Fighting for American Jobs- Why Spending More Makes Sense

NORTH KINGSTOWN, R.I.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--ICON International, a commercial lighting design company is committed to supporting other American businesses by selecting manufacturers in the states rather than abroad… even if it means paying more money. Why? According to President Michael Goeller, the reasons are three-fold.

“I’ve told manufacturers; get me within 20% of what Asian companies charge and we can go forward.”

To support businesses and job growth at home.
It’s easier to do business in America.
American made products are, quite simply, better.

“Partnering with American companies at the onset of projects- allows us to work together on competitive pricing,” said Goeller. “I’ve told manufacturers; get me within 20% of what Asian companies charge and we can go forward.”

The 20% margin is worth it based on ICON’s experience with importing including instances of parts made wrong, returns and delays.

“Everything isn’t always about the cheapest price - it’s about value,” said Goeller. “Doing business with American companies is just smarter for us, and our customers are also looking for products that are made in the USA. It represents a higher quality product- to our customers and to consumers.”

By working with American companies, ICON can offer more flexibility in the design of custom lighting systems. For example ICON is partnering with Sound Manufacturing in Connecticut as it works on a new lighting project for a major national department store chain.

“We’ve developed a strategic partnership with ICON to share our expertise resulting in a higher quality product at a more competitive price,” said Kelli Vallieres, Sound Manufacturing President/ CEO. “Our engineers meet with ICON engineers at the beginning of a project and make recommendations based on material price and ease of manufacturing.”

Both Goeller and Vallieres said that while it may initially seem less expensive to out-source manufacturing, the final cost is much higher when freight, duty, mandatory lot size, and quality issues are considered.

About ICON: ICON International is a privately held full service commercial lighting company. A platinum member of the U.S. Green Energy Council, ICON has embedded sustainability ideals in its products and actions. For more than 60 years, ICON has delivered unique, high-quality lighting for its customers. The company’s tradition of quality, innovation and customer service coupled with an experienced and creative Research and Design team have consistently set the standard for industry lighting solutions.