All Tied Up – 3M Cable Ties

Who doesn’t feel a bit nostalgic when they look down the side of one of their favorite tools to find a proud “Made in USA” etch looking back at them? It’s a business decision City Electric Supply is proud to support and we applaud 3M for making strides in the American manufacturing of electrical products.

Cable ties represent a product category often associated with importing. They are so ubiquitous, in fact, that countless global manufacturers today are producing and selling them into the U.S.

The 3M American-made cable tie was first sold in the mid-1970’s. Today 3M sells a wide range of cable ties made in the USA in various sizes and types to meet needs of the electrical industry here in the homeland.

Meet Lloyd Julien (pictured right), a retired 3M employee from New Ulm, Minn. Julien worked in the Quality Department for many years. He is shown here calibrating a tensile tester used to test cable tie strength. 

When asked what it means to manufacture electrical products in the USA, 3M explains it’s much more than simple assembly.

“We’re proud to say that when you see either of these icons [left] on our products’ packaging, that’s a promise we’re using high-value, complex equipment, and skilled manufacturing employees in US manufacturing plants to substantially transform raw materials into the high-quality electrical products that you expect from 3M. Look for these icons on 3M™ Cable Ties packaging to be sure!” -David Gutman, Compliance Manager, 3M Electrical Markets Division.

*All 3M branded cable ties that carry either of the USA icons on their packaging are made in the USA.

Think you know how to use a cable tie? Think again! Try some of these cool ideas:

• Use a 3M™ cable tie on your hard hat for holding pencils, Sharpie® markers, flashlights, or anything else you might need on the job!
• Replace broken zipper pulls on a vest or jacket with a 3M cable tie.
• Fix a broken toilet handle. No repair required, just reattach a broken toilet chain with a couple of 3M cable ties.

Find more awesome cable tie uses and projects on our Pinterest board!

In what creative ways have you used cable ties?

City Electric Supply is proud to be a distributor of 3M products. Stop by one of our locations today to find other goods manufactured by 3M! For more information about other American made 3M electrical products, visit:www.3m.com/electricalstories.