These days, countless companies are opting to move manufacturing overseas in an attempt to increase productivity and reduce costs. Unfortunately, this isn’t good for the environment and it can also have a negative impact on product quality. In this article, I’ll be looking at generators made in the USA.
Are There Any Manufacturers Selling Generators Made in the USA? (The Short Answer)
After several hours of research, I found a few companies that offer American made generators. They are Mi-T-M Corporation, NorthStar, Generac, Briggs & Stratton, Winco, Cummins, and Gillette Generators.
American Made Generators (A List of Manufacturers)
Let’s take a look at the businesses behind the brands for a closer look.
Mi-T-M
Mi-T-M was founded in 1971 by A.J. Spielgel. It began by producing portable pressure washers but its business quickly expanded and now it also makes generators as well as a few other things too.
The company is a proud American manufacturer and it manufactures its generators at a facility in Peosta, Iowa. While it manufactures its generators in the USA, its materials are globally sourced. However, this is fairly standard these days as certain materials can only be obtained from specific countries.
The company does offer generators for industrial use, but for this article, I’ll be focusing on its American-made generators that are geared toward regular consumer use. Here are some links to its generator categories.
The company offers 2 warranties on its residential and commercial generators. It offers a 1-year alternator warranty and a 3-year Mi-T-M Engine warranty. This makes it a good choice for a reliable generator as the company will be there for you if things go wrong.
NorthStar (Northern Tool)
The company was founded in 1981 under the name Northern Tool. It wasn’t until 1991 that Northern Tools began producing products under the NorthStar brand name. The company offers generators, pressure washers, log splitters, and more.
As far as manufacturing goes, NorthStar manufactures a lot of its generators within the US. I did find several third-party articles stating that the company manufactures all of its products in the US. Unfortunately, this isn’t the case.
According to Renewablecop, it assembles its products in the US as well as in a few Asian countries. I decided to reach out to the company directly regarding where it manufactures its generators. According to an official company employee, at least one of its generator lines is manufactured in the USA. That is the NorthStar Portable Generator with Honda GX630 OHV Engine.
If you are looking at getting one of the company’s other generator models, then I’d recommend reaching out and asking if it is American-made. Here’s a link to its generator product page, and here’s a link to its contact information.
Generac
Generac was founded in 1959. It introduced the first affordable backup generator among other things. The company is so popular that according to its website, nearly 8 out of 10 generators that are sold within the US are one of Generac’s generators.
Generac is very open regarding its manufacturing locations. It has 5 facilities in Wisconsin and from what I understand, most of its manufacturing is carried out at these facilities. See the image below for the specific details regarding its manufacturing locations.
As you can imagine, Generac has lots to choose from when it comes to portable American-made Generators. Here’s a link to its portable generator product page. The company does offer more generators, but they are primarily for industrial use.
Briggs & Stratton
Briggs & Stratton is a company that is recognized all over the world for its high-quality electrical goods. Its headquarters is located in Wauwatosa, Wisconsin but it has facilities throughout the US. However, it does also have at least one facility in China.
According to the company’s website, it manufactures 85% of its products in the USA using both American and internationally sourced-components. That said, it looks like most of its products made outside the US are sold to people outside the US.
So, as a whole, it looks like most of its generators are American-made, although just double-check with the company before committing to a purchase just to make sure! Here’s a link to its generator product page and here’s another containing its contact details.
Winco
Winco was Founded in 1927. Its headquarters is located in Le Center, Minnesota and it is a proud American generator manufacturer. For almost 100 years the company has been working on producing and perfecting high-quality generators.
Winco’s manufacturing facility is a 200,000-square-foot facility located in Le Center, Minnesota. A little fact about the company, it hasn’t laid off an employee since 1991, which is very impressive!
For those wanting to see what sort of portable generators Winco has to offer, here’s a link to its product page. For those wanting a little extra help, here are some links to some specific models for you to check out.
Cummins
Cummins was established in 1919 in Columbus, Indiana. The company is responsible for helping to shape the generator market into what it is today. These days, on top of manufacturing high-quality generators, the company also works on producing various engines.
Cummins works hard to be environmentally friendly. It is currently working toward becoming a net-zero company and it is always looking for ways to further improve its carbon footprint. For more on the company’s eco-friendly policies, here’s a link to a video put up by the company showing its plans for the future.
As for its manufacturing, according to Cummins’ official website, its home standby generators are designed and built in the USA. It looks like it conducts lots of its manufacturing within the US, but since most people are looking for generators for home use, I’ll focus on its home standby generators. Here’s a link to the company’s home standby generators for those who are interested in taking a closer look.
Gillette Generators
Finishing off this section we have Gillette Generators. Gillette first started manufacturing generators in the early 1960s, since then, it has grown and improved its products and it now manufactures generators across three plants set up within the USA.
Its manufacturing facilities are located in Elkhart, Indiana, and from what I understand, this is where most if not all of its manufacturing takes place.
For those wanting to check out some of Gillette’s portable generators, I’ve got you covered. Here are a couple of options for you to look at.
Honorable Mention
I came across a company that does assemble its products in the USA. However, it doesn’t seem to manufacture portable generators, only ones for powering homes and small businesses. Here’s what I found.
KOHLER Power
KOHLER Power is a large generator manufacturer that was founded in 1920. It is a well-known company that sells generators to people in countries all over the world. The company offers generators for home use and for small businesses.
According to KOHLER Power’s FAQ section on its website, its products are designed and assembled in the USA using components and parts from within the US and from overseas.
As mentioned above, the company caters to those looking for large generators. Here’s a link to its generators that are geared toward home use.
