Gentlemen, I sincerely apolgize for my statement that Red Dot reels are made in the United States of America. I was mistaken. An inference was made that Red Dot was a "Gulf Coast" company. I drew an ill thought out conclusion. I had dialogue yesterday with one of the principles at Red Dot, some of our discourse follows:
>Are your reels made in the United States of America?
>
>>Regards,
>>Casey Donovan
>>Senior Sales Consultant
>>Currie, Peak, and Frazier, Inc.
>>
www.cpfinc.com
>>850.894.6851 O
>>850.212.8245 C
>
>Hi Casey
>
>Thanks for contacting us. Our Research & Development, Marketing,
>Finance and Sales Divisions are all located in New Orleans. We wanted
>to set up our manufacturing facilities here but found it impossible to
>compete with other fishing reel companies who were making their
>products in China. (I don't know of any fishing reel companies who have
>manufacturing facilities in the U.S. - some say that they are assembled
>here, but as best as I can tell, everyone including the Japanese are
>now manufacturing in China)
>
>So, the bottom line, in order for us to be able to offer the quality
>products that we have at the prices that we are selling for, we were
>forced to build in China.
>
>The "Gulf Series 4000" spinning reel for example, after we copleted our
>market/business research we found that it would cost us (at best) over
>$100.00 per reel to manufacture here in the U.S. We could not be in
>business, nor stay in business if had to sell at over $110.00 in order
>to make just a small profit. No one would buy at that price, especially
>from a new company.
>
>Please let me know if I can help you in any other way. We are all
>fisherman at Red Dot and believe that we have a great product at even
>greater prices. Let me know where you are and I will let you know if we
>have a dealer there.
>
>Thanks again for contacting us.
>--
>Mike Doyle
>Red Dot Reels
>
mike@reddotreels.com
>"make every cast count"
>
www.reddotreels.com
>
From: "Casey Donovan" <
cdonovan@cpfinc.com>
Date: Wed, 21 Apr 2004 16:09:07 -0400
>Mike, thanks for the information. I had heard about your company on
WWL 870 AM one night on a fishing show out of New Orleans on one of my trips through the State of Florida.
>
>I have a little egg on my face because I understood from the radio show
and you website some time back that the reels were made in the USA. I
spread the word on your product and company at a regional fishing forum
based here in Tallahassee. Several of our members have purchased reels from you. Other forum members are anxiously awaiting wet trial reports on your reels.
>
I understand the market pressures that forced your company to locate
manufacturing overseas. That is regrettable, but not surprising. I,
like many folks in the south would prefer to purchase an American made
product from an American company. If your reels get positive feedback
from others on the forum, I will definitely be purchasing.
>
With your permission, I would like to share your previous reply and
explanation with my fellow forum members.
>
>The forum
http://www.bigbendfishing.net my screen name - dbplug
>
>I look forward to your reply.
>
>Regards,
>
>Casey Donovan
From Mike at Red Dot
Thanks for understanding. I believe that the WWL "Don Dubuc" radio show specifically indicated that Red Dot Reels was a "locally owned - Gulf Coast" company. I don't believe that they said the product was manufactured here, but I could be wrong.
You can read a very well writted review of our "Gulf Series" that includes pictures (inside and out) of one of our Gulf 5000 spinning reels at Hook and Sinker (West Coast forum)
http://www.hookandsinker.com/reel/. It's probably the most objective and honest review that I have seen to date. Please share it with your fellow readers and by all means, do your own.
I got a lot of flack from my partners and other fisherman when I bought a Toyota Tundra pick up a couple of months ago so I'm going to put a sign on it that says "Made in Kansas, USA bu American Workers".
Trust me, I wish things were different but our country is just NOT what it used to be, nor is the rest of the world.
I'm trying to share some real solid, truly American ideas, beliefs and philosophy with my son (20yrs old going on 35)and I find him continuously arguing/debating those with his friends. It must be working! I'm an American inside and out, a Viet Nam veterean and a real believer in democracy, something that I feel, "we used to have here"!!!!
Mike
So my fellow forum members, I am very sorry for my inaccuracy. I will check and recheck my facts. I ask for your forgiveness, I am always learning.
but I will go ahead and share it with ya'll 
This is from Mike Doyle at Red Dot Reels!
)
