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Another great tool company (Milwaukee) going down the drain
To all,
Just got the following email from Milwaukee (I'm part of their Heavy Duty Club)... Well, it all depends on how this new acquisition will affect their operations but I hope it won't affect the quality of their producs... Arrrgh, I bet in a few years from now, they will be all from the same company... Wally To all Milwaukee Heavy Duty Club Members: We have great news to share! Milwaukee Electric Tool is being acquired by Techtronic Industries Co. Ltd. (TTI), the world's fastest growing power tool manufacturer. Although you may not have heard about TTI, you're probably familiar with some of the brand name products owned by TTI, like Ryobi power tools, Homelite outdoor power equipment and Royal and Dirt Devil vacuum cleaners and floor care appliances. Joining forces with TTI will allow us to share TTI's research and development facilities. That means we'll have even more engineering and manufacturing expertise to draw on in order to produce the innovative products that you've come to expect from Milwaukee. We currently employ more than 2,000 people and have four manufacturing plants in Wisconsin, Mississippi and Arkansas, making Milwaukee the only power tool manufacturer with the majority of its tool production in the U.S. Our team will now join forces with TTI North America, which employs 1,800 people in Ohio and South Carolina. Our products will continue to carry the familiar Milwaukee brand and you'll be able to buy the tools and accessories you need from your favorite retailer or distributor. At Milwaukee, we're proud of our 80 years of dedicated service to professional power tool users. The product and service levels that you've come to expect from Milwaukee will be the same - if not better - in the years ahead. As we begin this next chapter, we thank you for your continued support and invite you to keep sending us ideas on how to make Milwaukee power tools and accessories even better. We fully expect to become a stronger company as a result of this acquisition. This should translate into even more high-quality, innovative power tool and accessory systems from Milwaukee. Thank you for owning and using Milwaukee Electric power tools. Sincerely, Dan Perry, President Milwaukee Electric Tool |
We currently employ more than 2,000 people and have four manufacturing
plants in Wisconsin, Mississippi and Arkansas, making Milwaukee the only power tool manufacturer with the majority of its tool production in the U.S. Our team will now join forces with TTI North America, which employs 1,800 people in Ohio and South Carolina. Interestingly enough, Dan didn't say if they'll continue with mostly domestic tool production. |
In article , mp wrote:
Interestingly enough, Dan didn't say if they'll continue with mostly domestic tool production. " Our team will now join forces with TTI North America, which employs 1,800 people in Ohio and South Carolina." is sufficiently vague, isn't it? Betcha somewhere in the neighborhoood of 1,500 layoffs in the next 12 months. djb |
Yeah - This is worth watching. I own some older Ryobi that is pretty decent
equipment, but I don't think they are getting any better. Another tool engineering department run by accoutants? |
On Sun, 05 Sep 2004 17:22:54 -0600, Dave Balderstone
wrote: In article , mp wrote: Interestingly enough, Dan didn't say if they'll continue with mostly domestic tool production. " Our team will now join forces with TTI North America, which employs 1,800 people in Ohio and South Carolina." is sufficiently vague, isn't it? Betcha somewhere in the neighborhoood of 1,500 layoffs in the next 12 months. djb I bet too there will be layoffs. When two companies combine, there will be redundancy with people jobs. I just hope the Milwaukee brand retains their high standards and quality. I have a Sawzall and corded Milwaukee drill that are very well built. Hey Bush. Where are the WMDs? Where are you hiding your military service records?? And, where are all those jobs you promised (legal) Americans??? |
Wally wrote in message . ..
To all, Just got the following email from Milwaukee (I'm part of their Heavy Duty Club)... Well, it all depends on how this new acquisition will affect their operations but I hope it won't affect the quality of their producs... Arrrgh, I bet in a few years from now, they will be all from the same company... Wally To all Milwaukee Heavy Duty Club Members: We have great news to share! Milwaukee Electric Tool is being acquired by Techtronic Industries Co. Ltd. (TTI), the world's fastest growing power tool manufacturer. Although you may not have heard about TTI, you're probably familiar with some of the brand name products owned by TTI, like Ryobi power tools, Homelite outdoor power equipment and Royal and Dirt Devil vacuum cleaners and floor care appliances. Joining forces with TTI will allow us to share TTI's research and development facilities. That means we'll have even more engineering and manufacturing expertise to draw on in order to produce the innovative products that you've come to expect from Milwaukee. We currently employ more than 2,000 people and have four manufacturing plants in Wisconsin, Mississippi and Arkansas, making Milwaukee the only power tool manufacturer with the majority of its tool production in the U.S. Our team will now join forces with TTI North America, which employs 1,800 people in Ohio and South Carolina. Our products will continue to carry the familiar Milwaukee brand and you'll be able to buy the tools and accessories you need from your favorite retailer or distributor. At Milwaukee, we're proud of our 80 years of dedicated service to professional power tool users. The product and service levels that you've come to expect from Milwaukee will be the same - if not better - in the years ahead. As we begin this next chapter, we thank you for your continued support and invite you to keep sending us ideas on how to make Milwaukee power tools and accessories even better. We fully expect to become a stronger company as a result of this acquisition. This should translate into even more high-quality, innovative power tool and accessory systems from Milwaukee. Thank you for owning and using Milwaukee Electric power tools. Sincerely, Dan Perry, President Milwaukee Electric Tool Dear Wally: Your header upsets me.....how do you know that this is a bad thing? Do you have a crystal ball and can see in the future? Why of cource not.....but that does'nt stop you from stating facts that you do not know anything about. How about waiting and see....this could be a great thing. I am personally involved with Delta and I am very excited about their future with Black & Decker. What we do not need is people running around like chicken little saying the sky is falling! Mike from American Sycamore |
"Wally" wrote in message ... Club Members: We have great news to share! You know you're ****ed when management opens with that line. -- Bill Pounds http://www.billpounds.com/woodshop |
Phisherman wrote:
On Sun, 05 Sep 2004 17:22:54 -0600, Dave Balderstone wrote: In article , mp wrote: Interestingly enough, Dan didn't say if they'll continue with mostly domestic tool production. " Our team will now join forces with TTI North America, which employs 1,800 people in Ohio and South Carolina." is sufficiently vague, isn't it? Betcha somewhere in the neighborhoood of 1,500 layoffs in the next 12 months. djb I bet too there will be layoffs. When two companies combine, there will be redundancy with people jobs. I just hope the Milwaukee brand retains their high standards and quality. I have a Sawzall and corded Milwaukee drill that are very well built. Hey Bush. Where are the WMDs? Where are you hiding your military service records?? And, where are all those jobs you promised (legal) Americans??? Better question, "Hey Bush, why is the SEC letting this kind of sale go through?" -- --John Reply to jclarke at ae tee tee global dot net (was jclarke at eye bee em dot net) |
On Sun, 05 Sep 2004 12:03:42 -0400, Wally vaguely
proposed a theory .......and in reply I say!: remove ns from my header address to reply via email like Ryobi Homelite oh dear oh dear! From my experience with chainsaws (Huskie) in particular, whenever a good company teams up with a bad company, it foes downhill from there. Economics is everything. That's how the merger happens. ************************************************** *** the snappy ones are the best |
On Sun, 5 Sep 2004 18:35:23 -0500, "RonB" vaguely
proposed a theory .......and in reply I say!: remove ns from my header address to reply via email Yeah - This is worth watching. I own some older Ryobi that is pretty decent equipment, but I don't think they are getting any better. HAH! I bought Ryobi stuff because I thought they were decent, but I was thinking of then, before TTI (or whatever anon. company) bought them and all the others. They are now laughing stock. Huge power. Poor quality. Another tool engineering department run by accoutants? Bingo! ************************************************** *** the snappy ones are the best |
On Sun, 5 Sep 2004 17:01:06 -0700, "Pounds on Wood"
vaguely proposed a theory .......and in reply I say!: remove ns from my header address to reply via email "Wally" wrote in message .. . Club Members: We have great news to share! You know you're ****ed when management opens with that line. hehe! Great news for _whom_? shareholders.... ************************************************** *** the snappy ones are the best |
J. Clarke wrote:
Better question, "Hey Bush, why is the SEC letting this kind of sale go through?" Hey! Don't pester the SEC - they're busy going after the /really/ dangerous subversives (like that uppity Stewart woman). -- Morris Dovey DeSoto, Iowa USA |
"Mike at American Sycamore" wrote in message Your header upsets me.....how do you know that this is a bad thing? Do you have a crystal ball and can see in the future? Why of cource not.....but that does'nt stop you from stating facts that you do not know anything about. How about waiting and see....this could be a great thing. I am personally involved with Delta and I am very excited about their future with Black & Decker. What we do not need is people running around like chicken little saying the sky is falling! Mike from American Sycamore Look at the facts. How many companies have been bought out and greatly improved? I'm sure there are some that I'm unaware of, but I can think of many that have gone to hell after an acquisition. I was with a company that was bought out and we were told how we would compete better and have new markets opened up to us. Two years later they moved out of state, two more years, they closed. Next company I went to was bought out and closed. Next company was bought out, financially raped, bought out again and closed. Mike, I appreciate your optimism, but too many of us have been through the opposite. We've become a bit cynical. OTOH, Jaguar is a better car now that it is on a Ford chassis and uses Mustang engines. If I worked for Milwaukee, I'd be tuning my resume, and stashing $$ for the rainy days that just may be ahead. Just my opinion Ed |
On Mon, 06 Sep 2004 08:23:37 +0800, Old Nick wrote:
On Sun, 05 Sep 2004 12:03:42 -0400, Wally vaguely proposed a theory ......and in reply I say!: remove ns from my header address to reply via email like Ryobi Homelite oh dear oh dear! From my experience with chainsaws (Huskie) in particular, whenever a good company teams up with a bad company, it foes downhill from there. Economics is everything. That's how the merger happens. ************************************************* **** the snappy ones are the best Wasn't Homelite "A Textron Company" at one time? My employer of 28 years was swallowed by a conglomerate and, like most things that are eaten, turned to s**t. It was quite interesting to watch the upper management being stripped of anyone who displayed any loyalty to the "old" company and replaced with clones from the (censored) corporate offices who seemed to know nothing about our products or processes except how to "improve" them. They finally cleaned out most of the residual loyalty in the middle managers and first line supervision with a "voluntary termination" and retirement bonus that amounted, in my case, to about a year's salary. I'm thoroughly enjoying retirement from the "new" company, but do sort of miss the "old" company. Tom Veatch Wichita, KS USA |
Wasn't Homelite "A Textron Company" at one time?
Homelite was Textron's baby until they pulled a McCulloch--didn't develop new technology, lost pro market to European saws, and had to settle with the Harry Homeowner market. Textron unloaded them to John Deer maybe 10 years ago who dropped all the (outdated) pro models left and concentrated 100% on junk. Deer started getting a bad rep for this so they sold them to Techtronics a couple years ago. McCulloch swtiched to make crap way back in the '70-'80s, but hung around until recently before going under and being bought by another offshore concern. GTO(John) |
On Mon, 06 Sep 2004 04:05:53 GMT, "Edwin Pawlowski"
vaguely proposed a theory .......and in reply I say!: remove ns from my header address to reply via email OTOH, Jaguar is a better car now that it is on a Ford chassis and uses Mustang engines. It's NOT better. It's more reliable. It does not fall to pieces. It does not leak oil. It may well be faster, and quieter and more comfortable. It's also cheaper. Not sure about handling. But it's not _better_! G....mainly because it looks like somebody's expensive Falcon (Oz name?) Japanese bikes are not better than British or Italian (or even US) ones either! G ************************************************** *** I know I am wrong about just about everything. So I am not going to listen when I am told I am wrong about the things I know I am right about. |
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Edwin Pawlowski wrote:
"Mike at American Sycamore" wrote in message Your header upsets me.....how do you know that this is a bad thing? Do you have a crystal ball and can see in the future? Why of cource not.....but that does'nt stop you from stating facts that you do not know anything about. How about waiting and see....this could be a great thing. I am personally involved with Delta and I am very excited about their future with Black & Decker. What we do not need is people running around like chicken little saying the sky is falling! Mike from American Sycamore Look at the facts. How many companies have been bought out and greatly improved? I'm sure there are some that I'm unaware of, but I can think of many that have gone to hell after an acquisition. I was with a company that was bought out and we were told how we would compete better and have new markets opened up to us. Two years later they moved out of state, two more years, they closed. I heard that too. At the time the company had a purpose-built factory and was making components for the space shuttle among other things. Last time I had contact with them they were occupying a storefront in a strip mall and NASA had long since cancelled their contracts due to lack of facilities. Next company I went to was bought out and closed. Next company was bought out, financially raped, bought out again and closed. Mike, I appreciate your optimism, but too many of us have been through the opposite. We've become a bit cynical. OTOH, Jaguar is a better car now that it is on a Ford chassis and uses Mustang engines. Of course Jaguar now is what's left of what was left after the British Leyland attempt at a socialized automobile industry--compared to that Ford can't help but be an improvement. But I thought the chassis went the other way around--certain Ford models are on a Jaguar, or at least Jaguar-designed chassis. If I worked for Milwaukee, I'd be tuning my resume, and stashing $$ for the rainy days that just may be ahead. Just my opinion Ed -- --John Reply to jclarke at ae tee tee global dot net (was jclarke at eye bee em dot net) |
On Mon, 06 Sep 2004 02:50:30 -0400, "J. Clarke"
wrote: Of course Jaguar now is what's left of what was left after the British Leyland attempt at a socialized automobile industry Jaguar and Land Rover were spared the sheer horror that was BL. On paper they might have been, but on the shop floor they avoided nearly all of the disaster. If the "socialized automobile industry" experiment was a failure, it was at the BL / Rover plants where it failed most spectacularly, not at Jaguar. All three suffered union troubles, from very stupid and pig-headed people running the unions. Perhaps Jaguar suffered the worst in this respect - they were always great cars, but some years of production made more lemons than a Greek citrus grove. At times, Jaguar had problems - but they were never the unfathomable pit of bad design, pointless products and totally rubbish apologies for cars that went out wearing Austin and Morris badges. -- Smert' spamionam |
On Mon, 06 Sep 2004 14:24:21 +0800, Old Nick
vaguely proposed a theory .......and in reply I say!: remove ns from my header address to reply via email Sorry. I meant washing and gnailing of teeth ************************************************** *** I know I am wrong about just about everything. So I am not going to listen when I am told I am wrong about the things I know I am right about. |
Old Nick wrote:
Falcon (Oz name?) USAnian also - early 60's unibody "compact": coupe, sedan, and station wagon models. -- Morris Dovey DeSoto, Iowa USA |
Then they put in the 260. Almost fun.
"Morris Dovey" wrote in message ... Old Nick wrote: Falcon (Oz name?) USAnian also - early 60's unibody "compact": coupe, sedan, and station wagon models. -- Morris Dovey DeSoto, Iowa USA |
"George" george@least wrote in :
Then they put in the 260. Almost fun. "Morris Dovey" wrote in message ... Old Nick wrote: Falcon (Oz name?) USAnian also - early 60's unibody "compact": coupe, sedan, and station wagon models. -- Morris Dovey DeSoto, Iowa USA This was, except for superficial sheetmetal, the predecessor of the first Mustang. THERE was a triumph of perception over reality. The myth/legend of the early Mustang continues to this day as a fun car. Not really all that specially engineered. Patriarch |
On Mon, 06 Sep 2004 09:46:02 -0500, Morris Dovey
vaguely proposed a theory .......and in reply I say!: remove ns from my header address to reply via email Old Nick wrote: Falcon (Oz name?) USAnian also - early 60's unibody "compact": coupe, sedan, and station wagon models. Ha! Compact! They are some of the biggest cars we have! G.....and they might well be the same body! Mind you, early 60s there were some whopcackers in the US, IIRC. ************************************************** *** I know I am wrong about just about everything. So I am not going to listen when I am told I am wrong about the things I know I am right about. |
They shared little enough that they weren't even built on the same line,
IIRC. Of course, as one half of a team which performed at least forty valve jobs on VW Beetles, I have a bit different opinion of the "made in the Black Forest by elves" mythology, too. "patriarch astDOTnet" patriarch wrote in message .17... This was, except for superficial sheetmetal, the predecessor of the first Mustang. THERE was a triumph of perception over reality. The myth/legend of the early Mustang continues to this day as a fun car. Not really all that specially engineered. Patriarch |
I had to buy a '66 Falcon in a hurry as a back to school car since my
normal driver had some serious problems. My garage was full of parts from my '70 mustang project and I ended up swapping lots of HD suspension parts and a 289 motor out of a Bronco into that Falcon (a six banger) so I wouldn't feel so embarassed. everything was literally a bolt in. -BR "patriarch astDOTnet" patriarch wrote in message .17... This was, except for superficial sheetmetal, the predecessor of the first Mustang. THERE was a triumph of perception over reality. The myth/legend of the early Mustang continues to this day as a fun car. Not really all that specially engineered. Patriarch -----= Posted via Newsfeeds.Com, Uncensored Usenet News =----- http://www.newsfeeds.com - The #1 Newsgroup Service in the World! -----== Over 100,000 Newsgroups - 19 Different Servers! =----- |
Dear Wally:
Your header upsets me.....how do you know that this is a bad thing? Do you have a crystal ball and can see in the future? Why of cource not.....but that does'nt stop you from stating facts that you do not know anything about. How about waiting and see....this could be a great thing. I am personally involved with Delta and I am very excited about their future with Black & Decker. What we do not need is people running around like chicken little saying the sky is falling! Mike from American Sycamore Mike, We've seen raining before so don't blame Wally for coming up with that header. The problem is simple: when smaller companies are swallowed by large organisations, often the business changes. It's the share holders that put a lot of pressure to get some money back over their investment. They don't care about what they're selling, they just want money back. Usually, companies making high end products in a very competitive market aren't as profitable as their competitors. Let me tell you that chances are that this TTI company may take advantage of the very high esteem that Milwaukee is enjoying in the field right now to start pumping up some lesser quality products. Just my 0.02. Cyberben |
"Pounds on Wood" wrote in message ...
"Wally" wrote in message ... Club Members: We have great news to share! You know you're ****ed when management opens with that line. There must be hundreds of similar stories just in the lurkers of this NG. My wife worked for Cadam, a cad subsidiary of Lockheed, mid 80's. Lockheed sold Cadam to a FRENCH aeronautics co, dassault systems, which kept it going only long enough to sell bits of it to the highest bidder. Why would a company buy a company they don't want, and really are not going to make a killing selling? I just don't get it. The way I feel about Millwaukee, having used their excellent tools over the last 35 years with NEVER a breakdown, is just sad. Here's an idea: form up a Historical Society style group who's purpose is to preserve american companies who make good products, especially tools. Seems to me with enough legal clout and expertise, you can get just about anything done here in the USA. Part of the expenses could be covered by targeted companies' employees. Anyone have an opinion about how this might work and save at least the last few holdouts here? |
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Gary DeWitt wrote:
"Pounds on Wood" wrote in message ... "Wally" wrote in message ... Club Members: We have great news to share! You know you're ****ed when management opens with that line. There must be hundreds of similar stories just in the lurkers of this NG. My wife worked for Cadam, a cad subsidiary of Lockheed, mid 80's. Lockheed sold Cadam to a FRENCH aeronautics co, dassault systems, which kept it going only long enough to sell bits of it to the highest bidder. Why would a company buy a company they don't want, and really are not going to make a killing selling? I just don't get it. Sometimes they do it to eliminated a competitor and sometimes they do it because there's one specific technology or patent or technique or facility or customer that they want. The way I feel about Millwaukee, having used their excellent tools over the last 35 years with NEVER a breakdown, is just sad. Here's an idea: form up a Historical Society style group who's purpose is to preserve american companies who make good products, especially tools. Seems to me with enough legal clout and expertise, you can get just about anything done here in the USA. Part of the expenses could be covered by targeted companies' employees. Anyone have an opinion about how this might work and save at least the last few holdouts here? -- --John Reply to jclarke at ae tee tee global dot net (was jclarke at eye bee em dot net) |
In some cases it is because the product the company is selling is
substandard but the buyer does not know this, and gets suckered into buying a dieing company. "J. Clarke" wrote in message ... Gary DeWitt wrote: "Pounds on Wood" wrote in message ... "Wally" wrote in message ... Club Members: We have great news to share! You know you're ****ed when management opens with that line. There must be hundreds of similar stories just in the lurkers of this NG. My wife worked for Cadam, a cad subsidiary of Lockheed, mid 80's. Lockheed sold Cadam to a FRENCH aeronautics co, dassault systems, which kept it going only long enough to sell bits of it to the highest bidder. Why would a company buy a company they don't want, and really are not going to make a killing selling? I just don't get it. Sometimes they do it to eliminated a competitor and sometimes they do it because there's one specific technology or patent or technique or facility or customer that they want. The way I feel about Millwaukee, having used their excellent tools over the last 35 years with NEVER a breakdown, is just sad. Here's an idea: form up a Historical Society style group who's purpose is to preserve american companies who make good products, especially tools. Seems to me with enough legal clout and expertise, you can get just about anything done here in the USA. Part of the expenses could be covered by targeted companies' employees. Anyone have an opinion about how this might work and save at least the last few holdouts here? -- --John Reply to jclarke at ae tee tee global dot net (was jclarke at eye bee em dot net) |
"mp" wrote in message ...
We currently employ more than 2,000 people and have four manufacturing plants in Wisconsin, Mississippi and Arkansas, making Milwaukee the only power tool manufacturer with the majority of its tool production in the U.S. Our team will now join forces with TTI North America, which employs 1,800 people in Ohio and South Carolina. Interestingly enough, Dan didn't say if they'll continue with mostly domestic tool production. What they are really saying in the email is "China"!!! Translation on more competitive and innovation ("CEO Talk") Eliminate competition, manufacturing moved to China or Taiwan whichever gives them better deal, Innovative design to decrease material cost, increase profits and life expectancy of product. |
J. Clarke wrote:
Gary DeWitt wrote: "Pounds on Wood" wrote in message ... "Wally" wrote in message ... Club Members: We have great news to share! You know you're ****ed when management opens with that line. There must be hundreds of similar stories just in the lurkers of this NG. My wife worked for Cadam, a cad subsidiary of Lockheed, mid 80's. Lockheed sold Cadam to a FRENCH aeronautics co, dassault systems, which kept it going only long enough to sell bits of it to the highest bidder. Why would a company buy a company they don't want, and really are not going to make a killing selling? I just don't get it. Sometimes they do it to eliminated a competitor and sometimes they do it because there's one specific technology or patent or technique or facility or customer that they want. The way I feel about Millwaukee, having used their excellent tools over the last 35 years with NEVER a breakdown, is just sad. Here's an idea: form up a Historical Society style group who's purpose is to preserve american companies who make good products, especially tools. Seems to me with enough legal clout and expertise, you can get just about anything done here in the USA. Part of the expenses could be covered by targeted companies' employees. Anyone have an opinion about how this might work and save at least the last few holdouts here? The North American woodworking tools industry is moving to China because the consumer has voted with their wallets. People would rather spend $100 for a tool than $200. The difference in quality (if any) is not sufficient to make them shell out the additional $$. I just purchased a General TS (#650, made entirely in Canada). It was $2200 CDN, vs $1400 for a 'King' import. Jet was somewhere in between, Delta was a bit more than $2200. The King would have sufficed, but I splurged and got the General. I can see that for most people the difference in perceived quality does not justify a 50% price premium. If North American industry wants to compete and sell tablesaws for $2200, then they need to innovate and stay ahead of the Asian high volume/low cost commodity manufacturers. After 50 years, General still offers a sloppy cast iron rip fence that doesn't really work. Expensive to make, it would be better for them to innovate and offer a really accurate one. The same could be said for depth of cut, blade tilt and anti-kickback blade shield. (Any time you see an active market for 'after-market add ons' you can bet that the major manufacturers are not satisfying needs and are in trouble. There are a few companies that make innovative products (Leigh, Jessem, Woodpecker, Dremel) who are doing fine (I hope) |
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