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So Matco is backordered on all ratchets

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finn

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Loscaldazar said:
Matco and Apex are in bed together, so it probably wasn't that hard for them to produce it under a different machine shop. I don't know that I'd describe anything apex makes for matco as "contracted out."


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Matco and Apex aren't related anymore.

Matco was spun off of Dahner to be part of a new, independent company, Fortive, early this year.

Apex is one of many suppliers to Matco, so, yes, anything provided by Apex is contracted out.
 
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stage20

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3TV said:
This is getting ridiculous. It seems like practically everything from Matco is on back order these days. I've been ordering tools to complete my tool set over the past few weeks. My last order from Matco had 9 out of 14 items placed on back order. How can a tool company not have tools to sell? Isn't that their business? Come on Matco, get with the program.
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what do you expect from a company that farms out all their work. they dont make a single tool. they are waiting on other businesses to supply them with what they need.

kinda like the bakery getting bread from another bakery and marking it up. just go down the street and get the bread at the other store cheaper.
 
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Loscaldazar

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finn said:
Matco and Apex aren't related anymore.

Matco was spun off of Dahner to be part of a new, independent company, Fortive, early this year.

Apex is one of many suppliers to Matco, so, yes, anything provided by Apex is contracted out.
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And from what I can tell, Fortive is to Apex what KCD (Kenmore Craftsman Diehard) is to Sears. They may not officially and legally be the same company anymore, but they are in all practical terms, still the same company.

In fact, I wouldn't be surprised to find out that Apex spun Matco off into a separate company for similar reasons that Sears spun KCD off into it's own group. It'll be easier to sell the Matco name when it's not attached to the sinking ship of Armstrong (many of their products are still backordered into the middle of 2017, that'll be almost two years of little to no production by Armstrong).
 
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Skin

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Loscaldazar said:
And from what I can tell, Fortive is to Apex what KCD (Kenmore Craftsman Diehard) is to Sears. They may not officially and legally be the same company anymore, but they are in all practical terms, still the same company.

In fact, I wouldn't be surprised to find out that Apex spun Matco off into a separate company for similar reasons that Sears spun KCD off into it's own group. It'll be easier to sell the Matco name when it's not attached to the sinking ship of Armstrong (many of their products are still backordered into the middle of 2017, that'll be almost two years of little to no production by Armstrong).
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Matco was never under Apex, it stayed part of Danaher. They're two totally separate companies and have been for a few years.

Apex = Owned by Bain Capital. CEO James J. Roberts. Spun off from Danaher in 2010.
Matco = Owned by Fortive. CEO Jim Leco. Spun off from Danaher in 2016.

They are in no way related in terms of corporate control.
 
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finn

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Exactly..they were related, but after the divorce, they are separate companies.

And it sounds like it wasn't a friendly divorce.

Usually when spinoffs like this happen, the split is complete and irrevocable, for all practical purposes.
 
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Skin

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Matco makes their boxes in Jamestown, NY.

MAC has their own place in Georgetown, Ohio.
 
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TheGrooveking

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Skin said:
Matco makes their boxes in Jamestown, NY.

MAC has their own place in Georgetown, Ohio.
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The history is MAC was a family owned company, MAC produced the hardline and everything else including boxes were sourced through MATCO ( MAC Allied Tool Company), around 77/78 there was a family riff and they split. MATCO sourced their hardline from Bonney/Wright and a few other companies). If you check out both MAC and Matco's catalog from 78 thru mid 80's their toolboxes were the same minus the badging.

The New York and Ohio toolbox manufacturing locations are relevant to change of ownership of their respective company.

TheGrooveking
 
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HammerRed

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talked to my matco guy yesterday about an older 3/8 flex ratchet he cant get parts for. its the older 36t but the kit he special ordered was too thick, he couldn't get the backing plate and c-clip to install. Anyhow he is replacing it with a new 3/8 flex. I said arent you guys on back order? He said yep, their current company could not make spec....so they are outsourcing this here in the usa. The new company is already in production of them now. (agi or aji) I cant remember what he said the name of company was. So matco doesnt make ratchets anymore, they have another US company mfg them. The south carolina plant is a no go. ill try to get more info, they are starting with 1/2" rats first he said.
 
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[memphis]

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I guess I might end up buying my 2ft flex head from Strap-On after all... this wait is ridiculous
 
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3TV

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I just got this 1/4" drive flex head locking ratchet from Matco last week, for whatever that is worth. It had been on backorder for months. Of course, my 3/8" and 1/2" versions of this ratchet remain on backorder.

Matco%20Ratchet_zpsrnjg0lq2.jpg
 
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warmpancakes

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HammerRed said:
talked to my matco guy yesterday about an older 3/8 flex ratchet he cant get parts for. its the older 36t but the kit he special ordered was too thick, he couldn't get the backing plate and c-clip to install. Anyhow he is replacing it with a new 3/8 flex. I said arent you guys on back order? He said yep, their current company could not make spec....so they are outsourcing this here in the usa. The new company is already in production of them now. (agi or aji) I cant remember what he said the name of company was. So matco doesnt make ratchets anymore, they have another US company mfg them. The south carolina plant is a no go. ill try to get more info, they are starting with 1/2" rats first he said.
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Matco has never made tools, the make toolboxes and have people make tools for them
 
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53chevy5

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[memphis] said:
I guess I might end up buying my 2ft flex head from Strap-On after all... this wait is ridiculous
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I got a new one of them from matco a month ago or so. Didn't think they were back ordered anymore, he had rebuild kits on hand also. I love it by the way.
 
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anndel

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Back in July 2016 I walked into a MATCO truck looking for a particular ratchet. The driver was cool but he apologized that his truck was about 70% empty due to MATCO shortages. I ended up buying from a Snap On truck which was loaded with stuff. Just checked up with him again and they were fully stocked so I bought a socket set from him.
 
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jd_1138

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We were eating lunch at Bob Evans a couple weeks ago, and there was a Matco co. car out front with prominent Matco graphics all over it. It was a Nissan Altima sedan. I guess you don't need a truck/minivan/SUV when you ain't got no product to sell.
 
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Brownsfan

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jd_1138 said:
We were eating lunch at Bob Evans a couple weeks ago, and there was a Matco co. car out front with prominent Matco graphics all over it. It was a Nissan Altima sedan. I guess you don't need a truck/minivan/SUV when you ain't got no product to sell.
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That's the district manager. There was one in a Chevy traverse that would stop by my shop from time to time to see if there was anything he could do for us because I was just out of the area dealers territory. Like seriously only a block. He said the dealer was not allowed because he would be imposing on the next dealers territory. This was 4 years ago. The new dealer started about 3 months ago. Never understood that
 
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toolman9w

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Brownsfan said:
That's the district manager. There was one in a Chevy traverse that would stop by my shop from time to time to see if there was anything he could do for us because I was just out of the area dealers territory. Like seriously only a block. He said the dealer was not allowed because he would be imposing on the next dealers territory. This was 4 years ago. The new dealer started about 3 months ago. Never understood that
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I will explain it the way it was explained to me. Not that it makes sense mind you.
The routes are laid out in geographical territories. Those "unused" shops are in the current Distributors "inventory". I even have a case where one Distributor has a shop he doesn't go to due to time restrains and Matco will not let us service it. I would say to keep a feud from happening in the future. Probably some legal aspect to that as well considering the territories are under contract. A "cant we all just get along" needs inserted here. :beer:
 
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Jake C

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warmpancakes said:
Update time, Feb 22 date is now moved to 2/29


1/4 drive moved to end of march
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Yeah, About a month and a half ago, I bought one of the new 1/4 ratchets , really nice ratchet, I love the thing. I was talking to my Matco guy and he was telling me that they were moving ratchet production to some small town over near Michigan I thought, But I'm probably way off so I'll ask him today when he comes in. He said apex was making the ratchets but couldn't make them fast enough and a bunch of people were complaining about quality and how they were not made in the US, so they contracted out a US company to build the tools exactly to Matco's specs.
 
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bobcatdan

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Well I can't complain. Walked onto a matco truck for the first time in years today and no issues at all getting a new gut kit for my 60 tooth 1/4" installed.
 
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wafrederick

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My dealer has ratchets already.Was in yesterday and he had some out for sale.Mac and Matco used to be together too,1946 to 1979.The split happened in 1979 and Matco went on their own.The split,I was told there was an argument between the Poole Brothers and they went their separate ways.One owned the Mac side and the other owned the Matco side.
 
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toolman9w

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Jake C said:
Yeah, About a month and a half ago, I bought one of the new 1/4 ratchets , really nice ratchet, I love the thing. I was talking to my Matco guy and he was telling me that they were moving ratchet production to some small town over near Michigan I thought, But I'm probably way off so I'll ask him today when he comes in. He said apex was making the ratchets but couldn't make them fast enough and a bunch of people were complaining about quality and how they were not made in the US, so they contracted out a US company to build the tools exactly to Matco's specs.
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Elmhurst,IL AJ Manufacturing
 
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ihateminimumwage

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Anyone with one of the new AJ Manufacturing able to check the part number when you get a chance? I noticed Matco's site now took the "T" off of the end of the ratchet part numbers (AFR58T is now AFR58). I wanted to confirm if this was the case so I can update the Tool Truck Equivalents 2.0 thread.
 
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Jake C

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ihateminimumwage said:
Anyone with one of the new AJ Manufacturing able to check the part number when you get a chance? I noticed Matco's site now took the "T" off of the end of the ratchet part numbers (AFR58T is now AFR58). I wanted to confirm if this was the case so I can update the Tool Truck Equivalents 2.0 thread.
Click to expand...



Ill look tomorrow
 
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