Inside Look: Tool Manufacturing

A Rare Look Into A Chinese Tool Manufacturer.

- By Logan Wittmer

Recently, I received an invite for a rare opportunity — a chance to travel from the US to China to visit a Chinese tool manufacturer. From a personal standpoint, a trip like this appealed to me. I'm fascinated by the manufacturing process of tools, so of course I wanted to see how some of these tools are made. However, from an editorial standpoint, I thought it was a great opportunity to share this rare insight look with our audience, to hopefully help educate the community on this process.

Harvey Industries started as an OEM manufacturer. The company produced tools for various companies before breaking off to sell directly to the customer. This shift allows Harvey to tightly control quality, as well as quickly make changes to tools if they're needed.

Harvey Industries

Traveling to China is not an easy thing to do. The visa application process is lengthy, expensive, and you must have an invite from a business to be granted a visa. The company that I was to visit was Harvey Industries, manufacturers of the Harvey Woodworking tools, as well as Bridge City Tools. I've used Harvey equipment for years, and have several pieces of it in my shop.

Painting the Landscape