This info is from a local guy here in Burbak who knows more about floor jacks than anyone should. And you can still buy (hugely expensive) American-made jacks from him.
Here is the link: http://www.hyjacks.com/H2.HTM
And here's some good info:
This section has become quite confusing with several MANUFACTURER/IMPORTERS hoping to reduce costs by trying different countries for manufacturing and assembly and then with popular names being 'retired' then brought back into the market.
It's a volatile situation out there, but here's what it looks like as of February, 2005...
MILWAUKEE HYDRAULICS is and always has been American made.
US JACK is almost completely American made except for their newest short frame model (which has an American made frame and a Taiwanese hydraulic unit).
WALKER/LINCOLN - This one is REALLY CONFUSING, sit down and have a cup of herbal tea...
Walker was all American from the 40's through the 80's when it was bought by LINCOLN. LINCOLN kept it American up til the end of the 90's when they moved 99% of their production to China (one floor jack was still made in the USA). After a few years in China LINCOLN sold off their jack line to a company called CLORE who changed the name to MARQUETTE. They held the company for about a year and then in October of 2003 sold it to the big Chinese maker, SHINN FU. SHINN FU held it as it was for the better part of 2004 then surprised everybody by bringing back the old prestigious HEIN-WERNER name back (retired in the mid 90's) and began making the line in America again! The jacks are not at all the HEIN WERNER jacks of the 40's-through early 90's, they are purely the American made LINCOLN jacks from the 90's.
Meanwhile SHINN FU still markets the BLACKHAWK import BANNER jacks, made in China. And also the famous Blackhawk PORTO-POWER line of body shop jacking equipment, made in America. They also sell their own OMEGA Jacks made in China.
NORCO has a mixture of products ranging from Denmark, China, Taiwan and the USA. Their China products are made by the well respected YASUI company and by using Japanese seals have become very credible tools.
OTC has a couple of jacks made in America and the majority of their jacks made in Japan.
ZINKO jacks are made by the popular MASADA Company of Japan and have been around quite some time with good results - Pretty decent jacks for a reasonable price.
Recently 2 jack companies from Denmark have established operations in America, the AC and COMPAC lines. Both have been around for quite a while in Europe and offer extensive lines of fairly well made jacks.
Most everything else is made in China and designed for the Home Consumer Market, inexpensive, lower quality jacks not intended to be used more than a few times a year.
Here is the link: http://www.hyjacks.com/H2.HTM
And here's some good info:
This section has become quite confusing with several MANUFACTURER/IMPORTERS hoping to reduce costs by trying different countries for manufacturing and assembly and then with popular names being 'retired' then brought back into the market.
It's a volatile situation out there, but here's what it looks like as of February, 2005...
MILWAUKEE HYDRAULICS is and always has been American made.
US JACK is almost completely American made except for their newest short frame model (which has an American made frame and a Taiwanese hydraulic unit).
WALKER/LINCOLN - This one is REALLY CONFUSING, sit down and have a cup of herbal tea...
Walker was all American from the 40's through the 80's when it was bought by LINCOLN. LINCOLN kept it American up til the end of the 90's when they moved 99% of their production to China (one floor jack was still made in the USA). After a few years in China LINCOLN sold off their jack line to a company called CLORE who changed the name to MARQUETTE. They held the company for about a year and then in October of 2003 sold it to the big Chinese maker, SHINN FU. SHINN FU held it as it was for the better part of 2004 then surprised everybody by bringing back the old prestigious HEIN-WERNER name back (retired in the mid 90's) and began making the line in America again! The jacks are not at all the HEIN WERNER jacks of the 40's-through early 90's, they are purely the American made LINCOLN jacks from the 90's.
Meanwhile SHINN FU still markets the BLACKHAWK import BANNER jacks, made in China. And also the famous Blackhawk PORTO-POWER line of body shop jacking equipment, made in America. They also sell their own OMEGA Jacks made in China.
NORCO has a mixture of products ranging from Denmark, China, Taiwan and the USA. Their China products are made by the well respected YASUI company and by using Japanese seals have become very credible tools.
OTC has a couple of jacks made in America and the majority of their jacks made in Japan.
ZINKO jacks are made by the popular MASADA Company of Japan and have been around quite some time with good results - Pretty decent jacks for a reasonable price.
Recently 2 jack companies from Denmark have established operations in America, the AC and COMPAC lines. Both have been around for quite a while in Europe and offer extensive lines of fairly well made jacks.
Most everything else is made in China and designed for the Home Consumer Market, inexpensive, lower quality jacks not intended to be used more than a few times a year.
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