MSNBC Article on Mag Instruments

[edelbrock]

Found this article on the front page of MSN this morning.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/38025260/ns/business-us_business


"Maglica's company, Mag Instruments, has sold 420 million of its aluminum-encased flashlights since 1979. Its Maglite brand is known worldwide as a high-quality American product.
But the company's story illustrates just how difficult it is to be all-American. Not only does it face a flood of cheap imports, but Mag is in perpetual legal battle to protect itself from copycats. And, in spite of Herculean efforts to make or source all components domestically, Mag falls just shy of 100 percent — not close enough, under state laws, to be labeled "Made in USA." "

 

[shipwreck]

Yes, I posted the same thing with that link several hours ago (this morning) - but my thread is now gone.... Hmm....

 

[kramer5150]

Awesome article. Even if they are not technically "Made in USA", they are assembled, tested and packed by Californian employees. I admire Tony for his work ethic and ingenuity.

Mags are a great value and have withstood the test of time, and I personally enjoy using my 1185, ROPs and MM along-side my other lights. The build quality, heft and feel of the Rebel-Minimag and D-hosts are outstanding for lights in this price range.

 

[kramer5150]

Yes, I posted the same thing with that link several hours ago (this morning) - but my thread is now gone.... Hmm....

Probably because its a discussion of USA -VS- off shore manufacturers, these kinds of discussions always trigger flame wars. If members can keep it civil, mods may let this one fly.

420 million... Yikes thats a LOT of lights!!

 

[rickypanecatyl]

"But the company's story illustrates just how difficult it is to be all-American. Not only does it face a flood of cheap imports, but Mag is in perpetual legal battle to protect itself from copycats. And, in spite of Herculean efforts to make or source all components domestically, Mag falls just shy of 100 percent — not close enough, under state laws, to be labeled "Made in USA." "

I was feeling a bit guilty when I read this part, (honestly I never thougth about it before) but when we buy a Mag from the store and then mod it that's not hurting Mag right? I mean, they are getting the money for their light and then Malkoff or Lambda or whoever mods it also get paid...anything wrong with that?

 

[Launch Mini]

I was feeling a bit guilty when I read this part, (honestly I never thougth about it before) but when we buy a Mag from the store and then mod it that's not hurting Mag right? I mean, they are getting the money for their light and then Malkoff or Lambda or whoever mods it also get paid...anything wrong with that?

IMO, nothing wrong with it.
Let's just say he ONLY made $0.25 off each light. THat is still 100 MILLION DOLLARS in his jeans.

 

[kramer5150]

I was feeling a bit guilty when I read this part, (honestly I never thougth about it before) but when we buy a Mag from the store and then mod it that's not hurting Mag right? I mean, they are getting the money for their light and then Malkoff or Lambda or whoever mods it also get paid...anything wrong with that?

I think modders are OK, at least I have not heard of them coming under fire.
AFIAK Mag usually goes after those brands which print/etch brand and model information around the bezel and/or use a parabolic shaped head.

(example)

 

[post tenebras]

"Mag is in perpetual legal battle to protect itself from copycats."

Well, that's one way to put it. Another is "Mag perpetually files cumbersome litigation to stifle fair competition."

 

[flatline]

"Mag is in perpetual legal battle to protect itself from copycats."

Well, that's one way to put it. Another is "Mag perpetually files cumbersome litigation to stifle fair competition."

Does Mag own patents that protect their design or do they litigate against competitors who try to imitate the look and feel of a mag?

Is the look of a flashlight protectable via patents? Trademarks?

--flatline

 

[gswitter]

I think modders are OK, at least I have not heard of them coming under fire.

Didn't Black Bear take some heat from Mag at one point? I could be thinking of something else.

Mag's recent change to the ground screw in their D-cell lights, and their scaling back of available replacement parts seem like moves possibly aimed at modders.

 

[HKJ]

Interesting article, but I wonder about some of the statements:

Still, the market has changed. In the professional and industrial market, Maglite has largely lost out to a handful of U.S. competitors who source some or all of their products outside the country.

I would have imagined that SF was in the professional industry and they do make their lights in the US.

Maglica is obsessed with upgrading automation and fine tuning work flow in the plant to wring out speed and efficiency — the only way, he says, that he can compete with imports from China where labor is so much cheaper.

Why not improve the products and try to compete with the better Chinese product, instead of the cheapest products?

 

[AnAppleSnail]

I had forgotten that "Made in USA" is not just a point of pride for consumers. It's a shame that Maglicia can't justify the money to build his own light bulb factory - if it'd turn a profit then maybe they could stamp "Made in USA" on their lights again.

It's surprising to me how common lawsuits about 'look and feel' of a product are. But when you consider how similar the Mags are to each other, it really becomes the identity of the company - and copying that is surely not "innovation."

I like this article, and I hope my comments haven't pushed the "US vs others" manufacturing flamewar.

 

[Locoboy5150]

Cool article, thanks for the heads up. I have always liked Maglites, even though their performance is nowhere near that of other manufacturers these days. I still like the way they feel in my hands and their clean, simple shape.

As a side note, I remember seeing a story on Dateline NBC a few years ago about the divorce of Anthony Maglica and his wife. It was a pretty ugly divorce that cost a lot of money.

 

[mrartillery]

All hail Tony, thanks for a wonderful product! :bow::bow:

 

[jamesmtl514]

Kudos for him for still caring about his country and trying to keep the locals employed.

I've owned plenty of Mags and have beaten and loved every one. The only reason I've stopped buying them is because I buy Surefire now. If I see a Mag for a good price I'll probably pick it up.

 

[ABTOMAT]

Didn't Black Bear take some heat from Mag at one point? I could be thinking of something else.

Mag's recent change to the ground screw in their D-cell lights, and their scaling back of available replacement parts seem like moves possibly aimed at modders.

He takes a lot of heat from a lot of people, but with Mag-Lite it was because he was using "Mag" as part of his own model names.

If anything, I'd think Mag benefits well from modders, at least DIY ones. Those people wouldn't be buying a stock Mag-Lite anyway, so the modding capability means Mag sells a light to someone who otherwise wouldn't have bought one.

Interesting article, but I wonder about some of the statements:

I would have imagined that SF was in the professional industry and they do make their lights in the US.

Why not improve the products and try to compete with the better Chinese product, instead of the cheapest products?

I'd imagine they were mainly talking about Streamlight, and maybe some of the smaller mid-range light makers like Brinkmann. Mag doesn't compete with Surefire's client base on any level.

And I think they are improving the products. See the XL100, and to a lesser extent the Mag LED models. If you're wondering why they don't come out with a new flashlight model every month like the Chinese makers, it's hard for a huge, highly visible company with a lot of overhead to vomit out unproven products every time some new technology becomes available.

I'm not defending Mag on the whole, especially when they sell themselves as the "world's first heavy-duty flashlight" despite the fact they actually were the last company to enter the '70s police flashlight revolution, but it's a well-run operation and Maglica wouldn't be able to keep it together without being a tough SOB.

 

[afraidofdark]

This forum wouldn't be half of what it is without Mag Instruments. Not only for the countless, countless mods based on Maglites, but also for being such an early leader in showing how to make simple, beautiful flashlight designs out of anodized aluminum. :thumbsup:

Thanks for the video link!

 

[jcvjcvjcvjcv]

It's just very hard to compete with a country that doesn't have any pollution standards, workers rights, etc.

Anyway: I like the MagLite products and have bought them in quite a big number. It's just a shame the MagLED minimag holsters are junk. That caused me to switch brands for my EDC (combined with length of the MagLED).

And for me it just feels good to buy something that was made in the western world. With the manufacturing bases of the US and Europe going to China and India a lot of relatively low paying jobs disappeared, replaced by even lower paying jobs that don't have anything in them to be proud of -say service-economy-. Service - serve - serf :thumbsdow

Anyway, in China they are actually striking in protest of inflation, what finally urged the Chinese government to let the Yuan float upwards. A higher Yuan means less outsourcing.

I'm still amazed MSNBC did a piece on 'made in the US'. Wouldn't that be 'racist', according to softball Chris Matthews?

 

[DM51]

Yes, I posted the same thing with that link several hours ago (this morning) - but my thread is now gone.... Hmm....

Your thread consisted solely of a link, without any explanatory text to indicate what it was about. That is not an adequate basis for a thread, so it was deleted.

 

[computernut]

Interesting article. Amazing that no one in the States could make the o-rings.