Replies

1. 
   draftguy | Feb 23, 2006 01:46am | #1

   not only were they bought out, but by somebody named Horst J. Pudwill

   (talk about adding insult to injury)

1. 
   MarkH | Feb 23, 2006 02:43am | #2

   Horstpuckey.

   That bites.

2. 
   DavidxDoud | Feb 23, 2006 02:53am | #3

   of course this was more than a year ago -

   think positive - -

    

    

    

   "there's enough for everyone"
3. 
   gordsco | Feb 23, 2006 04:57am | #4

   Milwaukee didn't sell out, they were bought. Over a year ago.

   Its the American er Jap er wayway.

   Now Milwaukee tools has a family.

   And like all family members, some suck.

   View Image 

   Gord

1. 
   joeh | Feb 23, 2006 05:04am | #5

   AEG used to be good stuff, bought one of those red screwdrivers 3.6V(?) years ago.

   Over $100 at that time, but nothing else like it then.

   Lasted for many years, used the hell out of it.

   Ryobi is junk, Dirt Devil is cheap junk too.

   Joe H

1. 
   gordsco | Feb 23, 2006 05:24am | #6

   The company is moving ahead. In 87 they were making battery tools for sears.

   20 years later they are aquiring some serious toolmakers.Gord

4. 
   rasconc | Feb 23, 2006 08:35am | #7

   Have you seen that B&D is buying Hitachi?

1. 
   MLP | Feb 23, 2006 11:49am | #8

   What?   If the do , they must buy only the tools division , because Hitachi is a monster company that makes from tv 's to huge excavation machines.

    

1. 
   rasconc | Feb 23, 2006 05:05pm | #9

   The tools div is what I was told.  Maybe the source was joking but I don't think so.  I would guess the Hitachi Power Tools Div in Atlanta is what we are talking about.

2. 
   Fonzie | Feb 24, 2006 06:34am | #18

   Have you seen that B&D is buying Hitachi?OH NO, SAY IT AIN'T SO!

   Edited 2/23/2006 10:35 pm ET by Fonzie

1. 
   DougU | Feb 24, 2006 07:21am | #19

   In my best Bobcat Golthwaith impression, "this is so confusing"

5. FHB Editor
   JFink | Feb 23, 2006 05:41pm | #10

   I thought TTI owned Ridgid as well?  I don't see it listed there, but I could have sworn..

   Justin Fink - FHB Editorial

1. 
   Ricks503 | Feb 23, 2006 06:01pm | #11

   Indirectly, they are.

   Emerson bought Ridgid and Emerson is part of TTI1 - measure the board twice, 2 - cut it once, 3 - measure the space where it is supposed to go        4 - get a new board and go back to step 1

1. 
   BillHartmann | Feb 23, 2006 06:30pm | #12

   "Emerson bought Ridgid and Emerson is part of TTI"No, Emerson is major US Corp that is traded on NYSE as EMR.They are a large company and among there many brands areIn-Sink-Erator
   Thermo-Disc
   White-Rogers
   Emerson Appliance Controls
   Emerson Appliance Motors.
   ASCO Valves
   Emerson Motor
   Hurst
   U.S. Motors
   Emserson Tool (Western Forge) (Craftsman & Rigid shop vacs)
   http://www.emersontoolcompany.com/
   Knaack (truck and tool boxes)
   Weatherguard
   Rigid (which includes both the plumbing tool line and the builders/woodworkers tools sold at Home Depot.
   http://www.ridgid.com/index.html
   Closet Maid
   Stack-A-Shelf
   Emerson Fans (ceiling)
   http://www.emersonfans.com/index.jsp
   Copeland (air conditioning compressors)
   And lots of OEM and Industrial products in process control, automation, HVAC, electrical and backup power systems.http://www.gotoemerson.com/brands/index.htmlWhat Emerson did was to partner with OWT, a division of TTI, for the production and design of Rigid tools.http://www.gotoemerson.com/jsp/news/drelease.jsp?ReleaseID=2053It reading that it appears that Emerson still makes some of the product, but you can't tell which is which.BTW, when this was first anouced everyone compared this with Ryobi. But news stories at the time said that TTI was a major player in the tool field and did work for name brands such as Boosch, as OEM supplier, designer, sub-contractors.

1. 
   ETG | Feb 23, 2006 07:19pm | #14

   Today there is a lot of contracting out that takes place - it is my understanding that TTI is under contract from Emerson to produce Home Depot woodworking tools under the Ridgid brand held by Emerson.  If you don't have a score card and pay close attention, you can lose track of who is doing what.

   There's a whole generation of folks out there that think DeWalt is a portable tool maker - nothing further from the truth.  DeWalt was a radial arm saw manufacturer which Black & Decker plucked as much profit as they could then parked the brand.  Ten years later they took their B&D Industrial/Commercial line, gutted it for cost savings, sprayed it yellow and used the DeWalt brand they had available.  And now B&D owns Porter-Cable and Delta - will history repeat itself?

1. 
   JonE | Feb 23, 2006 09:15pm | #16

   DeWalt made a whole line of decent mid-range stationary machines - lathes, table saws, and radial arm saws included.  In the 1950's and 1960's there were quite a few manufacturers and retailers of good "homeowner" machines, tools that are considered heavy duty and industrial quality now.   Delta, Powermatic, Boice-Crane, Walker-Turner, Craftsman (made by King-Seeley), Wards (made by several mfrs. including Walker-Turner).  Delta and Powermatic were the ones that never really died, but since B & D got Delta/Pentair and JET has Powermatic, I guess they're dead too.  At least the quality seems to be headed down.

   There have been so many changes and buyouts in the tool world that I gave up trying to be brand-loyal.  You wind up finding out that your favorite name is now owned by your least favorite.  B&D buying Hitachi would probably not be a good thing, I'd hate to see Hitachi's quality go the way of all their other brands (especially DeWalt and B&D).  Of course, everybody has a pig in the lineup, but a whole line is another story.  I've stuck pretty well to Bosch and Hitachi, leaning heavily in the past year to the green funky tools, but I might have to rethink that in the future if the rumors wind up to be true. 

2. 
   ETG | Feb 23, 2006 10:15pm | #17

   I agree with you - and my brand loyality is limited to machines that have been relatively unchanged through the years - the PC 505 sander is an example.  I do buy quite a few "vintage" machines - just picked up a Delta/Rockwell 12 disk sander with enclosed stand, circa 1960's for $200 - I would put it against any new Delta sander.

   I am worried that B&D will push Delta to suspend parts distribution on vintage machines - B&D has already discontinued parts for 1990's DeWalt branded portable tools.  Porter-Cable has followed suite on some lines - Milwaukee seems to be one of the few portable tool manufacturers with a good supply of parts.

2. 
   Ricks503 | Feb 23, 2006 07:35pm | #15

   OK, I was skimming - went back and it looks like Ridgid is now owned by Emerson, and Emerson has a deal with OWT to make the tools and OWT is a subsidiary of TTI.1 - measure the board twice, 2 - cut it once, 3 - measure the space where it is supposed to go        4 - get a new board and go back to step 1

2. 
   BillHartmann | Feb 23, 2006 06:31pm | #13

   See my message to Rick.