Weighing the options: To buy or not to buy

Reading through all information out there about buying an imported or off shore welding product will quickly reveal that nearly everyone has their opinion about it. If you are looking at buying a product such as an Everlast welder or plasma cutter, undoubtedly you are aware of other labels as well, name brand or otherwise. No one will be able to tell you as good as you can whether you should buy from us or someone else.

I think the best way to help you decide is to give you the facts, good or bad, and weigh the options about buying a product from us. Every one will form an opinion about whether to buy or not. Each person has a list of priorities that are different. The following list are a few facts and things you should know about our company compared to other companies when choosing to buy.

1. Everlast Welders is a US based company with off shore manufacturing facilities and on shore tech support. Those are facts that we openly discuss. It allows us to have a better price point and be more competitive in a world wide depressed market. People with budgetary demands find this appealing. People who are concerned about buying US or North American product should be aware that Lincoln, ESAB and Thermal Arc manufacture their product off shore as well. ESAB, of course is owned off shore.


2. Everlast Welders has sold over 30,000 units since its beginning in 2004. This is not a lot in the grand scale of things, but it is a small "city" of welders that we sold and support. While it cannot compare to 100 year old company, it is a respectable number. Sales are increasing exponentially each year. 2012 is projected to move over 10,000 welders and plasma cutters world-wide. If you are a perspective owner, then you can join a growing family of customers. If you are worried about your purchase becoming an orphan, we have survived the storms and are growing in a down economy, which many of the name brand companies have failed to do.


3. Everlast Welders seeks out manufacturing facilities with reputations of high manufacturing standards and technical standards. While most of the product is made currently in China, there is a wide range of quality that can be found in the over 1000 welder manufacturing facilities located in China. Contrary to popular belief, all welder products from China are not made in one factory. Personal involvement and presence by our North American staff in the manufacturing and quality control process is ongoing, with our personal in the factory during most all of our production cycles.


4. Everlast Welders use name brand components that you would find in other name brand companies. Even though the product is built off shore, we use genuine name brand components in our welders...most commonly you'll find companies like Texas Instruments, Intersis, Siemens, Panasonic, Sharp, Toshiba and IXYS in our machines. Most if not all major chipsets are made by US based companies. Even if they are US based, most electronics are made in Asiatic countries. Miller, Lincoln and others are no exception. If they are made here, they are comprised of components largely made overseas. US labeling laws allows loop holes so that US manufacturers can apply "Made in USA" to many products that would ordinarily be considered by most to be "Assembled in USA".


5. Everlast Welders components are largely modular in design, with our goal to have almost all of our boards, and major components to be considered "Plug and play". This will allow easy repair, if need be by the customer. Additionally, our sub components on our boards, and our larger components like IGBT's and diodes are off the shelf items that can be ordered through most major electronic suppliers and can be repaired in most electronics shops or by well versed electronic repairmen. Part numbers are readily visible and accessible. Our IGBT module design allows for cheap and easy repair of the major power components. They are not made as part of a proprietary component as you would find in a competitor product. Though our parts are made overseas, you'd find most all of them available well after warranty runs out.

Everlast Welders warranty currently provides a 30 day trial period and a 5 year warranty. The details are found on our website here: http://www.everlastgenerators.com/terms.html Full and current warranty details can be found there as well. Our service is currently limited to our home office in the West Coast. Additional service centers are expected to be in place in the next couple years.