Is Matco in troubled waters?

[ngk22r]

Was talking with my tool guy who is friends with a Matco truck dealer. Now we know about the ratchet issue but the Matco dealer was telling my tool dealer that Matco is losing some of their partnerships...

Anyone have word on this?

 

[txvwnut]

I spoke to my Matco dealer a while back about this. He said its nothing they're just realigning some of their other companies to better fit in the organization. Or something to that effect.
He said they've done this before, and he's been with Matco for close to 30 years or more.

 

[wafrederick]

IR does not make their air tools anymore,now made by Proffessonal tools

 

[WhiffySpark]

IR does not make their air tools anymore,now made by Proffessonal tools

That's old news. Although it's supposed to be a bad *** gun

 

[Al Borland]

Newer IR is no where near as good as the old IR anyway, so maybe it's good Matco moved on...

 

[shockwave]

Same could be said for all there current hardline wrenches a lot have been switching to Taiwan made like mentioned on flare nut wrenches and even a few extensions were of sunex made out of a set of locking bell housing extensions

 

[WhiffySpark]

Newer IR is no where near as good as the old IR anyway, so maybe it's good Matco moved on...

What specifically? My 2235 is better than my 2135. I have no interest in the old 231. Too heavy

 

[Wamsutta]

IR does not make their air tools anymore,now made by Proffessonal tools

That's the problem with Matco, since they don't make any of their own tools, you never know who's making their tools from one year to the next.

 

[Skin]

Wonder if they're dumping Apex over the factory consolidation fiasco. I'll be interested to see what designs, if any, they can take since I believe Apex retains things like 88 tooth ratchets and pinless impacts.

Maybe they'll go back to Wright as a supplier if they haven't approached them already. The absolute worst thing I think they can do for their image at this point is turn entirely into a premium priced Gearwrench truck.

 

[ngk22r]

IR does not make their air tools anymore,now made by Proffessonal tools

This was one of the things along with Milwaukee no longer wanting to deal with Matco. In hindsight a co worker had to wait almost two months to get his warranty replacement M12 impact (faulty switch) back when it was only supposed to be two weeks and this made me think the dealer had to go through another channel to get a replacement??

I do know the dealer's DM does not like how he, the dealer, is pushing Milwaukee tools over the Matco badges electric tools. His reasoning is that its a better product with a better warranty. Which reminded me of when Matco and Grey Pneumatics relationship went sour when GP found out Matco was introducing the same line of impact tools (which is probably the same factory that also makes GP) to directly compete and undercut GP.... (The GP story is straight out of the Matco dealers mouth from a couple years ago).

 

[Fedwrench]

Wonder if they're dumping Apex over the factory consolidation fiasco. I'll be interested to see what designs, if any, they can take since I believe Apex retains things like 88 tooth ratchets and pinless impacts.

Maybe they'll go back to Wright as a supplier if they haven't approached them already. The absolute worst thing I think they can do for their image at this point is turn entirely into a premium priced Gearwrench truck.

My money is on MATCO switching more of their hardline production to Kabo tools from Taiwan. I don't see them surviving as a Gearwrench clone truck. Kabo makes ratchets with several tooth patterns above and below the 100 tooth mark.
It will be interesting to see what happens with the pinless impact swivels though.

 

[Al Borland]

What specifically? My 2235 is better than my 2135. I have no interest in the old 231. Too heavy

The heavy is one of the things I like. The old ones seem to soak up a lot more of the vibration/kick when a bolt is being difficult.
Add indestructible to the list, as well.

 

[Al Borland]

My money is on MATCO switching more of their hardline production to Kabo tools from Taiwan. I don't see them surviving as a Gearwrench clone truck. Kabo makes ratchets with several tooth patterns above and below the 100 tooth mark.
It will be interesting to see what happens with the pinless impact swivels though.

^^^THIS^^^^
Right now, APEX is everywhere. Hard to justify tool truck prices when it's pretty much Husky Tools/Gearwrench/whatever else with a different name.
Matco does make some NICE toolboxes, but everything else is contracted out.

 

[KnurledNut]

Perhaps he was referencing the Danaher split to Fortive.

 

[WhiffySpark]

The heavy is one of the things I like. The old ones seem to soak up a lot more of the vibration/kick when a bolt is being difficult.
Add indestructible to the list, as well.

Try the 2235. 2135 tore my hands up but I love the 2235

 

[Brownsfan]

Professional tool products makes a ton of stuff for Cornwell too. Air tools,battery tools and hand tools. I could see Matco using them and Kabo more. The difference is Cornwell charges less for the Taiwan made stuff than they do for the USA made equivalents. The Taiwan stuff is usually under the Blue power name. Kabo also makes stuff for Cornwell. There is a reason why Snap On has more dealers than all 3 combined. Do they have some rebrands? Sure but no where near as many as the others. Most of Snap ons hard line is made here by them.

 

[Greg85mcss]

That's old news. Although it's supposed to be a bad *** gun

It is. Got my 3/8 like new for a great deal but I'd buy the carlyle version from napa if going new.

 

[ngk22r]

Looks like the only real other brand of cordless tools Matco is selling is Makita, Milwaukee is off the list.

 

[JKady]

This was one of the things along with Milwaukee no longer wanting to deal with Matco. In hindsight a co worker had to wait almost two months to get his warranty replacement M12 impact (faulty switch) back when it was only supposed to be two weeks and this made me think the dealer had to go through another channel to get a replacement??

The last Matco dealer I had any business with was TERRIBLE at warrantying Milwaukee tools after he sold them. I bought my first M18 tool in 2014, had a battery pack fall apart on me 3 months later. I'm still waiting on that replacement battery pack. That dealer of course also moved to Canada and didn't say **** about it to anyone, just didn't show up one week. I got the impression the DM wasn't very impressed with that when he showed up with the new dealer and told me that if the old guy wasn't going to prove anyone owed him anything, they weren't going to help him collect. I ended up getting out of about a 700 dollar balance for free.

I haven't set foot on a Matco truck since so I honestly can't say if that situation has gotten any better.

 

[magicrat]

I like snap on but I think and hope matco will stick around.....i think competition creates a fair market and i think Snap on would have a near monopoly on the tool truck biz if Matco disappears. Do I think snap on would take advantage of this....No i dont......but competition keeps everyone honest

 

[Bielio]

Interesting thread.
What do you chaps think about euro brands coming across the pond and maybe filling in some spots?
Clearly everyone here appreciates quality tools even if they're on the pricey side (to some degree).
Do you think if the SHTF that you guys would purchase European brands?

Makes me wonder, when craftsman and Matco (big players) are outsourcing production, we need to turn to someone who's keeping their roots planted and not selling out.

 

[ngk22r]

Interesting thread.
What do you chaps think about euro brands coming across the pond and maybe filling in some spots?
Clearly everyone here appreciates quality tools even if they're on the pricey side (to some degree).
Do you think if the SHTF that you guys would purchase European brands?

Makes me wonder, when craftsman and Matco (big players) are outsourcing production, we need to turn to someone who's keeping their roots planted and not selling out.

I wouldnt say Matco is going away but with all the things going on its going to hurt them a bit. Who knows?

There is still Snap-on, Cornwell, and Mac driving around as well. Add in Gear Wrench and SK trucks that are popping up as well, the Euro tool companies would need to invest in setting up a reliable support chain and tool trucks and to also be competitive on their price. Would be pretty darn cool to see but only time will tell. I know before I moved to another city my old Cornwell guy carried Hazet tools on his truck.

 

[Bielio]

Probably those specialty tools for Benz/VW/BMW

 

[MUSA]

Wonder if they're dumping Apex over the factory consolidation fiasco. I'll be interested to see what designs, if any, they can take since I believe Apex retains things like 88 tooth ratchets and pinless impacts.

Maybe they'll go back to Wright as a supplier if they haven't approached them already. The absolute worst thing I think they can do for their image at this point is turn entirely into a premium priced Gearwrench truck.

I can tell you that they are indeed dropping Apex. Where they are going I'm unsure. Klein? Wright?

 

[dnschmidt]

There best move would be to go with KABO. KABO has more and better stuff than anybody else including Apex. True they are Taiwanese but both KABO and Rotar Machinery (TOPTUL) make top of the line stuff.

 

[justme-]

How is KABO any better than going all Gearwrench?

It's definitely not common knowledge how much of any truck brand is actually made by company x, but I'm sure Matco would take a big hit if everything is just Asian imports, be it Gearwrench or otherwise. The only advantage I can see of KABO is only GJ type people would know by seeing where it's pretty easy to encounter a Gearwrench product in the same hand as Matco.

They really need to offer a premium tool, IMO, if they want to remain relevant long term.

 

[dnschmidt]

KABO is a premium tool. Just because it's not made in America does not mean it's not a premium tool.