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S-K factory

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wantacoe

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Just thought I would share a couple pics of the S-K factory. It is about 5-6 years old. Construction has started next door to it, (Ideal Industries) the parent company. The old factory is behind the S-K building. Not sure what they are going to do with it when the new one is done.
 

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PJNJ

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:+1: Thanks for the photos. Good to see SK and Ideal expanding.
:beer:
 
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Skin

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Probably going to expand manufacturing. Things like wrenches, screwdrivers, pliers, punches etc... are currently made in Colorado by Western Forge as opposed to in that SK facility (both Ideal companies though). As SK days showed they have a hard enough time just keeping up with basic socketry.
 
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wantacoe

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Wish I did have the keys.
Kramarj. When Ideal bought them out they built this factory. Not sure where they were at before.
 
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southalabama

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The fact that an American tool mfg is adding to the size of it's building is a good thing. I know the long history of s-k. Seems it has found a home with ideal. I love s-k tools.
 
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LB-1911

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IDEAL BREAKS GROUND ON NEW, EXPANDED MANUFACTURING FACILITY

SYCAMORE, IL (May 14, 2015) -- At its groundbreaking ceremony in the Sycamore Prairie Business Park, IDEAL INDUSTRIES, INC. of Sycamore Illinois, celebrated the beginning of a construction process that will result in a new manufacturing facility of 220,000 square feet. It will replace several existing facilities in the area and provide additional capacity within the existing product lines as well as support new product launches which are being announced simultaneously with the construction.

https://www.idealindustries.com/news/



Friday, April 24, 2015
– Ideal Industries is taking steps to ensure its new facility at the Sycamore Prairie Business Park area is respectful to its neighbors.

A new facility, about 200,000 square feet in size, will combine operations from the existing DeKalb and Sycamore buildings. It is expected to open in January and continue to manufacture and assemble several items including screwdrivers, wire nuts, fish tape and wire strippers.

http://www.daily-chronicle.com/2015...nufacturing-in-new-sycamore-location/axsinn1/
 
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SK Eric

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wantacoe said:
The old factory is behind the S-K building. Not sure what they are going to do with it when the new one is done.
Click to expand...

Thanks for sharing our new(ish) home! The new plant in the background is going to handle most of the production that exists now at the Sycamore and DeKalb plants. We are going to tear down one old section of our existing plant and keep the rest for expansion and other products. The DeKalb plant has some really cool projects in the works. More on that later.

Oh, the plan is to keep a lion's share of the forging in Colorado Springs and to machining, finish work and assembly in Sycamore.
 
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wantacoe

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SK Eric said:
Thanks for sharing our new(ish) home! The new plant in the background is going to handle most of the production that exists now at the Sycamore and DeKalb plants. We are going to tear down one old section of our existing plant and keep the rest for expansion and other products. The DeKalb plant has some really cool projects in the works. More on that later.

Oh, the plan is to keep a lion's share of the forging in Colorado Springs and to machining, finish work and assembly in Sycamore.
Click to expand...

Thanks Eric, Are you in Sycamore/Dekalb?
 
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ephotrod

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Do you think that they wrote a clause in their contract regarding the use of their brand tools only on the job site.
 
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defektes

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Arizona
Hell, the contractors can run across the street and pick up some real tools and throw away the Husky/Kobalt **** they probably roll with.
 
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wantacoe

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ephotrod said:
Do you think that they wrote a clause in their contract regarding the use of their brand tools only on the job site.
Click to expand...

I used to work at caterpillar. They were adding on to the building and the contractors had a JD end loader and some other equipment. They made them tape over the JD signage.
 
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SK Eric

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wantacoe said:
Thanks Eric, Are you in Sycamore/Dekalb?
Click to expand...

All too often!

ephotrod said:
Do you think that they wrote a clause in their contract regarding the use of their brand tools only on the job site.
Click to expand...

We do require IDEAL Wire Nuts in all of the electrical fixtures!

defektes said:
Hell, the contractors can run across the street and pick up some real tools and throw away the Husky/Kobalt **** they probably roll with.
Click to expand...

Lolz.

Dennis Leigh Henry said:
Wonder if they lock their trash and scrap bins... :lol_hitti
Click to expand...

The bins are kept inside the building:D, which include manufacturing defects and warranty returns. I sometimes look at the bins and think: I could use that and that and that and that. But does the boss listen? Nope. You'd be surprised at how much vintage stuff comes in as warranty returns.
 
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Dennis Leigh Henry

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SK Eric said:
All too often!



We do require IDEAL Wire Nuts in all of the electrical fixtures!



Lolz.



The bins are kept inside the building:D, which include manufacturing defects and warranty returns. I sometimes look at the bins and think: I could use that and that and that and that. But does the boss listen? Nope. You'd be surprised at how much vintage stuff comes in as warranty returns.
Click to expand...

RE bins.. I'd bet some of the misc. "collectors items" (if identified as such cleverly to prevent bounce back) would sell... :bounce:
 
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Mechanical Noise

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SK Eric said:
The bins are kept inside the building:D, which include manufacturing defects and warranty returns. I sometimes look at the bins and think: I could use that and that and that and that. But does the boss listen? Nope. You'd be surprised at how much vintage stuff comes in as warranty returns.
Click to expand...

Many years ago, I did some work for a friend of a friend. He worked at SK Chicago and gave me a 1/2" drive ratchet he claimed came from the return bin. The ratchet was dinged and worn but otherwise in good condition. I have no idea why it might have been returned.

That ratchet feels so nice, much better than the crummy Sears ratchets I was using. I'm sure that whatever SK lost in that ratchet's scrap value, they've more than made it up in promotional value. I've been a big fan of SK ratchets ever since. I've also loaned it out to friends who were similarly suffering with low end ratchets. The SK ratchet invarably brings a Wow! and a smile.
 
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boiler7904

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wantacoe said:
I used to work at caterpillar. They were adding on to the building and the contractors had a JD end loader and some other equipment. They made them tape over the JD signage.
Click to expand...

Contractor I'm working with now runs all JD equipment (except for IR compactors, and Terex articulated trucks) and had a job literally across the street from a Cat plant earlier this year. As soon as his second machine showed up, the Cat factory had a rep out there asking what he needed and when - free use of the equipment to keep JD out of sight near their facility.
 
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wantacoe

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Sycamore, il
boiler7904 said:
Contractor I'm working with now runs all JD equipment (except for IR compactors, and Terex articulated trucks) and had a job literally across the street from a Cat plant earlier this year. As soon as his second machine showed up, the Cat factory had a rep out there asking what he needed and when - free use of the equipment to keep JD out of sight near their facility.
Click to expand...

Cat has it out for JD. Whenever the management spoke of JD it was as if JD only purpose was to destroy cat. The only reason cat got in the ag business was because JD started producing a new line of construction equipment. Cat came out with the Challenger tractor on tracks. JD came out with their own tracked machine and cat filed a patent lawsuit. Cat won that and sold their ag business to Agco. They are still involved with the Challenger line, but do not directly produce it.
 
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westracing01

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New Milford, CT
Wow. All this time I thought SK just went out of business when they went bankrupt. I love my SK ratchets. They're the only design that you can palm the head of and not have the damn direction switch on you.

My 1/4" drive stripped out. SK still honor the old lifetime gurantee?
 
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LB-1911

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westracing01 said:
Wow. All this time I thought SK just went out of business when they went bankrupt.

I love my SK ratchets. They're the only design that you can palm the head of and not have the damn direction switch on you.

My 1/4" drive stripped out. SK still honor the old lifetime gurantee?
Click to expand...

Why not contact them and find out?

http://www.skhandtool.com/contact-us.aspx

Or customer service at 800 822 5575.

:beer:
 
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Dennis Leigh Henry

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South Central, IN USA
wantacoe said:
Cat has it out for JD. Whenever the management spoke of JD it was as if JD only purpose was to destroy cat. The only reason cat got in the ag business was because JD started producing a new line of construction equipment. Cat came out with the Challenger tractor on tracks. JD came out with their own tracked machine and cat filed a patent lawsuit. Cat won that and sold their ag business to Agco. They are still involved with the Challenger line, but do not directly produce it.
Click to expand...

Not to hijack this thread.. but Cat has it out for just about all their competitors..Cummins included.
 
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dede2897234

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Vivekananda said:
Made in America with Global Materials?
Click to expand...


Vivekananda,

The "old SK" (before the bankruptcy), the hand tools were made in the U.S., France, and Taiwan. The Ideal Industries-owned SK (after the bankruptcy; "new SK") makes its hand tools 100% in the United States. You can read about it here: LINK.


Dave
 
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