FT Worth TX Craftsman Tool release

[finn]

Not to be all morbid and everything but...I believe SBD acquired the brand in 2017? Here we are five years later with no (or few) USA made tools to show for it. Think of all the potential customers of a certain age who passed on or otherwise aged out of the market in that time. These were potential customers with a real affinity for the brand. It won't be too many more years before the brand recognition becomes nonexistent. Yes, too little - too late.

It’s not like SBD hasn’t been able to fill shelves and move product for the last five years.

It’s a consumer brand, it’s on the shelves, it’s selling, and nobody really g.a.f about country of origin.

If they did care, Walmart would be out of business, and it seems to be doing fine.

 

[four.cycle]

I see folks regularly walking out of HF with cartloads of stuff, while the Cman items at Lowes are literally covered in dust

In which case you would want to compare price points on like items. My guess would be what ever they walked out the door with was significantly less money than the Craftsman equivalent.

I've posted this here at least a couple times:

We sold "Armor-All" The 8-ounce bottle was the hot seller - went out the door for about $3 or $4 bucks - I can't recall now.
It did not matter what competitive product you put on the shelf right next to the Armor-All - it could be a generic-never-heard-of-it brand, or maybe "STP", or "The Tannery" - and you could price it for one fourth the price of the Armor-All, and the 8-ounce Armor-All would outsell all other competitive products by at least a 10 to 1 margin.
That's not anecdote, or hyperbole.
I did all the buying for 9 stores and a warehouse - we couldn't keep 8-ounce Armor-All on the shelf. When we ran out, we'd buy it by the case from Bill Rousch over at Big Wheel Auto Parts (our closest competitor) at 10% off retail, mark it up, and still sell it and make a profit.

Same/same with Craftsman - THAT is why SBD paid boatloads of money just for the BRAND

 

[Jtels85]

I wonder if Lowes was the wrong plan from the start. Craftsman has a much larger presence at Ace and now it’s popping up at NAPA and even at Grainger and MSC. I’m wondering if the plan should have been to use Ace as an anchor and forget about Lowes. Lowes has so many issues right now that I don’t believe shelf presence there has helped Craftsman.

I’m my opinion, the plan was not only a way for SB&D to keep the brand out of the hands of another company, but to make as much ******** as they can, slap the Craftsman name all over it sell it in a big box retailer like Lowe’s.

The stuff appears to collect dust. Whenever I stop by Lowe’s, rarely do I see anyone in the tool department. I can walk into Home Depot and there are usually a few people walking up and down the aisles with merchandise in their hands.

Take that for what it’s worth…

 

[zendriver]

In which case you would want to compare price points on like items. My guess would be what ever they walked out the door with was significantly less money than the Craftsman equivalent.



Same/same with Craftsman - THAT is why SBD paid boatloads of money just for the BRAND

Maybe and If that's the case, then they care about more about money, than the "brand name" of Craftsman, which as been mostly meaningless for at least 20 years.

If the name truly mattered that much, everyone would not be wondering if and when new "reshored" tools would be coming out.

One way or another they'd would already be out. SBD is a huge corporation they surely can get **** done.

 

[Etchase]

I think Stanley sells about $2 billion to Lowe’s ever year and Lowe’s marks it up from there. They probably have some disagreements about how to divide the profits, but I’m sure there is a win-win to be found.

 

[boom_bap]

I think Lowes problem is that they carry tier 2 products.. I see people in the Lowes tools section all the time, but they aren't there for Kobalt.

I walk into Home Depot I see:

Handtools:
Channellock, Milwaukee, Dewalt, Wiss, Stanley, so many other brands
PowerTools:
Milwaukee, Dewalt, Makita


I walk into Lowes:
Handtools:
Lennox, Craftsman, Kobalt, Estwing (Actaully a good product they carry miusa 3 lb mini-sledge)..
Power:
Dewalt (the old outdated Dewalt), Metabo HPT (fake Metabo), Craftsman

I walk into Harbor Freight:
Well its the same **** from China, but.. cheaper than Lowes.

To be fair the Craftsman stuff at Lowes I've seen is Made in Taiwan and the quality is actually way better than whatever Chinese junk it replaced. If I had to buy Husky vs Craftsman, I'd go craftsman taiwan without a doubt. No question would I rather have a tawian Craftsman mechanics set vs Husky.

The problem is that I have a made in USA craftsman mechanics set.. from Craftsman. A four drawer steel flip lid toolbox with SAE and metric sockets in 12 and 6 pt, shallow and deep. Wrench sets. the whole 9 yards.. That's what I remember about craftsman..

 

[Luciferi]

How long does sears get the craftsman name?

After already taking so long, could sbd just be waiting until they are sole producer of goods with the Craftsman name before going all out on made in USA.

Where are they going to be able to sell quantities of made in the USA tools? Could existing outlets not want to sell them/give floor space at made in USA pricing. I don’t think Lowes would be a good spot. Ace maybe if but I am doubtful. Maybe wait on contracts to expire and new retailer(s) to emerge.

 

[boom_bap]

I'm starting to side with some of the doubters. I'm not sure craftsman will ever be made in usa anymore, esp at the price we used to have it available.

My guess is this is their plan.

Dewalt:
- Keep it top tier in power tools
- Use their new plants to make Made in USA dewalt hand tools (people already know the brand as the best from SBD)

Craftsman:
- Ryobi of SBD
- Good value, keep production overseas.

Mac Proto Lista Vidmar:
Professional Line of tools.
- Mac moving to selling Dewalt.

Facom:
Overseas handtools for euro markets, etc.

 

[zendriver]

If they come out with six point chrome sockets, I might give them a whirl. That should help me alleviate the shame of using impact sockets with a ratchet.

 

[1982fxr]

How long does sears get the craftsman name?

After already taking so long, could sbd just be waiting until they are sole producer of goods with the Craftsman name before going all out on made in USA.

Where are they going to be able to sell quantities of made in the USA tools? Could existing outlets not want to sell them/give floor space at made in USA pricing. I don’t think Lowes would be a good spot. Ace maybe if but I am doubtful. Maybe wait on contracts to expire and new retailer(s) to emerge.

On January 5, 2017, Stanley Black & Decker announced its intent to acquire the Craftsman brand in a deal with a total value of $900 million (with an up-front payment of $525 million, and a payment of $250 million after three years). Sears will hold a royalty-free license to the Craftsman brand for a 15-year period after the completion of the sale, and will receive a royalty on all new Craftsman sales over this period. Afterwards, Sears will pay Stanley Black & Decker a 3% licensing fee.[16] The deal was closed on March 9, 2017.[17] Sears maintains the right to manufacture and sell tools using existing supply channels under the Craftsman name for 15 years.[18]

 

[Bubba Fett]

Clearly SBD assumed that Sears would be dead and gone in a few years, but instead, the reanimated corpse of Sears launched a line of new tools with the ad campaign stating that Sears was "the real home" for Craftsman tools. SBD didn't like that and sued.

I don't see how that could delay things, but I suppose it is possible.

 

[m6z]

Clearly SBD assumed that Sears would be dead and gone in a few years, but instead, the reanimated corpse of Sears launched a line of new tools with the ad campaign stating that Sears was "the real home" for Craftsman tools. SBD didn't like that and sued.

I don't see how that could delay things, but I suppose it is possible.

lol. News to me and I guess I missed the new line of tools too.

 

[Jtels85]

Craftsman is now deleting the comments of anyone on social media who asks for a Fort Worth, TX plant or USA tools update.

Shady much?

 

[iamhomeless]

I'm starting to side with some of the doubters. I'm not sure craftsman will ever be made in usa anymore, esp at the price we used to have it available.

My guess is this is their plan.

Dewalt:
- Keep it top tier in power tools
- Use their new plants to make Made in USA dewalt hand tools (people already know the brand as the best from SBD)

Craftsman:
- Ryobi of SBD
- Good value, keep production overseas.

Mac Proto Lista Vidmar:
Professional Line of tools.
- Mac moving to selling Dewalt.

Facom:
Overseas handtools for euro markets, etc.

SBD seems pretty comfortable with having more than one brand making wrenches and ratchets, they even have Bostich branded ratcheting wrenches.

With the V series craftsman brought out wrenches with the same profile and features that were previously labeled as Proto, Mac, and Dewalt. While the Proto and Mac versions were US made, the Dewalt and Craftsman were Taiwanese made.

Either the wrenches didn't sell under the Dewalt name so they thought they might sell under Craftsman, or they think that kind of people who prefer the Craftsman branded stuff aren't going to even glance at Dewalt branded hand tools.

 

[zendriver]

Craftsman is now deleting the comments of anyone on social media who asks for a Fort Worth, TX plant or USA tools update.

Shady much?

Sounds more like damage control

 

[theoldwizard1]

It’s apparent that the current people at SB&D know nothing about the history of the brand and the emotional attachment people have to it. If they did, things would certainly be different.

If that statement were true, then why would they even buy the brand ? Why would they put ANY effort into trying to manufacture in the US ?

 

[theoldwizard1]

If they come out with six point chrome sockets, I might give them a whirl. That should help me alleviate the shame of using impact sockets with a ratchet.

ACE hardware does not stock 6 point chrome sockets, but they can get them. They replaced one of mine under the lifetime warranty.

I have complete sets of 1/4", 3/8", and 1/2" drive, SAE and metric, standard and deep Craftsman chrome sockets. Some are over 50 years old. None are less than 20.

 

[Jtels85]

If that statement were true, then why would they even buy the brand ? Why would they put ANY effort into trying to manufacture in the US ?

What effort? That building down in Texas is probably a storage facility for all we know. Smoke and mirrors.

It’s really hard to trust them. They have a tendency to lie and manipulate.

 

[zendriver]

ACE hardware does not stock 6 point chrome sockets, but they can get them. They replaced one of mine under the lifetime warranty.

I have complete sets of 1/4", 3/8", and 1/2" drive, SAE and metric, standard and deep Craftsman chrome sockets. Some are over 50 years old. None are less than 20.

American made? That's what this whole thing is about.

 

[theoldwizard1]

American made? That's what this whole thing is about.

What I got as a replacement was NOT made in the US.

If SBD doesn't get their US factory running soon, Craftsman will just become another "also ran".

 

[Dzmax77]

Perhaps increase in the cost of raw materials due to recent inflation is putting a pause on production. Im sure they went into this trying to sell at a certain price point and now can’t. Or, perhaps some of the new, less labor intensive manufacturing methods haven’t really helped with maintaining quality.

Hand tool companies operating within a C corp structure have to answer to Wall Street with earnings and those earnings need to better than the last quarter. It will be hard to manufacture in the US with that burden. That’s why most premium tool companies DIY lines are foreign sourced.

However, closely held corporations like Wright Tool seem to be doing fine. I think they can probably even start a second made in USA line that’s catered towards the DIY market with products that aren’t pro level, but good enough for that segment. They don’t need to answer to shareholders and can stomach a lower profit margin to gain market share.

This isn’t a high tech endeavor. Hand tools have been made for thousands of years, it shouldn’t be this hard or expensive to do.

 

[drtyler]

Could be as simple as SBD wants to burn through existing Craftsman inventory before introducing the new USA products.

 

[reader2580]

Clearly SBD assumed that Sears would be dead and gone in a few years, but instead, the reanimated corpse of Sears launched a line of new tools with the ad campaign stating that Sears was "the real home" for Craftsman tools. SBD didn't like that and sued.

I don't see how that could delay things, but I suppose it is possible.

Sears is unlikely to last much longer, at least with brick and mortar stores. They are down to 21 or 22 stores now. Maybe they plan to try to run an online only business?

 

[powertrip]

Some sites are saying 170 Sears stores still as of Dec 7, 2022 others say 22. Who knows.

 

[dnschmidt]

Asking how many Sears stores are still left is sort of like asking how many zombies have you seen in your neighborhood.

 

[JradM]

I don't expect the new USA-made Craftsman tools will be for "us". E.g. the fanatics participating in an internet tool forum.

I hope I'm wrong, because I still have a certain affinity for the brand, but I don't expect these USA tools will be premium offerings. If they were, I suspect they'd be more expensive that most Craftsman consumers would tolerate - perhaps the V-series was a test to see how the market would respond if they went that route?

If SBD somehow made premium tools in the USA for less than premium prices, besides being magic, where would that leave their own brands like Mac and Proto?

Instead, I think we're about to see a bunch of tool sets (not unlike the blow molded stuff they already have on the market), produced as cheaply as they can manage in the USA. Otger than COO, they may not even be dramatically different than their current sets from Taiwan.

In essence, that seems to be what many people say they want - e.g. "good tools made in the USA at moderate prices". It's just that I think people imagine that means Proto tools at Tekton prices, but I think the best case scenario is Tekton tools at slightly more than Tekton prices because they'll be USA made - which is fine, but nothing to make my blood race.

I just don't think Craftsman consumers would pay prices like this $500 63 piece Proto socket set if branded "Craftsman" and sold at Lowes:



And I also don't think SBD is interested in branding this set "Craftsman" and selling it for $150.

 

[reader2580]

Some sites are saying 170 Sears stores still as of Dec 7, 2022 others say 22. Who knows.

I think the real number is close to the 22 a lots of sites list. Transformco Properties has a map showing all operating stores. (Transformco owns Sears and Kmart now.) I downloaded a CSV from Transformco Properties website that lists all operating stores. There are 45 stores listed. It doesn't list which brand the property operates under. Some are Kmart stores. If I counted right twelve of the stores are located outside the continental USA.

 

[Junkdrawer Dog]

It's just that I think people imagine that means Proto tools at Tekton prices,

Exactly! I don't see how SBD can offer USA made, pro quality tools at a price point that undercuts Proto and MAC without cannibalizing sales from those product lines. If the MIUSA Craftsman prices are in line with Proto and MAC, I don't see them flying off the shelves at Lowes or ACE. I can't see the MIUSA Craftsman being anything but a limited number of SKUs, offered mostly online and rarely discounted. Meanwhile, the new, efficient factory bangs out product mostly for Proto and MAC.

 

[CHI_Tool&Die]

Exactly! I don't see how SBD can offer USA made, pro quality tools at a price point that undercuts Proto and MAC without cannibalizing sales from those product lines. If the MIUSA Craftsman prices are in line with Proto and MAC, I don't see them flying off the shelves at Lowes or ACE. I can't see the MIUSA Craftsman being anything but a limited number of SKUs, offered mostly online and rarely discounted. Meanwhile, the new, efficient factory bangs out product mostly for Proto and MAC.

The cost cutting probably would be doing what we have heard via back channels. It’s going to be MiUSA sets that look exactly like their current Taiwanese sets. So the same 72 tooth quick release non-serviceable garbage ratchet, a mix of standard and deep sockets with a bunch of skipped sizes and maybe a couple of extensions or universal joints. I don’t really understand SBD’s reasoning on any of it but if that’s what they are going to offer, I can see the prices being pretty reasonable.

 

[Junkdrawer Dog]

The cost cutting probably would be doing what we have heard via back channels. It’s going to be MiUSA sets that look exactly like their current Taiwanese sets. So the same 72 tooth quick release non-serviceable garbage ratchet, a mix of standard and deep sockets with a bunch of skipped sizes and maybe a couple of extensions or universal joints. I don’t really understand SBD’s reasoning on any of it but if that’s what they are going to offer, I can see the prices being pretty reasonable.

So, in other words, if you want a quality, professional kit from SBD you'll still have to pony up the money for Proto or MAC. The new Craftsman offerings will be mostly talking pieces.

 

[CHI_Tool&Die]

So, in other words, if you want a quality, professional kit from SBD you'll still have to pony up the money for Proto or MAC. The new Craftsman offerings will be mostly talking pieces.

Yeah, it sounds like it’s going to still be the same stuff but just made in Texas. But these are YouTube channels, blogs, and a few industry sites that aren’t total shills. So SBD could’ve changed everything. No one will really know until an official announcement comes via SBD and Craftsman.

 

[zendriver]

Wait, wasn’t the whole point of this nonsense was that we could feel good that usable, but average(in both quality and price) craftsman brand
hand tools were once again being made in USA?

Let’s not lose focus.

 

[JradM]

Wait, wasn’t the whole point of this nonsense was that we could feel good that usable, but average(in both quality and price) craftsman brand
hand tools were once again being made in USA?

Let’s not lose focus.

Yeah, exactly - it's just that I don't think it will be stuff tool nerds will get excited about.

I'm not being critical. I expect it will be "good" just like lots of stuff coming out of Taiwan these days. The selling point will be the USA production. It may command a slight premium because of the COO.

However, I don't expect it to be a premium tool line. My impression from the comments I read is that people are expecting a bargain - e.g. the Proto quality for Tekton prices that I alluded to earlier.

Expect to be disappointed if that's what you're hoping for.

 

[Jtels85]

However, I don't expect it to be a premium tool line. My impression from the comments I read is that people are expecting a bargain - e.g. the Proto quality for Tekton prices that I alluded to earlier.

Expect to be disappointed if that's what you're hoping for.

I haven’t read anywhere, on any one of the countless Craftsman threads regarding the subject, where someone alluded to expecting Proto or MAC quality sockets at Tekton prices.

I believe most people understand that Craftsman is and always has been a DIY, entry level brand for Joe Homeowner. It was an average quality tool that got the job done.

The Fort Worth plant is supposed to bring modern manufacturing technology and processes to make sockets and wrenches quickly, efficiently and in a way that reduces cost. I recall reading something not long ago on ToolGuyd that it was actually going to be cheaper for SB&D to manufacture tools in their new, state-of-the-art facility than it would be to import them from another country. The bottom line is, they wouldn’t have invested millions into building this facility if it wasn’t cost effective at the end of the day.

Like many people, I expect DIY homeowner grade tools, made in the USA and at current retail prices. I don’t think that’s asking for much…

 

[Dakotadadv8]

In my case already used to paying $ for upgraded SO hand tools, would be nice to pickup decent Craftsman USA hand tools in 2023 at lower prices. Too old to try other brands for mechanic hand tools other than Craftsman or SO. Regret walking into Sears decades ago buying tools and chasing the Snap-on truck.

 

[woody 73]

I know nothing about business, so if I was a guessing man,SBD only wanted the name.
99% of the population could care less where the tool was made, 1% of the tool guys/gals want the USA mark.
People want it cheap, so making it overseas will work.

Only guessing here, but I don't think made in the USA will be coming back anytime soon.

 

[Bubba Fett]

Everyone is forgetting that the factory is already built, and has about 300 people working there. They are doing *something* but we just don't know what.

 

[west_perf]

I hope that something is making tools.