Just to correct a few incorrect statements

Ryobi position themselves with a range of predominantly DIY tools but
do not have a strong brand position.

Ryobi are owned by Techtronic Industries in Hong Kong (www.tti.com.hk).
Ryobi as a brand is exclusive to Tool Bank in the UK, I believe. In other
markets it is a very strong brand. TTI are very strong in Power Tools,
making products for B&Q and JCB in the UK, Home Depot and Sears Roebuck in
the USA, for example.

This same company owns the floorcare brands VAX, Dirt Devil and Royal
Appliances. They manufacture for Bissell, Bosch, etc.

Their sales of power tools were at
only around $200M which is small for what they are doing. This,
coupled with the financial data does not give a strong impression of
commitment to the power tools market. Their main business is
diecastings and printing machines.
You are looking at the wrong company as Ryobi of Japan only manufacture for
the home market now. TTI who make the 'international' power tools have a
turnover in Power Tools of about USD1,000M. Compare this with Black and
Decker with approx USD3,100M (covering a wider product range), and you can
see that they are almost in the same league. TTI are expanding their share
and B&D are losing theirs.

A lot of what they make goes in rebadged form on the U.S. market,
where as I mentioned they only sell their own bramd through Home
Depot. Home Depot has a service arrangement worse than anything
one has seen in the UK and plays the numbers game just like most UK
sheds do with their own brand tools.

Ryobi brand is not exclusive to Home Depot in US.

The point is: Ryobi are a Mickey Mouse outfit and are not poor quality.

They are not a Mickey Mouse outfit and you are correct hta they are not poor
quality

I wouldn't go as far as to describe them as a Mickey Mouse outfit, but
they are not, by their own positioning in the professional quality
market. Undoubtedly they are fit for purpose up to a point,.......

TTI also make the Ridgid brand which is Home Depot's professional range as
well as semi pro own brand tools for UK retailers.