Page 68 - DWV PROMO BOOK

Going To China

The first SoundTubes were built in my garage using parts sourced from around the U.S. Over time, we used parts made for us from
Europe, Asia and elsewhere. We slowly grew to use whole sub-assemblies, made to our specifications, from China. In working this
way, we made contacts with factories and technologies that we couldn’t source in America. As patriotic and committed to Made in
America as we’d been, it was time to admit that Chinese production methods and personnel would allow us to create even more
advanced products that would serve our customers better and allow our company to grow while continuing to provide jobs to our
U.S. team. Many who criticize Chinese manufacturing don’t understand the reality of producing products in the U.S. We don’t
have “vertical” factories that can produce “turn-key” products the way Asia does. Not only would it have been impossible for us to
produce our products in a turn-key manner in the U.S.; we would not have been able to create the quality and performance using
local methods and components. Believe me, we tried. We made parts, we hired U.S. assembly companies, we sourced components
from a wide range of domestic suppliers... and it almost killed our company. There’s a reason Apple and countless others make
their products in Asia.

As I like to say to people who cry about Asian production and loss of jobs: I’d rather see a U.S.-based company thrive and survive
using offshore production than see the same company go belly-up because it couldn’t make a domestic product at prices customers,
and especially American customers, were willing to pay. Until we can figure it out, it's the reality of American business. – DW

2003 • SoundTube die-cast aluminum integrated “motor-board” - combines woofer speaker driver, omni-360 tweeter, porting, transformer control and superior rigidity
®