Vendor Spotlight: Milwaukee Tool

AT A GLANCE

Since the company began in 1924, Milwaukee Tool has led the industry in developing innovative solutions that deliver increased productivity and unmatched durability for professional construction users. Whether it is through our world-leading M12™ and M18™ cordless systems, the ground-breaking performance of our M12 and M18 FUEL™ products, jobsite lighting, time-saving accessories, or innovative hand tool and storage products, we are dedicated to delivering a continuous flow of advanced, trade-specific solutions.

We invest the time to work side-by-side with real users to understand the demands of a constantly changing workplace and how we can best deliver solutions for a safer, more productive jobsite. Through a thorough evaluation of the job at hand – the frustrations, needs, and previous limitations – we set out to completely rethink a solution and deliver the game-changing innovation seen across all our product lines. Milwaukee Tool is not simply a manufacturer – we are progressive problem solvers.

“Every company says it has the best people in the world, but when you look at our story over the last decade, the proof of that is glaringly apparent. Our constant has been, and will always be, the passion, determination, and all-out obsession of our employees.”

Steve Richman
Group President of Milwaukee Tool

ONE TEAM, ONE FOCUS – THE USER

Each page of our story has been written by the hands of the people behind our doors – from our research and development teams to our robust sales and support teams. When the ink dries, their passion and talent is what truly has left the biggest mark. And it’s what continues to write our story.

At the turn of the millennium, Milwaukee Tool was best known for iconic products like the Sawzall®, and for legendary durability, but we had admittedly lost focus. We were dabbling in many different areas, trying to be a brand for everyone.

So, in 2005, when Techtronic Industries Co. (TTi) acquired Milwaukee®, we decided to go back to our roots and better focus on solving problems for those in the mechanical, electrical, and plumbing (MEP) trades.

“To introduce disruptive innovation to the industry, we first needed to reinvent ourselves. We had to evaluate how we looked at emerging technologies, manufacturing, engineering and our new product development process…how could we deliver innovative solutions that would make our users more productive, and how could we do it quickly.”

Steve Richman
Group President of Milwaukee Tool

With a renewed focus on the professional trades, we set out to provide “disruptive innovation.” Instead of making assumptions about what the user needs, our team set out to deliver this disruptive innovation by getting out on the jobsite, alongside professional trades, to understand the challenges they encounter from the time they wake up in the morning until the time they go to bed at night.

This mindset and unrelenting focus on the trades began our own internal “revolution” – a period that continues to this day and has enabled us to break away from what was expected of us as a “Electric Power Tool Manufacturer” to become progressive problem solvers across multiple tool and accessory categories.

POWERING A REVOLUTION THROUGH LITHIUM ION

Milwaukee Tool achieved a major step forward in the industry when we invented the technology that enabled the use of lithium-ion in power tools. It was an achievement that marked a turning point for every trade in the industry and spurred the question, “Are battery-powered tools the future of the jobsite?” At the time no one believed in this technology more than our team. We knew that the cordless jobsite wasn’t just a fad – it was the future.

SO, WE STARTED OUR JOURNEY.

We’re a manufacturer of solutions that lead to safer, more efficient jobsites. Our dedication is to you, our user. We will not be complacent. And we will not stop disruptively innovating to make you more productive.