If you were a major tool manufacturer, how would you go about entering a new category? By teaming up with one of the largest existing players in that market, of course.
Yesterday DeWalt announced that they are teaming up with Empire and releasing a new line of box levels this March. The press release makes no mention of accuracy, only noting that contractors are asking for levels that can stand up to a tough life on the jobsite, and boasting that their levels will be 250x stronger than competitive models.
But it begs the question…why?
– Why is Empire teaming up with DeWalt? They are both sold in Home Depot, so I can’t see any gain in customer exposure. I find it hard to believe that DeWalt, maker of 800 different power tools and accessories, including access to the facilities used by Stanley, needed a factory that was set up for making levels?
Maybe Empire was struggling to survive in a market that’s dominated by Stabila?
Maybe DeWalt recognized that there were only a few segments of the market left that they didn’t have a stake in?
What do you guys make of this?
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Empire needed something flashy to stand out in the isles like Fat Max do.
Dewalt seems to be interested in buying up all the competition. they are going to have all the American named tools under one roof soon. What a drag!
All of these box level designs seem to be boasting "tougher and more accurate", while they don't seem to address the issues for cabinet installers and finish carpenters - visibility in dark, shadowy, awkward spaces, and the ability to strike an accurate line along a continuous edge not broken by the vial aperture. Empire and other manufacturers use a chamfered edge to strengthen the box design. I had an Empire for a while as a handy, job site level, but sold it because I couldn't see the blue vial under many light conditions and the chambered edge made striking an accurate line nearly impossible.
Festool and Stabila teamed up briefly to put out an installers level, and while the review is still up on Gary Katz's website, I've not seen it on the market.
Maybe DeWalt can help Empire get it right.