Accessories to order
Stronger battery power needed to extend growth in cordless tools and accessories
By Industrial Distribution Staff -- Industrial Distribution, 5/1/1999
POWER TOOL DISTRIBUTORS and manufacturers await new advancements in battery power, which they hope will transform specialty accessories for cordless tools into commonly sought items. Set in the backdrop of a continuing vibrant and optimistic construction industry, many new cordless tool offerings such as circular and reciprocating saws show great potential. Yet until new, more powerful batteries become available to drastically reduce recharge time,some tools and accessories will have limited appeal among contractors, industry officials say.
Terry Earle, vice president of operations at Bluebonnet Tool Co. in Dallas, Texas, says sales of power tools and accessories have been stable recently, with few changes in customers' tastes for specific accessories. A slight shift is electricians buying more auger bits and large screws driven by stronger, 18-volt drills, for example.
For other items such as reciprocating saws he says the use is more limited for contractors who need the tools for a prolonged job, rather than for making a few cuts.
"Some of the strongest (cordless saws) out there are great for some applications, but if a guy like a countertop man uses it a lot, he will carry his electric saw," says Earle. "The growth potential is a bit limited until they get to some stronger batteries." He and others say that for now, cordless tools are particularly limited for metalworking applications.
Still, manufacturers are designing accessories with the needs of contractors that prefer cordless tools in mind. For example, Ralph Cox, president of Primark Tool Group, says a new saw blade offers an efficient way to cut fiber cement board, a recently developed siding material used in residential and commercial construction.
Cox expects innovations -- and the demand for new cordless products by contractors -- will continue to grow. "Battery technology has come a long way in the past five years and I expect it to continue," he says. "Cordless tools are just so much of a benefit to the contractor. It gives him so much flexibility."
However, James White, executive vice president of Pentair, Inc., says the pace of battery improvements has not kept up speed.
"We see very small steps in improvement. We don't see leapfrog steps that would take us to new products," he says. Drills and drivers running on 12 volts and higher power can do most applications, for example. He agrees that more battery power is needed to make it worthwhile for contractors to operate various saws, for example.
Meanwhile, Earle says that his accessory sales continue to be driven by offering competitive tool prices, which is a continuing challenge with the growing presence of "big boxes" such as Lowe's and Home Depot. Once customers receive assurances that his firm will match a low price, they typically don't even ask prices for drill bits, safety items and more, he says.
"You have to give away one to get the other," he says.
New PTI chief focuses on safety, global standards
Improving safety awareness and completing uniform international electrical standards are the two top priorities of new Power Tool Institute president James White.
White, executive vice president of Pentair, Inc.'s Professional Tools and Equipment Group, began a two-year term in February leading the manufacturers' trade group. Of first importance, White says, is spreading a safety awareness program to high school vocational classrooms on the proper use of various tools. More than a year ago PTI began a campaign and provides safety videos, pamphlets and other materials for instructors, some of which are available on its Web site at www.taol.com/pti.
PTI also continues to work closely with its European partners to develop standardized testing and certification standards. The group recently hired a technical director to help with the project and serve on an international standardization committee.
The end result will be a consistent design and specifications for the safe use of products like power drills, regardless of whether they are made in the U.S. or Asia.
"It's an area that has taken on a lot more importance in the past few years," says White. "It (will) standardize all the critical electrical components, from insulators to how do you rate, to spacing on double insulation ... for designing safe electrical products."
He says globalized standardization will be a great benefit to end users, who will know that products will operate as specified and are built safe.
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