Stanley B&d Buying Craftsman

Bill,
I think all of us are old enough to realize that views stated are opinions. No need to qualify them as such.

You may be correct, but it is better said than left out. Bigger conflicts have started with less fuel. I stand by what I stated.

"Bill"
 
Actually this could ENSURE the craftsman brand survives if Sears goes under...
Mark S.

And that would be a good thing IF it's the Craftsman that was, not the Craftsman that currently is. IMO, of course.
 
Sears kept my father operating and my mother keeping a minimal household
Functioning through the Great Depression---"Good, Better, Best". In my turn,
I bought Sears through my working life (often second-hand +a bit of lasting
repair) Now I am 81 and beyond sanity and bodily Power ; If only Sears had picked
Up online sales before E- bay in the first flowering of Web Sales........ I was
There when Arpa-net was fresh at "my"LaboraTory. Remember, Railway
Express and its Post office accompaniment made the same merchandising
we enjoy today possible............BLJHB.
 
Bought a Stanley 1/2" ratchet at Walmart to throw in the truck. Not horrible, but definitely nothing to write home about. Bought my first Craftsman top box and tool set in 74 and added to it over the years. I love my old stuff, but also over the years you could see the quality diminish. Just another sad story, but when a market makes itself known, something usually comes along to fill it. As much as I love nostalgia, sometimes you just have to move on. Still keep my eyes peeled for the old stuff. Mike
 
<opinion>
Craftsman was only a name slapped on tools made by others. Some were good, some were a good value and some, well not so much. At one time I believe they did have some decent management that at least knew something about tools. I don't believe that is true now and hasn't been for at least the past 10 or 15 years. Sears had a established mail order business and could easily been what Amazon is today. Short sighted management and kept them out of the online game until it was too late and even today their web site is horrible.
</opinion>
 
Sears was once a power house company that sold everything from log cabins to guns via catalog. Fast forward to the 90's and their CEO and other leadership missed the vision of the next big step, the internet. They (executives) still made big bucks but the companies demise was already set in motion.
I remember at 12 years old, I would stand in awe at the large Craftsman tool set displayed on the wall dreaming of one day owning it. Yea, I have been a tool junky from a young age.
I did end up purchasing smaller sets of craftsman tool on sale but over the past 15 years have lost faith in quality replacement . I also went many years without buying tape measures as they once had excellent replacements, not any more.

I hope they turn it around but I won't hold my breath.
 
My name is David....I worked for Black & Decker designing and manufacturing power tools starting in 1981.
As I read through this thread it is indeed with mixed emotions. I joined B&D in 1981 as an electrical engineer / designer. In Brockville we manufactured consumer power tools of all sorts. We were some what vertically integrated. At the time B&D was called the "Black & Decker manufacturing company". Universal motor manufacturing was one of our core competencies.

Besides being the electrical lead, I also ended up owning the vast test lab. We tested all of our competition at the time. Some of the names that pop to mind are Wen, Pet, Skil, Craftsman (mostly made by Singer). Our objective was to at the very minimum meet, and mostly exceed the competition, and above all give the best consumer value.

At one time in Brockville we were producing over 1 million consumer sanders for the global market annually. As well as a myriad other power tools.

We also produced the very popular and versatile Workmate. Millions were made in our plant.

I was also there when B&D bought GE small appliances. Oh My, Now I was making and designing toaster ovens and food processors....and everything in between. There was a lot of consideration that went into how to transition the well known and respected GE appliance brand over to Black & Decker that made excellent value power tools but knew diddly about household kitchen appliances .

And a some point the Company name changer from Black and Decker Manufacturing to... well Just Black and Decker, as it transitioned into more of a marketing company.

And just before I retired in 2011 there was the Stanley merger.

I have no idea how the Stanley B&D > Craftsman deal will go. They could milk it to the ground, or they could restore it to its former glory.

However as I sign off from this. I can tell you that when I was on board I was empowered to give the utmost customer satisfaction.

David
 
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