Why does Starla hand weld their front mufflers?

I recently purchased an exhaust system for our Volvo. The rear muffler is brand new. The welded seam for the in and out pipes were perfectly done - I assume by a factory machine. Very nice but no brand label tag on it saying it was Starla. Is no tag normal?

But the front muffler was a different story altogether, definitely done by an inexperienced welder, as the weld was bunched up (too convexed) and other areas were under done (too concave and thin), and their were splatter balls all over it - really messy job - not that I could do any better, but I expected more from an OE mfr. Additionally, the out pipe is not round, it has a flat spot on it 1" X 1." Using hand tools to get pipes perfectly round for a good seal is a tool much and something I should not have to do. I'll tell ya, I better not have to pay for any UPS charges for a replacement for this damaged muffler, or send this one back.

I telephoned the parts guy and he said all the ones he had were welded ... I wonder if he meant hand welded or just welded? I was trying to explain the difference but he didn't seem to understand.

Btw, I was going to buy an entire Volvo exhaust system for $14 more, with a written lifetime warranty for the mufflers, but it was not in stock at the time and there was a five day wait (guess who I will be buying from when our other Volvos need replacement exhaust!!!). The guy who I ordered the system from said everything was in stock. When it didn't arrive on schedule I called and the darn thing wasn't even shipped yet.

I would have had the entire job done by now and Volvo said their mufflers are all factory welded. But the aftermarket parts guy said he would extend a lifetime warranty for the mufflers I buy from him and make a note on the invoice, but the invoice does not reflect that agreement; and he was out of the parts and I had to wait anyway. Now that the system has arrived I found the front muffler was hand welded and does not look new at all.

Anyone have any experience in these matters -- diyer?

PS. No need for saying who this was, as all my previous orders were okay and the original guy I dealt with was always nice and probably still is.