken away our power to control prices. And who’s affected the most? The American supplier and consumer. At Merlola Industries, we believe we deserve better because we know we can do better. That is why we are determined to bring manufacturing back to the USA, bring back jobs, and take full control of quality.
Why Merlola Was Created
Merlola Industries was created after we saw how unprepared America was for the COVID-19 pandemic. While other countries were able to quickly supply their front line professionals with the necessary personal protective equipment (PPE) to combat the virus and provide their citizens with the necessary products to continue their daily lives, we faced extreme shortages. From masks to home products, everything seemed hard to find and in backorder. And this problem hasn’t gone away, there are still many ordinary products across the country that Americans still cannot obtain and medical professionals are still struggling to receive the quantity of medical grade masks to meet their needs.
So how did this happen? Because America is no longer manufacturing many of the materials and products that it needs to sustain itself. Instead, it relies on outsourcing overseas. But as we learned when the pandemic hit, those other countries will hoard those supplies for their own people in times of crisis. The only solution to ensure that this never happens again and that we’re always prepared for anything is to bring manufacturing back to America. By manufacturing products and raw materials domestically, we no longer have to rely on the grace of other countries.
The Problems With Outsourcing
Apart from the problem of foreign dependency, one of the biggest problems with outsourcing is the increase of unemployment. Ever since the 1990s, manufacturing employment within the U.S. has been steadily declining. There are often more outsourced jobs than the number of unemployed Americans. That means that if we were to return those jobs to the USA, we could hire millions of Americans who are either unemployed or working part-time in hopes that they’ll land a full-time position.
Another big issue with outsourcing is the lack of quality control. Unlike the United States, many other countries don’t enforce the same quality standards for their products. This results in faulty, cheap products that can differ drastically in quality even if they’re the same product from the same manufacturer. In fact, many people don’t know that the majority of masks produced in China are manufactured in non-sterile factories where masks are made by hand by exploited workers, often in unsafe working conditions. The only way to ensure that high standards are met through every step of manufacturing, facilities are clean, and workers are treated fairly is by controlling the supply chain. Merlola Industries has full control of the supply chain to ensure American quality standards are always met, to ensure all raw materials are sourced within the U.S., to control the timeline of logistics, and to maintain products at a fair price.
Bringing Meltblown To America
When it comes to the specialized filter material used in the production of masks and other PPE, China produces the vast majority of it. This material is made by melting and blowing polypropylene to create meltblown and non-woven fabric. Few manufacturers in America have the machines necessary to create this product and many of the ones that do won’t have polypropylene available to them for several months. Merlola Industries, on the other hand, has U.S. sourced polypropylene available and we machine process it to make this meltblown and non-woven fabric readily available to America. But meltblown and non-woven fabric isn’t just for the production of PPE, it can be used for all kinds of products such as filters, dryer sheets, heat & sound insulation, diapers, hygiene products, and much more.
Putting America Back On Top
At Merlola Industries, we feel strongly about U.S. based products because we know that no one can do it as well as America. That is why we have made it our mission to bring the production of meltblown and non-woven materials to the United States so our country is always prepared for the demands of the consumer, manufacturing jobs become available again, and quality and reliable products become the standard. Let us be your trusted partner and together we can put America back on top as the leading manufacturer.
