A quick note from the owner himself about the recent revelations we had been mislead by the manufacture of the foam gun we added to our line in August.

Adam's Foam Gun: They were NOT all 100% Made in the USA.

Friends, I am embarrassed and humbled to give this statement. Some of the Foam Guns that we received from the manufacturer were not entirely Made in the USA, as we claimed in our advertising. This is a first for our small company and we're nothing short of ashamed to have unknowingly shipped units that did not follow our companies strict 'Made in the USA' policy.

It was brought to our attention by a customer that the word 'Taiwan' was stamped on the side handle just below the trigger lever, in a very inconspicuous area that we had not noticed. We had no reason to suspect the guns were made anywhere other than the USA. As a matter of fact we were offered numerous assurances by the manufacturer they were and we had personally inspected the units during a long and thorough testing process before launching the guns late this summer.

As far as we can tell the samples received before we placed the first order were in fact American made, and we believe the first few shipments were USA made. However, in light of the discovery by the customer we have come to find that the manufacturer maintains multiple manufacturing facilities, some here in the US, and some in other parts of the world.

At this point it is unclear whether the operations have shifted from the US to Taiwan or if they have always manufactured the piece at both facilities, but until we do have clarification we have discontinued all sales of our foam gun to be safe.

How to tell if your nozzle is a USA or Taiwan unit:
Look on the right side of the pistol, the fulcrum where the lever is riveted to the nozzle will be stamped or blank. If your gun is stamped in that area it will have "TAIWAN" in very small letters. If your gun is not marked at all, it is an American made part.

(Pictures have been added below to help clarify where the stamp may or may not be)

I cannot apologize enough for this. As a company that prides itself so completely on offering quality American made goods, its painful to know we were misrepresenting the products sold to you, our loyal customers. I'm both sorry, and embarrassed that we didn't better inspect these shipments from the manufacturer.

As typical of large companies, we have not yet gotten a reply, except, "Taiwan is not communist China, what's the problem?" I have a big problem with Taiwan, and China, especially when we placed orders for AMERICAN MADE Foam Guns, which the manufacture was fully aware of from the very beginning of our dealings with them.

Ideally, they will supply us with some USA made nozzles to replace the Taiwan units that were shipped. I am extremely hopeful that we can arrange that! As we would not expect you to keep a product if you purchased it under the qualification that it was made in the United States we will offer return or exchange on the units:

Should you wish to return your foam gun on our 110% guarantee, please contact us: Orders@AdamsPolishes.com, or call 866-965-0400, ext. 1.

Should you wish to communicate with me personally, my email is Adam@AdamsPolishes.com, and my phone is 720-473-7100.

I will share the reply we get from the manufacturer as soon as we receive one that offers some form of explanation why we were not sold what we were promised from the beginning. Rest assured if we can continue to offer only the domestically made version of the gun we will.

Again, I sincerely apologize for unintentionally misleading you, our customers, and we will be much more certain to determine and verify the country of origin of our products before selling them in the future rather than taking the manufacture at their word.

Embarrassed,

Adam Pitale
Founder/ CEO
Adam's Polishes

Not Stamped:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v415/Dylanvonkleist/ADAMS/73120ee6.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v415/Dylanvonkleist/ADAMS/1d6b43a7.jpg

Stamped:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v415/Dylanvonkleist/ADAMS/ba2d7798.jpg

No need to be embarrassed, the company you purchased from should be. IMHO.

Jeez, with every act you guys are becoming bigger and bigger customer service legends.

+1 to this not being your mess-up, but the foam gun manufacturer's.

hmmm

hmmm

fsklgja;lgj

(Maybe if I start making useless posts too, he'll get excited.)

There's a lot to be said about being proud to carry exclusively American-made products. Way to go Adams to step up and admit this. Others would try to swiffer this under the rug, but Adams products is a stand up company.

I am trying to put together a christmas 'wish list' of Adams products for myself... VRT being one of them.

What else do you guys find that have become your favorite Adams products?

There's a lot to be said about being proud to carry exclusively American-made products. Way to go Adams to step up and admit this. Others would try to swiffer this under the rug, but Adams products is a stand up company.

I am trying to put together a christmas 'wish list' of Adams products for myself... VRT being one of them.

What else do you guys find that have become your favorite Adams products?

Yep, their stance on both American-made products as well as impressive customer service and transparency with their customers is not only admirable but almost impossible to find elsewhere.

As far as favorite products, I'm a bad influence (on your wallet) since I now use Adam's products exclusively and have bought 99% of their stuff... LOL. Everything has its specific use and does it extremely well.

Hate to say it, but I for one wouldnt have been upset as a customer. As long as its good quality I dont care where/how its made.

Glad your making up for it, but if it where me I would have just put a notice on email, with a disclaimer on the website and sold rest of the lot off while working with the manufacture.

I hope Adam's gesture to 'make it right' for product misrepresentation carries over to the supplier side of this.

I agree that this sort of transparency is welcomed. Bravo.

Thanks for pointing this out...
Mine has no stamp...
So I will not be returning for another one...

Thanks for standing up !

any chance of a new foam gun for christmas?

I wouldn't hold your breath. There really isn't any other company left in the US producing foam guns. If you're really wanting one I'd suggest going to Amazon and searching Gilmour Foam Master II.

So, if no American company makes a foam gun how is Adams hurting America by selling a foam gun that is made overseas? I can understand not selling foreign products when there are American made alternatives, but not when an American made option doesn't exist. To me this is a good idea carried too far. I'd like to purchase a foam gun from Adams, but you're telling me to take my business elsewhere. I'm disappointed in Adam's decision not to carry the foam gun..........just my opinion.

The companies that are currently making the guns overseas use to make them here... Gilmour put hundreds of Americans out of work and shipped production to China.

I understand your point, but we don't support any company that undermines the American economy to make a buck. To be perfectly honest we don't even have that big of a problem with countries that make a product made by workers who earn a realistic working wage. Germany for example is where the FLEX is made and we'll be adding that to our line soon. There isn't a domestically made alternative, and Germany has been the home of that tool from the beginning. Their workers make a living wage. Our microfiber comes from Korea, there is no company in the US making mf, but we could go to China, get inferior quality towels for a fraction of what we pay for the Korean ones. The difference is there are quality standards enforced on the korean towels, and their factory gainfully employs people with a living wage... the Chinese towels are not held to any kind of standard and again, the workers are children or people paid a wage that is a joke.

When companies close plants here in the US, cost people their jobs, then ship production to a place like China where there are no regulation or labor laws, so we will simply not be a part of that. At this point in time the 2 sources for guns: Gilmour and Hydro are making their units ENTIRELY IN CHINA after closing down factories here. As I've said many times before... we'd rather have our morals that money.

To continue to support those companies would be a compromise on our ethics and essentially validating what they did and accepting the terrible path the world is headed down. You can still purchase the guns elsewhere and get the same thing, but it just won't be from us as we allow our small economic influence speak for us. If more companies were willing to put this stance ahead of profits it wouldn't be an issue, but they don't. US manufacturing is slowly being taken away and handed to a communist country that abuses its workers with low wages, its consumers with deadly lead paints, and poor quality, and our economy by undermining us and garnering an ever increasing trade deficit advantage. We're just not about compromising our morals in order to turn a buck... think what you will of it. I sleep better at night.

Make sense?

The companies that are currently making the guns overseas use to make them here... Gilmour put hundreds of Americans out of work and shipped production to China.

I understand your point, but we don't support any company that undermines the American economy to make a buck. To be perfectly honest we don't even have that big of a problem with countries that make a product made by workers who earn a realistic working wage. Germany for example is where the FLEX is made and we'll be adding that to our line soon. There isn't a domestically made alternative, and Germany has been the home of that tool from the beginning. Their workers make a living wage. Our microfiber comes from Korea, there is no company in the US making mf, but we could go to China, get inferior quality towels for a fraction of what we pay for the Korean ones. The difference is there are quality standards enforced on the korean towels, and their factory gainfully employs people with a living wage... the Chinese towels are not held to any kind of standard and again, the workers are children or people paid a wage that is a joke.

When companies close plants here in the US, cost people their jobs, then ship production to a place like China where there are no regulation or labor laws, so we will simply not be a part of that. At this point in time the 2 sources for guns: Gilmour and Hydro are making their units ENTIRELY IN CHINA after closing down factories here. As I've said many times before... we'd rather have our morals that money.

To continue to support those companies would be a compromise on our ethics and essentially validating what they did and accepting the terrible path the world is headed down. You can still purchase the guns elsewhere and get the same thing, but it just won't be from us as we allow our small economic influence speak for us. If more companies were willing to put this stance ahead of profits it wouldn't be an issue, but they don't. US manufacturing is slowly being taken away and handed to a communist country that abuses its workers with low wages, its consumers with deadly lead paints, and poor quality, and our economy by undermining us and garnering an ever increasing trade deficit advantage. We're just not about compromising our morals in order to turn a buck... think what you will of it. I sleep better at night.

Make sense?

http://bjoernvold.com/forum/images/smilies/bravo.gif

We spent our time at SEMA taking meetings with like minded companies to bring more domestically made goods to our customers... and theres some very cool ones in the works.

Our long search for a USA made pressure washer finally came to an end thanks to the great folks at Jenny. They make their pressure washers right here in the good old US of A and the only exception is the water pump (made in Italy) as thats the only place to find them besides China. That is a company that shares our 'USA at all costs' philosophy... they're losing huge market share to companies willing to compromise their morals to lower production costs and make their products in China. Rather than follow suit and go that route they've improved the quality of their machines to be heads and tails above the competition and feature a big PROUDLY MADE IN THE USA banner on the housing... these are the companies we want to do business with. Not the ones that will sell out their fellow countrymen to pad the pockets of their shareholders.

This opens the doors for better washing alternatives that will make the foam gun distant memory... stay tuned. :D

Dylan,

You’re just looking at the surface. If you venture below the surface you’ll find two things. First; you along with all Adams employees (including Adam P.) purchase/use items that were manufactured using what you consider unacceptable labor practices. I work for a Fortune 500 company that, along with our 2-3 largest competitors, sell products found in most homes and businesses. Many of our products contain some parts made in China and countries that support labor practices you consider unacceptable.

With very little effort you can learn the origins of the items you own and use. I would suggest that you rid yourself of the many items you own/use that were manufactured using unacceptable labor practices and purchase expensive replacements that were manufactured using acceptable labor practices. You’ll have to lower your standard of living because of the extra expense, but I’m sure you’re willing to make the sacrifice.

Secondly; the limited compensation that the workers receive in China, et al, is better than the alternative……….$0.00 income. Talk with people (as I have) who have lived in countries like China. Many of the people who live in what we rich Americans call poverty in China would live a life resembling the hordes of starving people in Ethiopia, et al, if not for the that job paying USA poverty level wages…….sad, but true.

So, before you break you arm patting yourself on the back for saving the world, you may find that you’re guilty of what you’re preaching against and doing more damage than good. Also, your morals should have no borders. Your morals appear to stop at the rich, middle class, and USA level lower class. You may want to consider helping the truly impoverished people of the world instead of turning your back on them. Maybe, some of the big profits Adams is making (you have profited off of the $500+ in Adams products I have purchased) should be redistributed to the truly impoverished people…….if by only a little bit. Just my opinion……with some facts thrown in.

I can't believe I'm catching grief over Adam's Polishes decision not to carry a Chinese made foam gun.

I'm not ignorant so please don't speak to me as if I am. Prior to working for Adam's I was employed by a company that was actually ranked 362 on the fortune list, I'm well aware of how the world of manufacturing works and the cost to buy exclusively American. Lets not get into a pissing match over who worked where or who knows what... fact is I work for Adam's and I'm intimately involved in sourcing products and supplies, you're merely speculating from the outside.

I don't pretend to have all American made things in my house, but I make efforts whenever possible.

The fact of the matter is Adam's as a company has made a commitment to using only domestically manufactured goods and in the event no acceptable domestic alternative can be found choosing to seek alternatives that are sourced from a country with fair labor laws and that pays a working wage. Our bottles, sprayers, jars, and even the boxes we pack them in could be sourced at a fraction of the price thru China, Taiwan, etc. but we choose not to as a company to support other American companies.

I regularly shop for a domestic alternative whenever possible. Just a few months back I spent nearly double on garden tools for the house... amongst the 30 options in the home depot isle there was one company that was USA... I gladly paid the difference and do so whenever my budget and time can afford me. There are times where it isn't feasible or possible so obviously concessions have to be made in those situations. Some effort is better than the general populations attitude of "who cares".

The policies of Adam's Polishes allow us to do that on a scale that encompasses our entire line. MOST of our customers appreciate our efforts and buy our goods knowing that we've done their homework for them, I wish more companies would do the same for me. Apparently, simply b/c we chose not to carry a Chinese foam gun theres something seriously wrong with us.

You seem to have some deep seeded issue with our policy or the the "$500 we've profited" off of (if only you knew the truth rather than speculating to what our actual profit numbers were) so I'd like to take the opportunity to stop patting myself on the back and happily offer you a full refund + 10% for your items upon return so that you can spend that money elsewhere b/c obviously our companies moral commitment that buying things made in the USA is GOOD has rubbed you the wrong way.

Theres plenty of companies selling Chinese made goods that would be happy to make much larger margins on that $500 than we did and honestly I'd rather you put your money where you see it would do the most good.

Adam's business decisions and direction are their own.
I fail to see how pursuing this debate constructively adds to the purpose of this thread.
This was an announcement to the customer base & a place for updates on the status of this product.

I think it'd be best to keep it at that please.
Thank you.

Going to take a look this week/end...

If you want to buy chinese, buy chinese. Plenty of it to go around. Adam has his standards and he tries his best to stick by them. Can't fault anyone for showing that kind of character. Too many folks (and companies) would rather compromise for the sake of a buck. You can't always be 100%, but you do your best. I applaud Adam For standing up and sticking to those standards.

I applaud Adam's Polishes for thier stand on making products in America, because as amazing as this seems, that is where I live and work. It just seems like comon sense to support the country where you live.

I too like Adam's try to buy stuff in America first, and then any other country but China and their ilk. Unfortunatley, the some foutune 500 companies have made it impossible to do anything but purchase items from a regime that stifles free speech and support child labor.

Thank you for your support gentlemen... we don't claim to be perfect in our personal lives, theres just some cases where if you need a pair of shoes you can't be expected to search the ends of the earth to find some that meet that standard, but if you can make that choice when presented with one it makes a difference. Being a company that sells products we have the luxury of being a little more discriminating in that arena as to what we'll list and sell to our customers... and we don't frown on people for going with alternatives that are cheaper, the reality of the world is that you can't always afford the domestic choice.

Just this week I was on the hunt for a couple of things for the landscaping in my backyard. 2 options at lowes for the edging I wanted... Chinese made plastic one $18... USA made recycled rubber one... $20... $2 to use a recycled product made in the US... small price to pay. Little things add up, if everyone made that choice a few times a week rather than just grabbing the cheapest that impact would be HUGE!

If these numbers don't scare you I don't know what will... $226 billion in trade deficit... to a country thats shipped us childrens toys painted with lead and dog food full of poison :nono:

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