# Tool conglomerations, who owns who ?



## Speedball (Nov 2, 2008)

Now that's interesting.....


----------



## skymaster (Jun 6, 2007)

WMH holdings owns Jet,Powermatic,and several others


----------



## ratherbefishin' (Jun 16, 2007)

That's one huge can of worms you opened

Just a couple things I can add from my own research a while back:

Emerson is actually divided into about eight divisions now, one of which, Emerson Professional Tools, bought Ridge Tool Company. The Ridgid woodworking tools are made under contract with EPT by One World Technologies, which is a subsidiary of Techtronics Industries (TTI). Contrary to popular belief, Home Depot does not own Ridgid, Ryobi, or any other brand. They just have a marketing contract. As far as I know, all the Ridgid plumbing tools are still made in USA.
TTI also has Dirt Devil, Hoover, and some other vacuum brands. They just acquired the Milwaukee brand last spring, as I recall.

Hitachi is a huge conglomerate in itself. The power tool division is actually one of the smaller operations, though it's one of the oldest tool makers. Did you know they invented the SCMS? They're into everything from semiconductors,electronics, and appliances to heavy equipment, elevators and power plants. I believe everything they do carries the Hitachi brand. I haven't heard about a B&D link, but that wouldn't surprise me if B&D contracted with Hitachi to build some things.

I think you're right about Makita. They seem to follow the old philosophy of "do one thing and do it well"......at least until they get an offer they can't refuse....:huh:


----------



## iMisspell (Jun 2, 2007)

ratherbefishin' said:


> That's one huge can of worms you opened


Not me, "The New World Order" :laughing:




ratherbefishin' said:


> I haven't heard about a B&D link, but that wouldn't surprise me if B&D contracted with Hitachi to build some things.





2002 – Black & Decker said:


> http://www.blackanddecker.com/CustomerCenter/Company-Information.aspx
> Black & Decker ® and Hitachi Koki enter into cooperative arrangement in the power tools business






ratherbefishin' said:


> .... I think you're right about Makita. They seem to follow the old philosophy of "do one thing and do it well"......at least *until they get an offer they can't refuse*....:huh:


Hope that will be a long way away.

_


----------



## ratherbefishin' (Jun 16, 2007)

Thanks for the link. That explains why the Firestorm line has been getting pretty good reviews for homeowner grade tools. My only B&D is a bench grinder I inherited that's probably 60-70 yrs old and still going strong. Back then, they built industrial grade. Guess that changed when they bought DeWalt.


----------



## skymaster (Jun 6, 2007)

OK just for giggles folks, a tool question: Who built the first cordless/battery tool that was really outta dis world and where was it first used?:whistling2:


----------



## ratherbefishin' (Jun 16, 2007)

Believe NASA had the first cordless, probably on the Apollo missions. Who made it? Not sure, but since there's no way they would've outsourced to a foreign company back then, my first guess would have to be......Black & Decker. They were still well made US products then and that would be shortly after they acquired DeWalt, so I'm sure they had a great engineering dept.


----------



## skymaster (Jun 6, 2007)

RATHER DO B DA WINNAH!!!!!!!
 Yes B&D built it for Apollo 11. Also yes B&D way back then built some butt kickin commercial duty tools, corded of course. I still have 2 a pistol grip 1/2" drill that will just twist you and the ladder you are standing on if the bit hangs up. A drywall gun that just makes every other out look like the wanna be's they are :}
My whole point is that todays B&D only have the name in common with the older ones :yes:
Congrats again Mr. Fishin. hmmmmmmmmmmmm where that 7 lb bucket mouf????


----------



## DUDE! (May 3, 2008)

Seems like they make so many versions of the power tools for different markets that it gets hard to know if you are getting a good deal or are buying junk, guess its that way with most products though. This was a very interesting subject, thanks for passing it along.


----------



## skymaster (Jun 6, 2007)

Dude; My opinion only here, once upon a time :}:} most tools were made for Professional use and were quite expensive, time went by and Home owners saw em and thought hmmmmmmmmmm, companies saw this and went $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ So everybody now makes crap that looks like professional tools to fool the DIY market. If there is a brand out there that seems to stand above this it is Panasonic, with Makita right behind them. The other secret is that virtually every battery for every tool is made by PANASONIC the differences are the company specs they make them to. Their own brand get the best batteries.
NOW ya done it LOL LOL I wonder if Panasonic and Makita are connected secretly?


----------



## iMisspell (Jun 2, 2007)

Forgot about these guys....
Found this wiki link pretty intresting.

_Robert Bosch GmbH / LLC_
Robert Bosch Tool Corporation


Bosch
Skil
Dremel
RotoZip


----------



## skymaster (Jun 6, 2007)

Add Vermont American to that Bosch group :}


----------



## ratherbefishin' (Jun 16, 2007)

YAAAAAAAYYYYYYYY!!!!! So what's my prize??? A free year of DIY forums?.....er.....uh.....yeah....that's already free, isn't it Oh, well, I guess I can settle for recognition of my incomparable knowledge and unsurpassed analytical skills:thumbup: OK.....OK......don't say it! I already know what I can go do with myself........

skymaster, dem bucket moufs is too far inland for me. I'm not sure if carpetbaggin' snowbirds like me are welcome up that way....:huh: Lots of nice redfish, specks, and flounder here on the coast.

Back on topic, and speaking of European, Hilti and Festool are both family owned businesses. Hard to believe in this day and age.


----------



## skymaster (Jun 6, 2007)

Rather B: You get 2 hrs of my superb fantabulous cabinetmakin schoolin LOL LOL . I take dem red fishes, flounders OH YEAH BABY since u iz dat way how close are you to Ocean Springs? Good friend of mine owns the Ocean Springs airport :}:}:} 
The way things are goin around here i may just deliver those lessons in person pretty soon ROFLMAO. Damn I may have to make that 8 hrs :}:}


----------



## SNC (Dec 5, 2008)

ITW
Paslode is a division of Illinois Tool Works


----------



## iMisspell (Jun 2, 2007)

Updated...

(Thanks for this, ratherbefishin')
TTS Tooltechnic Systems


Festool
Protool
Schneider
Tanos



(Thanks for this, SNC)
Illinois Tool Works


Paslode
Ramset
Red Head
Buildex 
- E-Z Ancor
- Tapcon
- Trugrip
- Teks
- Dec-King & Rock-On




*Self Owned with out any subsidiaries*


Hilti (Thanks for this, ratherbefishin')






ratherbefishin' said:


> ....speaking of European, Hilti and Festool are both family owned businesses. Hard to believe in this day and age.


 Looks like Festool is part of something more.

The list is growning 

Thanks guys !

_


----------



## ratherbefishin' (Jun 16, 2007)

skymaster, I'm about 25 miles west of OS. Blackened or grilled?

iMisspell, interesting.....I hadn't heard of TTS before. Looked it up and they claim Festool as a subsidiary but the Festool site says they're still owned by one of the founding families. TTS appears to be a holding company, so either they own enough shares to have a controlling interest in Festool or, maybe, TTS is owned by said "founding family". Still a German outfit, though, at least for the moment.......


----------



## skymaster (Jun 6, 2007)

RB: Grilled Sir :}:} As much as this will make me a wimp Sweet T be my beverage of choice :}:}


----------



## Mr Chips (Mar 23, 2008)

i think if you are looking for true independants, you need to look at the smaller hand tool guys, especially the ones that still manufacture in the USA. Most of these smaller family type businesses are still doing it on their own ( although maybe for not much longer).....


----------

