I see it too often. Suppliers in our industry use words like manufactured by, designed by, or developed by in their marketing. It sounds impressive, but for many of them, it is flat-out false. These claims are nothing more than clever branding and smoke and mirrors. In some cases, it's so dishonest that I can't call it anything but a lie.
Referring to my last post... let’s cut through the noise. There are really three types of suppliers in this game:
1. The Reseller or Importer
This is the most straightforward. They buy someone else’s product, slap their price on it, and sell it as-is. No deception here. They are not pretending to be anything more than a middleman. Resellers serve a purpose, but you are paying extra margin for no added value.
2. The White-Labeler (Deception Starts Here)
This is where things get murky. White-labelers source finished goods from an OEM manufacturer, then rebrand the product under their own label. They market it as if it is their creation, going so far as to claim they manufacture it in social posts and conversations with applicators.
The problem I have with this? They do not. They have no control over the formula/chemistry, the ingredients, the quality checkpoints, or the production. They simply import a finished product and hope their marketing spin is enough to convince you otherwise. In our industry, some of the loudest voices claiming to be manufacturers are, in truth, nothing more than white-label importers.
3. The Actual Manufacturer
Then there are the genuine manufacturers. This is where All Purpose Coatings stands apart. Manufacturing is not easy, and it is not cheap. It is filled with complex legal obligations, quality assurance testing, formulation development, compliance, product design, and the capital investment ($ millions) in facilities and machinery.
But it is also where true value for applicators and the industry is created. Being a true manufacturer means we control every step, from the raw materials to the final product in the drum. It means we can innovate, refine, and respond quickly to challenges. It means accountability and transparency, because there is no mystery supplier behind the curtain. It means we can be different.
Why It Matters?
When you work directly with the manufacturer, you know what you are getting. A company who back's their quality (because they're in control of it), consistent supply, genuine innovation, and the assurance that your supplier is not just a marketing company passing off someone else’s work & products as their own.
In a market flooded with inflated claims, choosing the real manufacturer is not just the smarter move, it is the only sensible move for applicators wanting reliability, accountability, and a partnership where truth & honesty lead first.
The Dirty Truth Behind “Manufactured By” Claims in Our Industry