Spannersphere
Well-known member
I'm looking at buying a 1/2 bahco ratchet. I'm from Australia and they sell two different strands but I'm not sure where there made. There's a dramatic price difference in price.
Bahco tools
- Thread starter Spannersphere
- Start date
1952M,111m,11m Combination wrenches= Germany! Pu comb wrench= argentina! Screwdrivers,pliers,adj wrenches= spain and sweden! Sockets= argentina,germany and taiwan! Ratchets, ratcheting wrenches= taiwan! They have some china stuff...dont buy, ****!
...but one thing is certain: Not Sweden
Sawblades is still made in sweden! And a small production of adj wrenches,pliers!
decaf
Well-known member
I guess you are looking at one from the SBS (Cheap)series like this one:
And maybe compare that with one from the 8150´s like these:
or:
There is a pretty huge price gap between these. But it´s different quality i think.
The SBS series holds up pretty well i think. Depends what you are gonna work on?
And maybe compare that with one from the 8150´s like these:
or:
There is a pretty huge price gap between these. But it´s different quality i think.
The SBS series holds up pretty well i think. Depends what you are gonna work on?
Sawblades, and complete saws, yes. Some special pliers, yes. Forest tools, check. But adj. wrenches, i´m afraid not...
I searched some swedish newspapers earlier, when this subject was up the last time. They might be wrong, but every new adj. wrench on sale here in Denmark is from Argentina or Spain:
From unt.se, Uppsala nya tidning (Uppsala new daily):Published: 2007-06-28 - Sista skiftnyckeln tillverkad i Enköping
Sista skiftnyckeln har lämnat Bahco Verktyg i Fanna, eller SNA Europe som företaget nu heter. I dag fredag upphör all tillverkning av verktyg i den anrika Enköpingsanläggningen.
Bahco Verktyg köptes av Sandvik AB 1991, och vidare till amerikanskägda Snap-On 1999. I februari 2006 kom beskedet att tillverkningen i Enköping skulle läggas ned, och samma år böt bolaget namn från Bahco AB till SNA Europe.
Nedmonteringen av smidespressar och maskiner har pågått steg för steg sedan i december förra året, och stora ytor i verkstäderna ekar tomma. Hittills har omkring 100 lastbilar fyllda med maskiner och gods fraktats till Spanien där tillverkningen ska fortsätta, fortfarande med märkesnamnet Bahco tryckt på godset, men Made in Spain, inte Made in Sweden.
När UNT besöker Fannaanläggningen på torsdagen harsmidespressarna redan stängts för gott, de sista råämnena till nycklar har pressats och lämnat smedjan. En smidespress på 40 ton och med 1600 tons presskraft har monterats ned och ska forslas till Vitória i Spanien, en annan står kvar, den ska säljas.
My humble translation:"Last adjustable wrench from Enköping
The last wrench has left the Bahco works in Fanna, Sweden, or SNA Europe, as the company is renamed. Today, friday, all production of tools ceased in the legendary bouldings in Enköping.
Bahco tools was aquired by Sandvik in 1991 and passed to american owned Snap On in 1999. In february 2006 the message was given, that the production in Enköping should be closed, and the same year the company name was changed to SNA Europe.
The disassembly of the drop forge presses and machines has been going on since december last year (2006) and large spaces in the plant stands empty. By now, 100 trucks loaded with machines and goods has been transfered to Spain, where the production will continue, still with the brand Bahco pressed in the die, but Made in Spain, not Made in Sweden.
When UNT are visting the Fanna plant thursday, the drop forge presses are closed for good, the last raw parts are pressed and has left the forgery. A 40 tonnes drop forge press with 1600 tonnes impact is dismounted and is about to a journey to Vitoria, Spain. A second press remains, to be sold at highest bid."
decaf
Well-known member
1952 where made in Germany when Belzer had a collaboration with Sandvik.
I love them wrenches!!
Later on they have been made in Argentina for at least 10 years...or more...??
Now i think these will soon or are allready beeing made in Taiwan...
The Ergo line screwdrivers where made in germany a period, but from 2004 they are now made in Spain.
ChevyEFI
Well-known member
Perhaps an odd question, but why was the Bahco name retained if Sandvik was the acquirer and Bahco the acquiree?
OP
Spannersphere
Well-known member
Decaf I was looking at the 8150s with the snap on internals. Thanks for the advice everyone.I guess you are looking at one from the SBS (Cheap)series like this one:
And maybe compare that with one from the 8150´s like these:
or:
There is a pretty huge price gap between these. But it´s different quality i think.
The SBS series holds up pretty well i think. Depends what you are gonna work on?
Perhaps an odd question, but why was the Bahco name retained if Sandvik was the acquirer and Bahco the acquiree?
Good question. As I remember it, the reason was that the old Bahco brand had an excellent reputation here in Scandinavia (and rest of Europe), like SnapOn in the US. Bahco produced maybe not the most modern tools (Brands like Wera, Wiha and Knipex were years ahead in handle design i.e.), but very, very reliable tools. In Europe, it´s also de facto Bahco, who stands as the inventor of the adjustable wrench - funny enough known as a "Crescent-wrench" in the US. Bahco used to have a "invented by Bahco" stamp in the handles. Sandvik on the other hand, were "only" known for saws, "coromant"-bits for lathes and steel (raw materials). They started the "Ergo" project with scientist from a swedish university, integrating a new, ergonomic view on tools (this programme still runs within Bahco/SNA Europe, the origin of it is somewhat blurred in their texts...). I can´t tell whether it was due to economic disappointment, or just a new board at Sandviks descision, but the "tool-plan" was cancelled, and Belzer-Bahco-Sandvik tools sold to SNA. Can´t remember exactly how, but at some point in the 90´s, AEG power tools (at that time owned by swedish Atlas Copco), became a part of the Ergo programme, hence the AEG/Milwaukee Ergo drills.
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decaf
Well-known member
It was a Company called Ergonomidesign who helped Bahco with the Ergo program. It was back in the 1986 i think. The first thing in the Ergo line was the screwdrivers.
I really like the handle on those.
Now the companys name is Veryday. HQ in Stockholm...
I really like the handle on those.
Now the companys name is Veryday. HQ in Stockholm...
decaf
Well-known member
´82 not ´86...ok...sry....my memory failed my 4 years....
Thank you, Decaf, for the correct name, and Monte for the link.
When you look at tools "before and after science", it makes you wonder, why it had to be the 80´s before anyone took this step. But I guess that´s how it is with any smart idea, it makes you think "But that´s obvious the right way!".
Clearly remember as a child, when my dad got a new machinist job in the start of the 80´s at a large factory, and broght some Wera screwdrivers "Kraftform" home. How nice they felt in the hand.
Dave455
Well-known member
I feel very sorry for the Swede's!
Their tool companies have turned out absolutely top grade tools for years, and hopefully provided a few well deserved jobs along the way, and they have really been dumped on by the multinationals!
Here in the U.K. we have already found out the hard way that when a company is sold to foreign owners, there isn't much you can do to prevent them outsourcing production and just selling on the strength of the name for a couple of years, before ditching even that!
Personally, I'll continue to buy genuine Swedish made tools, but if it's got a Swedish name and it's not made there I'll pass! Most of the bolts on my Abene milling machine would EAT a Taiwanese socket!!
Their tool companies have turned out absolutely top grade tools for years, and hopefully provided a few well deserved jobs along the way, and they have really been dumped on by the multinationals!
Here in the U.K. we have already found out the hard way that when a company is sold to foreign owners, there isn't much you can do to prevent them outsourcing production and just selling on the strength of the name for a couple of years, before ditching even that!
Personally, I'll continue to buy genuine Swedish made tools, but if it's got a Swedish name and it's not made there I'll pass! Most of the bolts on my Abene milling machine would EAT a Taiwanese socket!!
ChevyEFI
Well-known member
Thank you for the insight, Roverbo. I had previously only received hearsay from SO employees regarding the acquisition. I was entirely lost on the multi-step natue of the acquisition.
To me, the unique items given out at Christmas by said employees were things like a Sandvik hand saw (which now has a Bahco blade.) Everyone else thought they had the coolest ratcheting screwdrivers, but I knew mine wasn't something you could pick up from just any tool truck on a weekday. Silly, youthful excitement over tools. Imagine that. And it's I believe the topic matter of my first post here.
The company acquisition I experienced in the 90s in an unrelated industry definitely had a slow, gobbling up of the acquiree, including name branding all over everything.
As for the ergo stuff, I think it's great we move faster now, updating things and more dynamically producing differences in product to drive profitability.
Thanks for entertaining my question.
To me, the unique items given out at Christmas by said employees were things like a Sandvik hand saw (which now has a Bahco blade.) Everyone else thought they had the coolest ratcheting screwdrivers, but I knew mine wasn't something you could pick up from just any tool truck on a weekday. Silly, youthful excitement over tools. Imagine that. And it's I believe the topic matter of my first post here.
The company acquisition I experienced in the 90s in an unrelated industry definitely had a slow, gobbling up of the acquiree, including name branding all over everything.
As for the ergo stuff, I think it's great we move faster now, updating things and more dynamically producing differences in product to drive profitability.
Thanks for entertaining my question.
Justanoldguy
Well-known member
I would say 90% of my tools are bahco of varying origins.
I have had no need to regret buying them over the years.
I have had no need to regret buying them over the years.
devoncoolman
Well-known member
Talk about a highjacked thread here. 
i think one reply was actually answering the op's question. And those arn't snap-on internals. They are bahco internals. Snap-on just uses the bahco ratcheting mechanism in the dual 80 ratchets.
i think one reply was actually answering the op's question. And those arn't snap-on internals. They are bahco internals. Snap-on just uses the bahco ratcheting mechanism in the dual 80 ratchets.
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Dave455
Well-known member
Talk about a highjacked thread here.
Fair point!!
I looked at some Bahco sets earlier this week and to be honest I wasn't that impressed! Looked like average Taiwanese to me!
I have, and like, Snap On Dual 80 ratchets, and the ones in this set were nothing like! There may be a better grade of Bahco that is, but I havn't seen it round my way!!
devoncoolman
Well-known member
Bahco is slowly going down hill. Not what it used to be.
Gregg33
Well-known member
I have a Bahco 3/8" sae socket set I bought on clearance a couple years back for around $30. It has a nice ratchet (with a rubber grip), deep and shallow sockets, extensions and a nice socket rail with ratchet and extension holders. U.S. made too. Only regret is I wish I wasn't so cheap and bought the metric set too. Very high quality, the style of sockets and the finish (looks almost stainless steel-like) is very unique, not at all like SO.