Local Builder Accepts "Made in America" Challenge

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Updated: 7:20 PM Dec 14, 2011 Local Builder Accepts "Made in America" Challenge ABC News has spearheaded a nationwide movement to buy products “Made In America”. As CBS19’s Melanie Niemann discovered, one local contractor seems to have accepted the challenge. Posted: 5:55 PM Dec 14, 2011 Reporter: Melanie Niemann Email Address: melanie.niemann@newsplex.com Products Made in America

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December 14, 2011

ABC News has spearheaded a nationwide movement to buy products ”Made In America”. And just like Toby Keith’s popular country song by the same name, the challenge is a hit.

“Eighty-two percent of our material comes from the United States,” said local home builder Charlie Armstrong.

Armstrong, the VP of Southern Development, says he uses staircases, walls and even windows that are all made in America. He’s proud to build homes with American-made products, but his dedication doesn’t stop there.

“You’ll be really happy to know that 45 percent of our material is manufactured locally, in Virginia,” he told CBS19.

While he can fill most of his needs with American-made products, Armstrong says one thing is hard to come by, nails. Ninety percent of nails come from China, as a lot of metal is now made overseas and imported to the U.S.

But when you look around Armstrong’s work sites, you’ll, for the most, part see “Made in the U.S.A.” stickers. “It means something to us to buy materials as locally as we can and hopefully it means something to our customers to buy from a local builder,” he said.

One of the wonderful things that has come out of ABC’s Made In America series is a list of American manufacturers and/or suppliers of every construction product, from rebar made by Nucor in Utah to kitchen sinks made by Moen in Pennsylvania.

To see the complete Made in America list, click here.

Latest Comments

Posted by: Douglas Location: Longview,WA on Dec 21, 2011 at 01:11 PM

I see there is a company missing from this list that is very much a "Made in America" company... Georgia Pacific Corp, a big supplier of wood products and building supplies. They help during flooding and hurricanes in the south with plywood, 2x4's and 2x6's and donations of clean-up supplies like paper towels and toilet paper... This company is very much American and Made in America...

Posted by: Char on Dec 15, 2011 at 04:48 PM

I'm talking about MADE IN CHINA. I'm sick of food, drugs, screwdrivers and whatever being made for about 5 cents in China. Obama land? What a laugh!

Posted by: Tim Location: Virginia on Dec 15, 2011 at 12:33 PM

Good job Southern Development! You are on top of it and should be applauded for your efforts. Hopefully, all that read this article will realize the challenge you and others face. While some that have responded have made comments regarding the nationality of the workforce and the origin of the “tools” used –that is absurd and only detracting from the valiant strides you are undertaking. Efforts such as Made In America need to be taken in steps-small though they may be; it may ultimately create a job for one of those that have chosen to denounce your efforts. BUILD-ON ! Timmy G

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