Black & Decker's been Shopping...

[hobbyfarm]

Black & Decker\'s been Shopping...

They just acquired the Porter-Cable and Delta brands for $775 million. /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif

Milwaukee also got gobbled up by Techtronics Industries:
http://www.retailnet.com/story.cfm?ID=17721
http://www.tti.com.hk/

Also, look what Stanley and Irwin tools have turned into.
They've been snapping up lots other companies.
[Have you ever dumped some smaller "guppies" in to your established aquarium, only to get up the next day to check on them and find fewer fish than you started with?] /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif
I wonder who's making the killin' here? Probably these CEO's and not the investors.
I hope all these tool brands don't turn "TaiwanChinese" quality. Only time will tell if the end user will be screwed.

Seems like the tool companies are doing what the agricultural manufacturers have been doing for quite a while.
phil

 

[SteveH_CT]

Re: Black & Decker\'s been Shopping...

Wow - that's big news. You know, for some jobs I do, a B&D tool is fine, but there are times I like a higher quality piece. I too hope they don't cheapen everything down to the B&D standard, and just charge more for the name and implied quality of a better brand.

 

[ronjhall]

Re: Black & Decker\'s been Shopping...

B&D already makes the DeWalt line of tools.
Prices may go up. Now that there are less competitors.

 

[kokopelli2]

Re: Black & Decker\'s been Shopping...

b&d also bought baldwin and kwickset locks last year. oh and price fister plumbing supplies too.