Even casually perusing the consumer tool market can be a little intimidating these days, if only because there are so many brands to choose from. The available options, of course, can vary greatly depending on the store in which you are shopping, as some big box retail chains like The Home Depot have sought to broker exclusive distribution deals with certain brands like Ryobi.
Despite such exclusivities, wherever you choose to shop, it's probable that you will, eventually, come across tools bearing
the names of Milwaukee and Rigid, as they are typically ranked among the major tool manufacturers of the world. Both of those factions boast origins in the United States of America, with each having recently crossed the Century mark in their existence. With legacies like that, you might be surprised to learn that neither Milwaukee nor Rigid is an independently operated company these days, with each falling under the banner of some larger ownership entity, some of which own several different tool brands.
In the case of the former brand, that entity is Techtronic Industries, which also owns Ryobi. As for the latter brand, Rigid is currently owned by Emerson Electric. Despite Milwaukee and Rigid being owned by two separate companies, you might be surprised to learn there is indeed some overlap in their manufacturing, as Techtronic Industries makes power tools for both factions. As it happens, TTI is not the exclusive maker of Rigid tools, as Emerson Electric also manufactures several devices bearing its logo.
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Rigid Tools Are Actually Made By Two Separate Companies
The manufacturing story behind Milwaukee Tools is cut and dry, as Techtronic Industries purchased the brand outright in 2005. Since then, the Hong Kong, China, based TTI has been the only maker of Milwaukee Tools in the land. With the Rigid brand falling under the ownership banner of Emerson Electric, the question then becomes how TTI is able to make and sell tools bearing the Rigid name. That development was the result of a licensing pact signed in 2003. Per that agreement, Emerson granted TTI rights to develop and manufacture power tools under the Rigid brand name.
So yes, Milwaukee and Rigid are, in a sense, made by the same company, as TTI has produced power tools under the Rigid banner since the licensing agreement was signed, even as they are branded AEG outside of the US. That agreement did not grant TTI permission to take over the Rigid brand name, though, as Emerson still claims ownership over the brand. It has also continued to manufacture Rigid's plumbing-oriented products, as well as the brand's wet-dry vacs.
If you're curious how to tell them apart, there's a pretty clear way to spot a Rigid power tool manufactured by Techtronic Industries, as they are donned in an orange livery. Per Rigid's website, all other Rigid devices are decked out in red, signifying those as the ones made by Emerson Electric.
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Read the original article on SlashGear.
