Update: No More Porter Cable???

[Thalermade]

A couple of weeks ago Cabinetman wondered if the end of Porter-Cable was near.
http://bt3central.com/showthread.php?t=39895

And I originally posted:
I will go out on a limb here. Given the name recognition, I find it hard to believe, but not impossible, that the PC line would be killed off. I have noticed over the past decade the cyclical nature of tool brands in the big box stores. Hitachi has seems to be the tool line of choice the past couple of years. Russ

Well. I guess my limb is getting shakier by the minute. May not be killing the P-C line off, but certainly DeWalt has plans to put a bit of hurt on it. Here is info from Popular Woodworking:

Link to full article
When PC Vice-President Dan Gregory said DeWalt tools were their professional-line tools, I was astounded, as were others. He explained that PC is attempting to position these tools (P-C) for tradesman – an area of the market that PC feels is full of value-conscientious, value-driven buyers. PC is being sandwiched between Black & Decker (at the low end) and DeWalt (the high end).



Russ
Last edited by Thalermade : Today at 01:01 PM. Reason: New Information

[LCHIEN]

wow, PC is taking dead aim at Ryobi. Who'da thunk it?

[cabinetman]

That's an interesting article. My thread wasn't about the end of PC tools. I was in Lowes, and HD, and they didn't display PC tools. I was surprised to not see them in those stores (at least in those two stores).
.

[Tom Slick]

That's too bad but I could see it coming. The PC brand hasn't been updating with "professional" tools for awhile . The interesting thing is, except for a a couple of their tools, I don't consider dewalt to be "top of the line" either. They make some good stuff but there is much more on the market that seems better for a similar price.

I'll bet PC takes the spot that Ryobi had when they were distributed in places other then HD and that Black and Decker did before they became bargain gimmick tools.

[JR]

The interesting thing is, except for a a couple of their tools, I don't consider dewalt to be "top of the line" either. They make some good stuff but there is much more on the market that seems better for a similar price.

I agree with you, but they clearly do not. Have you seen the prices for Dewalt tools? Outta sight.

[cabinetman]

That's too bad but I could see it coming. The PC brand hasn't been updating with "professional" tools for awhile . The interesting thing is, except for a a couple of their tools, I don't consider dewalt to be "top of the line" either. They make some good stuff but there is much more on the market that seems better for a similar price.

I'll bet PC takes the spot that Ryobi had when they were distributed in places other then HD and that Black and Decker did before they became bargain gimmick tools.

I did notice that Ridgid was the predominant display at the HD I was at.
.

[poolhound]

That does seem very strange I always saw PC as a higher end tool and more wood worker related. DeWalt has always seemed aimed at the contractor.

Does this mean Norm will have to kit his shop out in YELLOW!!

[cgallery]

To summarize, idiots with advanced business degrees at B&D decided that they should acquire a premium brand (Porter Cable). Next, the marketing people (also with advanced business degrees) got hold of it and decided that having one premium (PC), one semi-premium (DeWalt), and one once-premium (B&D) brand didn't make sense.

So they decided to simplify and stratify. Now they could tell their customers (if they ever asked) ""Good, better, best, you have B&D, PC, and DeWalt in that order".

And they can now go to retailers and say, "hey Target, you can sell B&D tools, Home Depot and Lowes can sell PC, and [I don't know who] can sell DeWalt."

This is a one-way street. It is much more difficult to turn a mid-range brand into a premium brand. Once they pull that downgrade trigger, the damage is done and pretty much irreversible.

This is one reason why acquisitions and conglomerates are such a bad idea.

[germdoc]

There are too many tools companies , i.e., brands, out there. There could be a good weeding out. I like the PC brand however, and I'm sorry to see that it's not going to be a cutting edge product like it was in the past.

[shoottx]

As with a lot of tools, the vintage version will be great and hold value, while the newer models will be less desireable. Just think about a lot of the tools talked about here;

old Stanley vs Lie Neilson not new Stanley
old Rockwell Delta vs new Delta
oLd Ridgid vs New Ridgid

There are some that go the other way, if you are old enought to remeber the introduction of Jet Tools

So P-C bittig the dust is a shame but my old PC 690 routers are still running great. I just dont see any of the new P-C tools in my future.

[just started]

Actually, I seem to remember the last couple of newer shows Norm did he had - - - - - - - Festool

[LCHIEN]

It's been done in marketing more than once before.
A surplus of well-known brand names with a pretty good history.
It's easy to take a well known, reputable label and start producing lower-ecehelon goods for mass consumption. For a while at least, everday Joes will see the brand name and say, wow, a <insert premium brand name here> at an affordable price for me, what a find! and gobble it up in preference to the less prestigious brands next to it on the shelf. After so many years the shine will wear off and the public will know better but the prestiege name carried a price adder value for several years to helped pay off the acquisition costs. Maybe that's what they term, "goodwill".

[jonmulzer]

Actually, I seem to remember the last couple of newer shows Norm did he had - - - - - - - Festool

Huh? Are you thinking of NYW or TOH?? I have never seen Festool on NYW that I can recall.

[RAV2]

Tom Silva uses the Festool cordless drill all the time. Also think I have seen him with a Festool vac.

[jonmulzer]

That is This Old House though and Norm is rarely on there and I don't think I have ever seen him use Festool. I do not watch TOH much though and I have certainly been wrong before.