
Metabo HPT and Metabo are “now under one roof.”
What does this mean?
A reader wrote in, asking about this.
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Matt wrote:
I received a marketing email today from Metabo HPT that I found interesting – not for the products being marketed (an SDS Max Roto Hammer and a stud and joist drill), but for the fact that they called out Metabo HPT and Metabo are “now under one roof” of Koki Holdings America Ltd”.
I searched online and found that Koki acquired Metabo in 2016 – do you know what has changed or why they are now promoting both the Metabo and the HPT branding being somewhat connected?
If only they could figure out the part people might really care about is if the batteries were compatible, especially with Metabo being in the CAS ecosystem.
First, some background.
Hitachi acquired Metabo in 2015. (Breaking Power Tool News: Hitachi Acquires Metabo!)
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KKR, a private equity firm, acquired Hitachi’s power tools division and Metabo in 2017. (Hitachi Power Tools and Metabo Bought by USA-Based KKR Private Equity Firm)
Hitachi Power Tools renamed itself as Metabo HPT in 2018. (Hitachi Power Tools is Now Metabo HPT). Outside of North America, the brand is known as HiKoki.
At the time, Metabo issued a statement that Metabo HPT’s name change doesn’t affect them. (Metabo: We’re Not Affected by Hitachi Power Tool’s Name Change to Metabo HPT – But is it True?)
Fast forward to 2024, and I have also seen ads and mentions that Metabo HPT and Metabo are “now under one roof.”
Additional captioning says that this means “more choices than ever,” and “together we’ve got you covered [with] residential, commercial & industrial [tools and solutions].”
Interestingly, the public newsletter was mailed by hikoki-powertools.de.
On the PR side of things, my Metabo contact sent me an alert about a Metabo HPT product, and added that they were working with my Metabo HPT contact. I’ve worked with both for a very long time.
I haven’t asked for clarity yet, but it seems that the “under one roof” part refers to the brands’ management.
After Hitachi acquired Metabo, the two brands remained distinct. That usually isn’t the case.
Consider Black & Decker’s merger to Stanley Works around 14 years ago. When I spoke with a brand manager on the Dewalt (Black & Decker) side of things a couple of months later, they told me the companies were still working out how to synergistically combine.
It seems that Metabo HPT and Metabo are now doing something similar, and are working towards being one company.
Metabo HPT and Metabo cordless power tool lines are NOT compatible, and I have not seen any indication that this is changing anytime soon.
Thus, in regard to cordless compatibility, it doesn’t look like anything has or will be changing.
Metabo HPT and Metabo now being under one roof is noteworthy, but it’s still unclear what benefits this might provide to end users.
It could mean that Metabo HPT’s corded and cordless power tool lines could more easily leverage Metabo tech and know-how, and vice-versa, but wouldn’t the same have been true all along?
Couldn’t it be said that both companies have been “under the roof” of Koki Holdings since 2015?
In digging deeper, Koki Holdings appointed new members to their executive team and board of directors in 2023.
The June 2023 announcement says:
Effective as of 1 June 2023, Prathab Deivanayagham has been appointed Global CEO. He joins Koki Holdings from HARMAN International, India where he was Country Head & Managing Director. Hiroshi Teraguchi, who formerly held the roles of Chief Executive Officer, Chief Financial Officer, and President of Koki Holdings, will remain as Chief Financial Officer. Bill Wyman has been appointed Chief Marketing Officer of the company.1 Bill joined from HARMAN, where he was Vice President of Integrated Marketing.
Additionally, Dinesh Paliwal, Partner at KKR, Executive Chairman Marelli Holdings Co., Ltd. , and Hisao Iijima, Managing Director at KKR Japan KK and Non-Executive Director, Marelli Holdings Co., Ltd., were appointed to the Board of Directors 2. Dinesh Paliwal will also assume the role of Executive Chairman, Koki Holdings.
Together, the executive team and Board of Directors of Koki Holdings is confident that as “One Koki,” this enhanced leadership team will help drive Koki’s value proposition for all stakeholders through providing world class products and brands.
- Bill Wyman joined Koki Holdings on May 1, 2023. All the other appointments are as of June 1, 2023.
- Under Japanese Company Law, Dinesh Paliwal and Hisao Iijima are non-executive directors of the company.
It’s interesting to note that some of the new board members come from KKR.
This part also stood out to me:
as “One Koki,” this enhanced leadership team will help drive Koki’s value proposition for all stakeholders through providing world class products and brands.
Metabo HPT and Metabo “under one roof” aligns with the goal of “One Koki.”
This seems like typical corporate-speak, and it doesn’t really indicate any changes or benefits for end users.
One thing I try to keep in mind is that not all marketing messages are aimed at end users.
In 2021, there were reports that KKR, the companies’ parent, was reportedly looking to sell Koki Holdings, the group containing both tool brands. Follow-up reports in 2022 said such efforts had stalled or been halted.
There haven’t been any additional reports since then, at least none that I have seen.
KKR could be striving to grow Metabo HPT and Metabo into bigger and broader power tool brands, or they could (still?) be aiming to sell the group to another party. These are not mutually exclusive goals.
Metabo HPT (and presumedly HiKoki internationally) and Metabo being “now under one roof” can hold potential benefits for end users. Until such benefits become apparent, I’m leaning towards seeing more corporate benefits, at the least with respect to management and marketing efficiencies.
They are both solid brands, and I haven’t seen them do anything but good things over the past few years. While I don’t see much reason for optimism – yet – I also don’t see any reasons to be pessimistic.
It’ll be interesting to see what comes out of the brands’ new and seemingly closer relationship.
Jared
I find that marketing message baffling in the context of two brands with incompatible batteries that already share the same name. It might well signal a new relationship between them, but the Metabo/Metabo HPT thing is already confusing – why emphasize a message that makes that confusion worse?
I know HPT and Metabo batteries aren’t compatible – but it’s the first thing I thought of when I read this news.
MM
Agreed 100%.
Vards Uzvards
On the picture above, it’s a *pneumatic* Hitachi nailer, and very possibly *corded* Metabo grinder. One can take advantage of both tools, even not being concerned with the battery compatibility.
Stuart
HPT is well-regarded and recognized for their air nailers, and Metabo for their angle grinders and metalworking tools.
Tim
A recent Metabo order was delivered straight from Koki holdings USA.
It came pretty quick as opposed to the normal wait I have.
That’s probably all it effects from the user end. Lol
Doug N
There are reviews on Amazon for Metabo (not HPT) batteries, saying “scam vendor…did not fit my tools…”. I’m sure this is an HPT/non-HPT thing.
I own both lines of tools, both are fantastic and underrated. But why deliberately confuse and/or deceive your customers? It makes no sense. Change one of the names for Pete’s sake.
Stuart
There’s a review on Amazon complaining that a Dewalt 12V Max battery didn’t fit their 20V Max polisher.
Regarding Hitachi becoming Metabo HPT, I think they thought leveraging the Metabo name would be better than going with HiKoki.
They had to change the name to avoid having to license it from Hitachi, and to escape being subject to all the rules and limitations that would have been involved with that.
Mike
This decision must have been made by people with little or no first hand buying experience in the US power tool market. Maybe they asked a few welders if they had a positive association with Metabo?
The geniuses in charge of the name change have reduced us to first saying an unrelated (other than ownership) brand’s name, then HPT. This would be confusing enough, but they’re both colored green! “Oh you mean german grinder Metabo, medium green Metabo? No, I’m talking about the old Hitachi, light green Metabo HPT”.
Maybe “Metabo” is a cooler name than “Hikoki” taking nothing else into account. I believe there was next to no name recognition with the Metabo name in the US at the time of the merger, apart from a few metal workers who probably didn’t even own any products. So they gained next to nothing compared with a new made up name (Hikoki). Sure, if you want to leverage the Metabo in Germany, but someone smarter or more experienced nixed that idiocy.
If Hikoki is too terrible a name for the US, maybe they could’ve picked a better one globally, maybe just HPT or HIT. I know they have a big brand presence in their home country, but they have a different alphabet, so branding around that seems silly. Combining the first two letters of a recognizable brand name (Hitachi) with the name a holding company no consumer cares about (Koki) seems dumb. Consumers outside NA figured it out though, since the tools and colors were the same and they already had a strong presence.
I think the name Hikoki is fine, they should’ve just made that the global brand name, and should probably just rip the band aid off and correct it. A Chinese proverb says the best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago, the next best time is today.
I have no idea if Hikoki is profitable, or if Metabo is profitable. I don’t have any Metabo tool experience.
Are you wondering if I mean Metabo HPT? I don’t, I mean dark green Metabo. I don’t really care about expensive formerly German companies whose performance is often solid but below the big boys, and who also often make their tools in China like everyone else.
I think Hikoki (HPT) is fantastic, though.
The multi voltage system and AC adapter system is brilliant. They have a wide enough range of carpentry and metal working tools. The quality, ergonomics and performance are great, and I don’t think anyone else bests their value. If they had and imported a wider range of OPE and things like stick vacs, I think they would be hard to beat… if consumers had knowledge of the brand.
Obviously there are lots of choices:
Milwaukee continuing to beat up their batteries on high draw tools by sticking to 18v means the top tool and battery combos are losing the value proposition.
Dewalt’s 60v system seems like a great alternative but those tools and batteries are expensive and maybe 60v sacrifices too much weight.
Makita keeps trying to outdo Festool with price increases, and missed an opportunity by not making XGT multi volt.
I don’t see how not going multi volt makes sense and Hikoki nailed it.
I guess if you’re going to screw something up I’d rather them botch a name, but they have virtually zero brick and mortar presence. Lowes is closeout for obsolete models (sometimes a great value though) and ordering their current models that are invariably out of stock is a joke. They won’t ship battery/charger and tool promo combos to your house, you must pick them up at the store where they’ll be reboxed and missing pieces. Maybe they’ll take your order over Black Friday and then when all the sales are off, they’ll cancel the order, like happened to a client I’d suggested buy through Lowes… never again.
Until they change their name or destroy the real Metabo (dark green) product line, Lowes stops trying so desperately to implode, or they get some other brand presence, Hikoki will keep losing out in the US, even though they have a superior product line.
Mike
Obviously they have great engineers and product development managers. Hopefully the new management from Harman will address their marketing failings and not mess up their product pipeline. I know “business is business”, and it’s all widgets, but really it’s not. What’s GE these days?
Maybe these new execs are serious DIY weekend warriors… I’ve never really been tempted to buy an overpriced tool battery powered radio, and haven’t tested the current Hikoki offerings. The market is flooded with cheap USB charged Bluetooth speakers with great sound and battery life. Hopefully this isn’t the niche they want to fill with these hires.
Steve C
Did you mention Milwaukee intentionally or was it an almost perfect fluke? Dewalt too?
In the neolithic early 1990s, Milwaukee was the MetaboHTP of their time, although with a much better name and more or less why Hikoki chose to rebrand.
Before TTI came along Milwaukee was the power tool division of AtlasCopco after they failed miserably to enter the North American market because they simply had the wrong name.
Atlas acquired Milwaukee, printed new stickers and changed the color of the box to red and here we are.
Red vs black packout is an ongoing debate but go look up pictures of the old mining equipment hi-vis yellow for some truly cursed stuff.
Dewalt? Well, Black & Decker Professional is also a bad name and had to be rebranded to something and they didn’t really use Dewalt for much anyway.
ELU was the brand B&D killed to turn into Dewalt and they mostly just changed the color meaning you can still get spare parts for your 40+ year-old ELU because they are 1:1 the same.
Seriously, go look at pictures of ELU mitre saws and tell me if they look familiar.
Chip
It is annoying for searching for Metab especially.
Multiple mixed listing for both,from stores that sell both.
I’ve discovered Beavertools only sells Metabo.
I have started calling hpt as “Hikoki” which usually works in global discussions.
Mr B
One change I noticed already is the metabo.com US website has a link to Metabo-HPT. Perhaps initially there will be some technology transfer. For example a Metabo G (Metabo Germany) impact driver with Metabo HPT triple hammer technology. Or a Metabo HPT like mains adapter for Metabo G.
Or Metabo HPT could get Metabo G impulse drive and kickback technology for their drills. Perhaps Metabo HPT drills will be modified to accept Metabo G flex chucks? Or even the unique Metabo G torque multiplier?
Lastly Metabo HPT could inherit the Metabo G Metabox stacking tool box systems. Just change the color and logos. Every manufacturer needs a storage system, right?
Michael F
They really missed a huge opportunity to just call HPT Hikoki in the US. This whole thing has been so confusing the average consumer since then I can’t imagine it hasn’t hurt their sales. Hikoki is a globally known and respected brand and I think they underestimated the US consumer in thinking we would disrespect the name.
Harrison
Agreed. Metabo HPT has got to be some of the worst branding ever. Hikoki would have been fine.
Jason
Always thought it was weird Fleet Farm (KKR owned giant distributor) doesn’t sell any Hitachi/Metabo tools.
Seems it would make sense to carry the power tool brand you own considering how much Dewalt/Milwaukee/Craftsman they sell
Hector
Perhaps this is referring to identical tools released by Metabo and Hikoki/Metabo HPT. E.g the plunge saw by Hikoki C3606DPA is identical to Metabo KT 18 LTX 66 BL, save the battery system used. The Metabo was released first (I believe).
Agree with others that the corporate positioning has been baffling at best. Best understood considering financial engineers – KKR – drive the decisions. Kind of like Boeing.
JR Ramos
Related note: Kroil and SuperLube are also under one roof now. I can’t recall the outfit that bought Kroil (Kana Labs)…maybe Gryphon? G-something…but that was a year or two ago. They just bought the SuperLube folks and are grouping them with Kroil. The investment company isn’t one that is tool or industrial related so I’m hoping for the best for each brand. Several people from Klein started running Kroil last year, ish, and I’m not sure I like their new direction but the products have remained the same thus far….hopefully the same for SuperLube going forward although their labeling might stand for some simplification/updating. Pricing went up a lot on Kroil (even on their mineral oil…geez) so it may be related to steady oil price increases but I don’t know that SuperLube should be affected similarly.
ole1d
I don’t understand why Hikoki/HPT doesn’t join the Metabox system. They are still using gen. 1 Systainers with four latches!
w00dy
Yes that would make sense, I’ve seen a HiKOKI Metabox somewhere. When I asked them about it they said it’s not clear if it’s coming, and if they will maar produce then than it’s not clear when that will happen. So fingers crossed!
Dan Henderson
Hikoki makes an excellent stacking system but for whatever reason it’s not rebadged HPT and sold to US customers. Note, all Hikoki products are easily accessible directly from Japan although plug in tools are not compatible with US voltage requirements.
John
First thing that comes to mind is how the group in the US is literally under one roof with development teams working together and sharing injection molds/designs. You can also see that Hikoki Japan has been releasing a lot more metal working tools recently. The other more ambitious idea that comes to mind is Metabo getting a 36v upgrade that will work with multivolt batteries, but also look a little different. I highly doubt they’d kneecap the CAS system like that, but it would make me happy at least lol.