What’s in a name? Sometimes, about $900 million worth of brand recognition.
That was the bet Stanley Black & Decker made in 2017 when it paid that much to acquire Sear’s Craftsman tool line (then 90 years old), trusting they could build on the reliability, performance, and attractive warranty that made the brand a favourite with homeowners, builders, auto enthusiasts, and mechanics for decades.
“We paid $900 million for nine letters. That’s about all we really picked up,” says Mark Emmerson, director of marketing in Canada for Stanley Black & Decker, explaining that the deal didn’t include any manufacturing facilities or equipment.
Instead, the company gave the brand a revised logo and look, and developed and launched — within one year — 1400 tools in the power tool, accessories, lawn and garden power equipment, hand tools and mechanic categories.
The reinvigorated Craftsman line, says Emmerson, “resonates” with consumers, and has found the retail sweet spot between trade pros and hard-core DIYers. Price points will hover consistently in the middle of the pack, but consumers will find, he suggests, that it has better specs (more power, run-time etc.) for the same price as its competitors.
As well as a revamped product line up, Craftsman http://www.craftsman.com has also focused on its delivery channel. The brand is sold at Ace http://www.ace-canada.ca Lowe’s http://www.lowes.ca Reno Depot http://www.renodepot.com/en and Rona http://www.rona.ca So close is the partnership and level of commitment that the company is “working with Lowe’s to identify gaps and develop new product to fill their needs in stores,” Emmerson says.
The current focus is on Craftsman’s V20 line up, which includes among other tools a cordless drill driver, chain saw, leaf blower, and string trimmer. There are lots of attractive features, says Emmerson. The cordless 18-guage finish nailer, for example, doesn’t need a compressor, hose, or gas cartridges, while the 7.25-inch sliding miter saw has power and runtime for up to 585 cuts through 3.25-inch MDF. Product is sold separately, but there’s also an eight-tool 20V combo kit that sells for about $650, which represents really good value.
To read about my experience testing Craftsman, go to www.aroundthehouse.ca
To promote the line, and to celebrate a one-year anniversary with retail partners Lowes and Rona, the company is running a contest in which consumers can win $1800 worth of Craftsman tools. (Hurry – it ends November 27, 2019 https://www.lowes.ca/craftsman-contest/craftsman-contest-terms)
More new product will launch in 2020, with power and outdoor items hitting stores in April, and power tools following a month or so later.
While Craftsman is a “global manufacturer, part of the brand strategy is to “make where we sell,” says Emmerson, explaining that a significant amount of Craftsman is made in the U.S.A.; some out of a new 425,000 square-foot facility in Fort Worth, Texas.
Emmerson is understandably bullish on the brand’s ability to remain a strong player in the North American market. “We’re excited about Craftsman because when we do our research, we see it really resonates with Canadians,” says Emmerson. “We’re here to stay.”
Better batteries, smarter systems
Innovation is happening across the stable of brands under the Stanley Black & Decker banner. Dewalt’s Flexvolt 60V Max system, for example, has batteries that automatically change voltage when the user changes tools, making it backwards compatible with most of the brand’s existing 20V MAX system, which now includes over 100 products.
The line, designed to offer the power of corded with the freedom of cordless, comprises several popular outdoor tools, including a 60-volt chainsaw, handheld blower, and string trimmer.
The chainsaw is equipped with a brushless motor, which the company says delivers performance akin to a gas-powered tool without the engine maintenance gas tools require. The blower clears debris at up to 423 CFM (Cubic Feet per Minute) and 129 miles per hour, and has a flat concentrator nozzle to increase air speed to 175 MPH. That’s a lot of leaves.
For more information and where to buy, go to www.dewalt.com.
