Well without starting a bun fight... The ARK Corporation is an Australian company, run by Australians. Their products are mainly Australian designed.. Sure, products or part there of may be made overseas, but then again, name a few that arn't.
The other wonderful thing that the Chinese have perfected, that no other country has done so is the cost versus quality option. In other words, go to them with a design, and they will ask you how much you want to pay per item. The item always looks the same, but the quality is relevant to how much you want to pay.. Therefore, not all items coming out of China are rubbish.
One must remember that the entrance to their universities is a lot higher then we have, and there are more university graduates then our total population. So, in short, the Chinese have it worked out, you get what you pay for.. Speaking from someone who has lived and worked with them, don't sell them short..
Been to China many times and have a fair knowledge of thier manufacturing ;-)
Never doubted ARC is an Australian company but I still think a lot of their products are crap compared to others. And those others being AU or NZ companies who also manufacture in China , Trojan and Rhino to think of two.
That's not to say thier products don't do a job but I think it's less of a job then simalar priced stuff can do better.
There 7 pin flat plugs work had one on my boat trailer for years causes it's all I could buy from supercrap paid same as equivalent lumen plug from repco. You need to use needle nose pliers cause the screw slots are crap but it works. The lumen plugs have perfect quality screws. The cap doesn't seal as well either.
Use the arc wheel bearings for $20 a set and compare them to the timken for $25 a set (often on special for $20) one has a proper bearing ground finish the arc looks like it's been linished! Do they work , yes again they work but will generally run at a higher temp or did on my trailer and will certainly not last as long before brinelling sets in.
Find the thread on here about thier heavy duty off-road jockey wheel , another Ark story of the MS style product development lol
Maybe there my conclusions but Iam gojng to grab another brand before I grab an arc product everytime I can .