Rolling out onto the shelves of distributorships nationwide is the new, and amazing, "Super Innovative Power Tool." Not born of QVC, nor popped into sales staffs' hands from the Tool Fairy, the Super Innovative Power Tool experienced a long, arduous birth and childhood in the hands of engineers, committees and marketing managers. Having spent its pubescence running the track of modifications, tweakings and outright changes, the Super Innovative Power Tool is ready for its introduction.

Clearly, the process of creating a tool, or modifying an existing tool, is more complicated than that, but it runs a similar course.

Truth be told, the whole process could take anywhere from one to five years, and could cost upwards of $1 million. The initial idea is tossed around by the manufacturers' strategic committee; the logistics are fine tuned by engineers; a prototype is created; tests are conducted in manufacturers' buildings, select customers' warehouses and by users; the marketing gurus create all the preliminary information and flyers for distributors; tools and training sessions arrive at the distributors' doorsteps; and finally, the tool is introduced to the industry and world at large.

Deciding on what tool ideas make the cut is a process in itself, and every company has its own way of doing it. Most will say that the ideas come from end users, distributors and the sales staff—the people who work the most with tools. New tools and modifications travel the same road to the manufacturing block, and it all begins with a basic drawing, plan and justification. In other words, don't walk into the committee room without a reason why the tool should be created.

"We listen to the customer, and find out what they need to do their job faster," says Andrew Mandell, marketing manager at Dynabrade , an industrial power tools, abrasives and accessories manufacturer headquartered in Buffalo, N.Y. "From concept to completion, it could take up to five years for a new tool, but for something with just a modification or two, it could be as short a time as within one year."

"This is an overcrowded industry for competition," says Tom Smith, group manager at Milwaukee Electric Tool , a heavy-duty electric power tools and accessories manufacturer headquartered in Brookfield, Wisc. "To stand out with a different tool or paradigm, and make yourself known in the playing field, you are always looking for a new idea."

It should come as no surprise that when the tool gets the green light for production, it all begins with research, a lot of research.

At Metabo USA , a portable electric power tools, abrasives and tooling manufacturer in West Chester, Pa., research is more hands on than it is at some other places.

"We had a product manager traveling the globe with samples," says John Ham, president of Metabo USA. "She had our own products as well as some competitors' samples, all painted black with no distinguishing marks or names, and took notes on the customers' preferences and comments on each tool. That information got taken right back to our research department."

As for Milwaukee Electric, says Smith, "We don't spend any tooling dollars until we know this is a viable product."

The tool has gone through all the stages of approval and prototype testing before the most preliminary production is even started, he says.

That seems to be the prevailing sentiment among manufacturers, because really, who wants to spend money on something that hasn't been proven yet? The stages of production for a new tool are basically the same for every manufacturer.

Consider the creation of the Super Innovative Power Tool, condensed into the timeline of a single day.

• 9 a.m. — With a basic idea in hand, the developing production team defines the tool's viability, which groups will find it useful, and what it will do.

• 10 a.m. — Armed with management approval, more research is done by the team: define the target market, understand the job site it will be used in, and evaluate the users' preferences and why they'd use it for that purpose.

• 11 a.m. — Focus groups and the development team figure out the specifics of the product, i.e., its application, how it's used, and any changes or modifications to the design; it is narrowed down to its target market.

• 12 p.m. — Lunchtime? Maybe for the basic team, but the engineering phase is in high gear, creating a prototype, sketch or model and sending it out into a limited field, where more constructive critiquing is requested.

• 1 p.m. — Having once again gained management approval to proceed, the development stage is begun. Hard drawings and models are circulated to potential suppliers for component parts, and a basic estimate, including part costs, where the parts are made, and the tool assembly location, are brought in to complete a spreadsheet on the tool's cost for the manufacturer and an approximate price for the end user. Also, the marketing machine is put into motion; flyers, promotional material and packaging are created.

• 2 p.m. — Drawings are released to vendors and suppliers, and the manufacturing assembly plant is ready to begin production.

• 3 p.m. — Engineers are looking at production samples, evaluating them for function, fit and finish. Any other modifications are made at this point. Packaging and bar coding are finalized for the distributors.

• 4 p.m. — Production samples are sent out, and the final quality audit is performed. The tool is produced and sent out to its distributors.

• 5 p.m. — Distributors train their sales staff, and the Super Innovative Power Tool is released into the industry.

"Currently, we have about three dozen new ideas in various stages," says Mandell. "Ideas from end users for new tools, from distributors for modifications and our own thoughts on more ergonomic designs, are all looked at from angles such as veteran experiences, practical uses and personal safety."

According to Mandell, most new power tools and modifications are made with four operator safety concerns topping the list: vacuum, for keeping a tool's environment clean; thermal insulated housing, for protecting the user from the tool's cold or hot temperatures; vibration, for reducing the vibration and its effects on the user; and mufflers and muffling systems, because hearing problems can develop in the end user from a loud environment.

While they seem only to handle the last portion of the "day," distributors work way into "overtime" with a new tool. Most depend on the manufacturers' marketing materials, but all require a thorough understanding of the new tool, a working knowledge of its uses, and, for a significant number, a training session for their sales staff from the manufacturing company.

"We do not stock or store a single tool unless everyone in the company, from administrative to sales, knows all about it," says Jim Beckstein, president of Mill Supplies, Inc. , a contractor tools, MRO, and industrial supplies distributor headquartered in Ft. Wayne, Ind. "We conduct an introductory session with the manufacturer covering the application and features, and have a room set aside for training, where the staff has a hands-on experience and demonstration with the tool. That they can say they have used the tool shows credibility to our customers."

It's been said that no one manufacturer makes the best tool for the best application. Knowing that, distributors want to know why this new tool is different from any other brand, so they can better sell to their customers.

"We rely a lot on the manufacturer to keep us updated on their new tools and modifications," says Mark Levac, vice president of Levac Supply , an industrial, mill and automotive distributor headquartered in Kingston, Ontario. "For a general-line distributor, it's hard to keep on top of all the new modifications, so we require regular staff meetings where the sales staff will talk with the manufacturer's representative about the tools."

Once a distributor knows the tool, he usually picks out a friendly, or even tough, customer to try it for some time. With that customer's working knowledge, the distributorship can better focus on the customer segment that would benefit most from the tool.

So many tools seem to be running their course that to some manufacturers and distributors, the only new tools are modifications to old tools. However, it's been said that 50 percent of the tools available in 2010 have not been developed yet. And most manufacturers and distributors would agree—if that included all the modifications from current tools, modifications ranging from new insulation housings to a longer cord.

"If you're including redesigns, line extensions and general updates, then I'd say, definitely, yes," says Smith. "But if you're asking about only breakthrough products, I would have to say not really."

Beckstein makes an example of the game of golf for his explanation. "They've created and developed everything they need for golf," he says. "At this point, they are redesigning the balls, and the clubs and all that, but are they adding anything significant to the game?

"Most 'new' products will come from existing products, using customer feedback to solve problems in the field…Think of the advent of cordless products as another good example."

If today's Super Innovative Power Tool is done and ready to go, what's on the agenda for tomorrow?

"The customer views any tool as something to perform a job, and that's it," says Beckstein. "Modifications and new tools are only good if they help relieve labor. If the tool is not doing its job, it has no value. If we can create a tool that does what a user needs it to do, we're successful."

Says Ham, "The cordless market has expanded, and will continue to expand a great deal. More tools will be produced with cordless options, and technology will improve the life and durability of the batteries."

Levac envisions continued improvement in ergonomics and technology. He says that companies will invest even more in research and development, and come up with more and different benefits to power tools, both new and existing.

Smith adds, "You can't plan for innovation. What you can do is get people focused on areas that need improvement and solutions, and that begins the creative thinking process. They feed off each other, and from there, the innovation grows."

It's all in a day's work.