Lowes, now sears

[zendriver]

Well they certainly can't / won't sell Snap-On quality, at Snap-On prices at Lowes... It will collect dust forever...

When has Lowes sold ANYTHING that was "High Quality"??? It's all about brand marketing...

I want the Craftsman line to be good quality, but sadly the bean counters and marketing just want to squeeze the cash cow for the name...

I guess my point was, I have a few Mac and Proto and I don't see them as a noticeable difference between build/finish quality, to some of the older USA Cman tools, so the notion that SBD current plants could not supply at least some Cman, just seems ridiculous.

If their new offerings are not going to be good quality,at a good price, IMO they are wasting their time/money and most everyone here's time and emotions.

But, as has been surmised since day one, at least by some, they are bound by the realities of actually running a business, where sales, costs and profits, absolutely come into play.

 

[Fialaja]

You realize that the owners of the Craftsman name weren't the owners/employers of the Danaher/Apex plant and staff, yes?

It's not like that was an option that SHC offered SBD.

Yes I recognize that craftsman is a name and danaher/apex is a company, but as was pointed out here, the machinery was auctioned off and SBD could have bought it and in theory started manufacturing in the USA again a lot sooner than they appear to be on track for. As far as them making power tools here, that is false if you read the fine print it says assembled in USA from global materials.

SBD used to manufacture power tools in Townsend, Maryland. And not from global materials....

 

[Fialaja]

The tooling and processes at the plant that made Armstrong tools was reportedly obsolete, worn out junk. Part of the decision that led to Armstrong and Allen’s demise.

Where did you read that?

 

[kythri]

but as was pointed out here, the machinery was auctioned off

They put it up for auction. That doesn't mean anyone actually ended up buying it.

 

[EOC_Jason]

Yes I recognize that craftsman is a name and danaher/apex is a company, but as was pointed out here, the machinery was auctioned off and SBD could have bought it and in theory started manufacturing in the USA again a lot sooner than they appear to be on track for.

Sadly, the tooling was sold & shipped to china loooooong ago. At least that's what happened to the danaher plant here in Springdale, AR (that used to make Craftsman, KD, I think Crescent, and other brands).

You can still find the same type machinery new, but ironically to make USA products the machines are going to come from China or India.

With the collapse of the vocational sector over the past 20-30 years, these days companies would never be able to fill the necessary positions with skilled craftsmen... They find button pushers... So the process has to be automated more so that even a mindless idiot could do it without breaking anything.

I've run into quite a bit of former workers that used to make Craftsman (and other tools) at the factory here in town. They were very proud of what they did and loved to tell stories about their jobs. Many worked there for so long it went through several name/ownership changes... I think originally it was Moore Drop-Forging when it first opened...