Pratt-Read Tools Bankruptcy
Sears Craftsman Sues Western Forge, USA Tool Supplier, Also Releases More Imported Pliers. Earlier this year I noticed new Craftsman pliers on Sears website. SK Hand Tools is an American tool company located in Sycamore, Illinois. Major products include sockets and drive tools, wrenches, air tools, and other mechanics tools. USAAF Serial Numbers 4250027 to 4257212 Last revised November 12, 2017. PrattRead is an American manufacturing company based in Sycamore, Illinois, that produces screwdrivers. It is a subsidiary of Ideal Industries. It is one of the. This is tangentially related I lost all my tools in superstorm Sandy. I had been using some older Craftsman screwdrivers that held up well. Hog Ultimate Collection'>Hog Ultimate Collection. If you buy something through our links, ToolGuyd might earn an affiliate commission. Its official, SK Hand Tools has declared bankruptcy. Rumor of the bankruptcy. They didnt look too bad, but the marketing language was over the top nonsense. For example Advertisement. Long Nose Pliers utilize a high leverage joint providing users with 1. Pratt-Read Tools Bankruptcy' title='Pratt-Read Tools Bankruptcy' />
Arc Joint Pliers can be adjusted to 5 different positions and provides user with 4 times more gripping force, perfect for gripping everything from large items like pipes, right down to small nuts and bolts. Diagonal Pliers have induction hardened cutting edges which provide 1. Compared to what Diagonal pliers that provide 1. Health Information Systems Past Present Future Pdf. I never posted about those pliers. What could I say Back in May, Ryan send me a message on Facebook thanks, telling me that Craftsmans USA made Western Forge pliers were cancelled and all on clearance, as they were being replaced with made in China pliers. I checked the website, and indeed, all of the Western Forge made pliers were at clearance prices. Last week, the Chicago Tribune reported that Sears was suing Western Forge. Apparently they settled their dispute with TTi and had a new contract dispute, with Western Forge. The complaint says that Sears informed Ideal Industries, Western Forges parent company, that they wanted to extend their Craftsman hand tool contract for another year. Ideal and Western Forge were reportedly contracted to provide a 6 month transition period following any contract termination. It is said that Ideal waited until April 2. NzY4WDEwMjQ=/z/q14AAOSwagdXRmK2/$_1/765-500.jpg' alt='Pratt-Read Tools Bankruptcy' title='Pratt-Read Tools Bankruptcy' />Sears that it would not extend their contract, and that Ideal refused to fulfill any existing purchase orders. I dont have any communication contacts at Ideal or Western Forge, and havent contacted Sears for their side in the matter. I just want to talk about what I noticed. Sears listed new Craftsman pliers, presumably made by Apex Tool Group, back in March of 2. I saw those new pliers as the beginning of the end for the USA made pliers Western Forge had made for the Sears Craftsman brand. When I checked Sears site today, there were very many new pliers SKUs, all I assume being made in China, or at least overseas. Shown here is a family photo which Im guessing includes all of the new pliers. Sears definitely had some of these new Craftsman pliers listed on their website as early as March 2. There were a few set options. So is this new expansive line of imported pliers in response to the contract dispute with Western Forge, or did Western Forge know something and refuse to have any further dealings with Sears As mentioned, I saw the writing on the wall when I saw the new Sears Craftsman pliers design. Sears transition from USA made Craftsman tools to imported ones has not been an abrupt one. I remember someone mentioning nervousness on the part of one of Craftsmans USA tool suppliers fear that Sears would suddenly source certain tools overseas from a different company and heavily disrupt the USA OEMs operations and cash flow. Of Formula 1 Games. As an aside, to Sears Craftsmans credit, they came out with new USA made pry bars last Fall. I dont want to automatically take the side of Western Forge. But its hard for me to see Sears as the victim or hurt party here. Apex Tool Group recently shut down the Armstrong brand, or at least their USA operations. It was never completely clear what was happening. Someone recently commented to that post, saying he was told the Armstrong brand is not being shut down, and that many of their tools would now be made by Gearwrench. I dont know what that means that Armstrong will live on in name only Would that have happened if Sears Craftsman hadnt shifted from USA made tools to imported ones It was widely believed that some of Sears Craftsman Professional tools were relabeled Armstrong tools. But that was a few years ago now. I find it hard to believe that Sears Craftsman and Apex Tool Group which Im guessing is their partner here, going by their history and the Apex characteristic Double XX2 double jointed pliers put all these new pliers through design, production, and distribution phases in the couple of weeks since Ideal and Western Forge declined to extend their contract or provide any transition period products. I dont know whats going on, but my observations suggest that Sears Craftsman was already looking to replace Western Forges USA made Craftsman pliers before Ideal declined to extend their contract or provide transition period support. Maybe other things factor into Western Forges decision, such as fear of Sears not being able to pay for products shipped. Thoughts N0te Western Forge also makes, or made, certain other tools for the Sears Craftsman brand, most notably screwdrivers. Western Forge announced in September 2. Colorado Springs Gazette that layoffs were likely. There have been not been any recent announcements of that kind. As a reminder, Stanley Black Decker bought the Craftsman brand, but Sears retains the right to market their own Craftsman tools. One of the things Stanley Black Decker has said is that they want to bring more jobs and production back to the USA for the Craftsman brand. Thats bound to complicate Sears contracts with suppliers. What will happen once Stanley Black Decker SBD starts marketing their first Craftsman tools, likely creating competition between SBD Craftsman and Sears Craftsman product lines This is also why I keep saying Sears Craftsman instead of just Craftsman. P. S. If anyone from Western Forge, Ideal, Craftsman, or Sears, can shed additional light on the situation, it would be much appreciated Sections Editorial, New Tools, Pliers. More from Craftsman.