RE: EMPI and China?
Davids comments seem to imply that EMPI is a Chinese company.  A good read
here:
http://www2.cal-look.com/nostalgia/risefall.html
I was using EMPI parts in the '60's and I can guarantee that they were not
coming from China then.  Today many international companies are having
products produced in China but to their specs with tight quality control.
But there are also products coming out of China without the QC that is
demanded (and archived) by  large customers.
BTW, for all I know the EMPI name may have been taken over (apparently has
changed hands several times in the last 40+ years) by a Chinese slave labor
plant but could find nothing to that effect with Google.