Sharpe Mixers and the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act

Sharpe Mixers manufactures industrial liquid mixing equipment for various industries, including many that may be funded in partly or in whole by government programs.

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) is a bill providing for a wide variety of appropriations and other government programs. The “Buy American” provision within the bill, Section 1605 of Division A of the ARRA, provides that (with certain exceptions explained in the bill) the funds appropriated or made available by the ARRA may not be used for a project for the construction, alteration, maintenance or repair of a public building or public work unless all of the iron, steel, and other manufactured goods used in any projects receiving funding provided through the project are “produced in the United States.”

ARRA regulation 48 CFR § 25.602 explains that the requirement of “production in the United States” refers to the manufacturing processes of the iron, steel and other manufactured goods. The regulation provides that “there is no requirement with regard to the origin of components or subcomponents in other manufactured construction material, as long as the manufacture of the construction material occurs in the United States.” Further, the requirement of production in the United States “does not apply to steel or iron used as components or subcomponents of other manufactured construction material.”

Sharpe’s factory in Seattle, WA manufactures the entire range of its machinery and parts using locally sourced raw materials when available. Design, machining, welding, fabrication and assembly of the equipment is done at Sharpe’s Seattle factory, or by local subcontractors. All sub-components, such as motors and gear reducers, will be manufactured in the USA when ARRA regulations are specified.

Nearly all components used in Sharpe Mixers’ small portable mixer line are cast, fabricated, machined and processed in the USA. However, any orders specifying “Buy American” construction will use locally built alternatives for any foriegn sourced parts.

Based on the criteria specified in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, Sharpe Mixers products are “produced or manufactured in the United States” as required by the regulation.