Power Banks that aren't "Made in China" ?

[Canada Bob]

From what I've read in the different threads Zendure seem to make the best "pass through" power banks, the problem I have is...
I prefer not to buy products "Made in China" I'd prefer to support jobs in North America or Europe but I'm having a problem finding
a power bank that is equal to, or maybe better than the Zendure power banks.

I'd appreciate any options I might have re the above.

Thanks,

Bob.

 

[Ukraine Visitor]

When you buy "Chinese" you ARE supporting North American jobs: there are almost 1/4 million Americans and some 25,000 Canadians working in China. Europeans likely have even larger numbers. Westerners are likely employed at Zendure itself either directly or through import/export agents, etc., and, whenever Zendure ships to North American or European countries, that too supports jobs in those Western states as well. The days of the non-global economy are decades past.

 

[kamkar]

Yeah hard to find anything not made out there, it is simple finance really, investors keep wanting kickbacks, and one of the last avenues to do that is to move production to a cheaper place and then pocket the savings.

Aside for getting creative on the taxes like all major companies do,,,,,,,, thats where we really should set in.
Like instead of taxing apple for each phone they sell in Northern America, which they then filter thru northern Ireland and a few tax havens and booom every American get screwed over.
Instead of that tax them for the right to sell a phone, even before they have sold a single phone.
Personally i really - really would like to see google - facebook - amazon - Apple - mc donalds - and many - many others leave the Danish market.
Even if i am not one bit happy about the ultra liberal socialist way Denmark are working in, and sure as hell not our record tax levels.

 

[Nigel]

About Zendure

Zendure USA Inc. was founded in 2013 by Tom Haflinger and Bryan Liu. The company’s mission is to deliver top-quality consumer electronics that exceed consumer expectations.

zendure.com

 

[Canada Bob]

When you buy "Chinese" you ARE supporting North American jobs: there are almost 1/4 million Americans and some 25,000 Canadians working in China. Europeans likely have even larger numbers. Westerners are likely employed at Zendure itself either directly or through import/export agents, etc., and, whenever Zendure ships to North American or European countries, that too supports jobs in those Western states as well. The days of the non-global economy are decades past.

Check your source regarding the number of Americans & Canadians working in China. According to Alexa and Google there are between 70 to 110 thousand Americans working in China.

As for the 25,000 Canadians that you quote working in China, well, you are way out on that one too, there's in the region of 350,000 "Canadians" living in China, approx 300,000 of them live in Hong Kong alone, the vast majority of them ethnic Chinese, the vast majority of them left Hong Kong on or before 1997 when the British handed Hong Kong over to the PRC (Peoples Repubic of China). Tens of thousands of Chinese (fearing the worst) left Hong Kong, the vast majority of them headed for Canada, mostly to British Columbia, they stayed there for 20-25 years and then started to drift back with their Canadian born children, all of them by now carrying Canadian Passports. That in itself accounts for around 300,000 Canadians being in Hong Kong, many of whom are starting to head back to Canada.

Of the rest of China, there's approx 20,000 people in Beijing carrying Canadian Passports, around 6,000 Canadians living in Shanghai, so a reasonable estimate of Canadians in China is 10 times MORE that you claimed, in fact there's 100,000 more Canadians living in China than the supposed 250,000 American's you quoted.

Regardless of exactly who they are, or if they all (the men, women and children) are working, few if any of them or the Companies they work for pay taxes for the benefit of the US or Canada. That's just one side of the coin though, in the last 20 years
the US (alone) has lost over 3.7 Million jobs to China. I'd prefer not to be financing a nation that threatens the Western World, not to mention it's close neighbors with "pop up Military Island Bases" with it's forever expending Military, financed by us !!!

As for me, I buy what I want, when I want, to support who I want, for my own cultural and political affiliations, that's the thing about the Free World is we still have the ability to make our own choices, without explanation, duress or obligation.

Canada Bob.

 

[Canada Bob]

About Zendure

Zendure USA Inc. was founded in 2013 by Tom Haflinger and Bryan Liu. The company’s mission is to deliver top-quality consumer electronics that exceed consumer expectations.

zendure.com

No arguement with that Nigel, as mentioned in my original post, I respect how good their products are, I just prefer to "shop local".

 

[jokiin]

As for me, I buy what I want, when I want, to support who I want, for my own cultural and political affiliations, that's the thing about the Free World is we still have the ability to make our own choices, without explanation, duress or obligation.

Canada Bob.

I prefer to vote with my wallet, I buy the right product for the job, reward those that are doing it right, where something is made is secondary

 

[Canada Bob]

Yeah hard to find anything not made out there, it is simple finance really, investors keep wanting kickbacks, and one of the last avenues to do that is to move production to a cheaper place and then pocket the savings.

Aside for getting creative on the taxes like all major companies do,,,,,,,, thats where we really should set in.
Like instead of taxing apple for each phone they sell in Northern America, which they then filter thru northern Ireland and a few tax havens and booom every American get screwed over.
Instead of that tax them for the right to sell a phone, even before they have sold a single phone.
Personally i really - really would like to see google - facebook - amazon - Apple - mc donalds - and many - many others leave the Danish market.
Even if i am not one bit happy about the ultra liberal socialist way Denmark are working in, and sure as hell not our record tax levels.

I hear you on all points KamKar, and I agree with them all, Sadly the working man has little control over what our Governments do, even less when it comes to their bedfellows the Blue Chip Leviathans. I've noticed over the years that no matter what we are looking for (espeially on Amazon) if we look close enough we find it wasn't "Made in Milwaukee" or Mississauga. It might be cheap, and IF your lucky it might work well enough, but I've started to notice the plight and the poverty of the blue collar workers and their families and I don't like what I see. So I do my bit, I "Buy Homeland" when I can, or at least Neighborland, if I can't find what I want except from China I'd rather do without it.

 

[Canada Bob]

I prefer to vote with my wallet, I buy the right product for the job, reward those that are doing it right, where something is made is secondary

Hi Jokiin, you have every right to, we live in a free world. I won't get into "those that are doing it right" cheap ain't always cheerful if it burns your house down, of if it was made in a forced labor camp, but that's not the stick that I chew on. My concern is what's happened in a lot of places in the US and to a lesser degree (meaning it's not as bad) in Canada, I don't like to see my countrymen or my neighbors countrymen struggle to feed and clothe their children, or to find that the dignity of employment escapes them because we want something cheap. It's short sighted to feed a Tiger that has ambition to devour us...

 

[jokiin]

by those that are doing it right I'm referring to the right product that fits what I need, that's not necessarily (and quite often not) the cheapest option

 

[SawMaster]

The fact is whether we like it or not, many products are not made anywhere other than China or other SE Asian nations. I prefer to support my local economy but I would not have quite a few things were I forced to omit China as a source. And many component parts used by other nations manufacturer's come from China too. So there's no avoiding it really- at best you can limit it, but to avoid it altogether means living like the Amish do, and while I highly respect them it's not a life for me.

Where I have a reasonable choice I buy American, but my ability to choose is rare. I have to buy from among what's being sold regardless of anything else. On powerbanks you can make your own using cells from Japan or Korea, but to charge or protect them electrically will almost certainly require parts made in China. Without those parts I can nearly guarantee you that you'll burn your house down charging them there. Feel free to try it if you wish...

Phil

 

[Canada Bob]

I hear you Jokinn, and I agree, I expect that you look for a safe and reliable product, I do the same, but I have seen the misery brought by exporting blue collar jobs, whole towns brought to their knees. Seeing things like that added another element to my decision making, if it ain't {metaphorically) Homeland, it stays in Amazon's warehouse. Don't feed the Tiger, it has ill intent...

 

[jokiin]

sadly it's not so much the tiger to blame, more like the zookeepers, local brands go offshore to get lower pricing, improve profit margins etc, there's some sort of perception that everything needs to be as cheap as it can be or people won't buy it, the race to the bottom never ends well, it only leads to sub par products and wastage, Amazon is probably one of the worst offenders, they make it too easy for offshore brands to have presence in a market without spending money in that same market

 

[Canada Bob]

Hi Sawmaster, I agree with all you say, it's not quite as bad as living like the Amish ;-) like you, I respect them, but I fear we are being drawn in by China, weakened as we go. If we can'r see that we are "Feeding the Tiger" while Americans and others are go hungry then we will get what we deserve. As for me, I'm a retired Engineer, born in the UK, worked in Canada for over 30 years and during that time I visited many industrial towns in the Rust Belt. Years later I did a little detour to call on a Plant Manager that I'd got to know, boy was it a SHOCK to see how he, his town, its Industry, it's people and their pride had been wrecked. Hard working men, people who's jobs gave them dignity and hope for their children, brought to their knees because their jobs had been exported. It don't need to happen to me before the alarm bells ring, what I saw were broken men. That added another dimension to why I buy Homeland, even if it costs me more, I'll look to put food on their table.

Canada Bob.

 

[Canada Bob]

sadly it's not so much the tiger to blame, more like the zookeepers, local brands go offshore to get lower pricing, improve profit margins etc, there's some sort of perception that everything needs to be as cheap as it can be or people won't buy it, the race to the bottom never ends well, it only leads to sub par products and wastage, Amazon is probably one of the worst offenders, they make it too easy for offshore brands to have presence in a market without spending money in that same market

Zoo keeers, gave me a laugh, but you are right, that's what it as come to. There's a few of us in the UK and some back in Canada that have seen what goes on in the industries we worked in, and, over a pint now and again, we have discussed setting up a NFC Brand if you can call it that, NFC - Nothing From China as a sort of push back group where we could have a Logo that a product is Homeland or Neighborland, It's really hard work when you are on Amazon or eBay to see the "COUNTRY OF ORIGIN" on a product, that's supposed to be the Law in most countries, but try finding it in the Spec or product description. eBay are bad over here, lots of products have the Union Jack flag on them in the Ad or on the actual box, but the products are Made in China, when questioned they try to get off the hook by saying the product is SUPPLIED by someone {their cousin or the like} who {for the time being} is in the UK often on a Student Visa. The orders are taken, 20% VAT (purchase tax) is added on, then 28 to 35 days later the product arrives in the UK, often not to the standard you expected, by then the cousin is off back to Shanghai taking the 20% GOVERNMENT TAX with him, and the saga starts all over again, but we don't "wise up" seems the Chinese really are 不道德的.

Canada Bob.

 

[Canada Bob]

OK, back on Track are RAVPower any good ? I think they are "Made in the USA" or maybe in Germany ???

 

[Canada Bob]

If this ain't a Head's Up, nothing ever will be...

https://www.news.com.au/technology/...story/9c059d1d325fd3760c3172586345c5ac#.a4ngk

 

[jokiin]

Could be a media beat up, power rationing is something that happens in China even when they have plenty of coal

 

[Nigel]

Could be a media beat up, power rationing is something that happens in China even when they have plenty of coal

Or part of another plan, the UK has reduced imports of Australian coal for ten years in a row, down to about 1 shipfull per year now, only gets used in the winter and even then only when the wind stops. China is committed to doing the same.

I respect them, but I fear we are being drawn in by China, weakened as we go.

The world would be a far worse place if every country only purchased what they produce themselves, no country has enough people to be able to specialise to the extent the whole Earth working together can. Maybe with powerbanks, every country could produce them themselves, at much higher cost, but even China doesn't produce many of the image sensors in our dashcams, or the lenses, or the memory cards. China does of course buy a lot of UK exports, cars, aircraft etc. Always best to buy home produced if there is a reasonable choice, especially when there appears to be a trade imbalance, but there is no need to take it to extreems, that only leads to trade wars, inferior product choice, loss of respect - think Trump's America, and eventually real wars!

 

[SawMaster]

Some or all of the electronic components which control the charging will be made in China with RAVpower, and maybe even the cells inside too. Nobody makes what you want even if there are many good powerbanks on the market.

I recall some time ago a new member here wanted an American made dashcam- he got the same answer: You can't get what isn't being made. Nothing you or I can do at this point is going to change things. The transfer of industry and wealth to overseas has been happening for decades and there's no getting it back.

About 25 years ago I needed some hardware for a project. "Stanley" brand had always stood for good quality and had just finished a "Made in the USA" advertising campaign so off to the store I go feeling patriotic. The parts are on cardboard hang-tags and I grab them, but I notice that some cards are slightly different than the others. When I get home I notice the difference is that some have a "Made in the USA" logo at the bottom and some don't. On the back of those in very small lettering at the bottom there was a "Made in China" line, I'm like "WTF?" and I go back to swap those for US made Stanley parts, but of course there aren't any- moreso the guy running the store tells me it's been this way for years. So now what do I do- my project was designed around that hardware and while it can be changed, I can't find a single company who makes all the hardware I need in the US. It's either mismatched stuff or buy something made overseas. I end up with Stanley as I'd planned to.

Fast-forward to today >> Stanley is marketing more products than ever which are made in China. I still buy them for their quality which is still among the best. I still use only Stanley tape measures because they are the best; more than that they are one of only two brands widely sold here which have been consistently accurate when checked against properly used precision surveying measurement standards. I don't like the other brand but I note that they are the same as Starret who make precision measuring instruments. I don't give a rats heiney where my tapes are made- I want the best and Stanley is it. I'd be stupid to use something else and to do that I'd only be hurting myself and my customers to change which I refuse to do. If I stopped buying Stanley they would not notice or change a thing. A thousand of me would have the same effect in getting that changed- none. It ain't going to change until it's more profitable for Stanley to make their stuff in the USA like they used to. That's never going to happen because we have no supporting industries, the laws here create an unfriendly environment for manufacturing what they market, the energy costs are higher, and the workers here will not work for the wages which Stanley pays to get the same thing done now elsewhere. Change "Stanley" to any other brand; it's all the same.

So buy local and nearby when and if you can, but don't delude yourself thinking you can bring back the lost industries because you can't- not even thousands of you and me together can do that. If industries are to return here they will have to be ones making something more economically than can happen elsewhere. It can be done- that's already happening here where I live. This was once the textile manufacturing center of the world; that's all gone now, replaced mostly by automotive manufacturing and it's supporting industries. BMW, Michelin, Volvo and Boeing could have opened plants in Detroit but they didn't, mostly because the manufacturing costs would be much higher there. They have the mindset of labor unions and 'closed shops'; we don't. They have high taxes needed to deal with snow on the transport network for a third of the year; we don't. They have higher energy costs than we do. They have an overall environment which is not conducive to manufacturing which is why they lost theirs and that is permanent now- it's gone and it's not coming back, nobody is even considering it. Much went overseas and some came here because we adapted to the world as it changed while Detroit didn't. They largely killed their own chances and while that's sad, it's also normal and predictable. Of these great corporations I mentioned only Boeing is American, and they're steadily losing ground to Airbus, their only competition. We've been doing it to ourselves for so long that it's irrecoverable at this point. The only viable local products are those where distances and shipping costs and shipping times make inherently viable- the rest will be done elsewhere.

Even if we all immediately stop buying anything from overseas the end result is going to be the same so it's pointless to hurt ourselves by not taking advantage of the lower prices which Chinese goods give us. We can't match them or even get close enough to be viable. Spending wisely will extend our time as self-ruling entities and that's the best we can do at this point. In the end China will own most of the world regardless and not because of them, but because we let it become that way our own selves.

Sorry that you choose to not have a powerbank but the only effect that will have is on you.

Phil