We just received the following statement from Milwaukee:
MILWAUKEE, WI – Today, Milwaukee Tool announced the acquisition of the Empire Level business based in Mukwonago, Wisconsin.
Steeped in history dating back to 1919, Empire Level is a fully integrated solutions provider in the Layout and Measurement product categories. Empire is the leading US manufacturer of levels, squares, layout tools, and safety and utility tape.
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“From the invention of the Monovial*, to the introduction of the first Torpedo Level, Empire has a strong history of innovation. We share a passion for delivering best-in-class solutions for our users,” says Steve Richman, President of Milwaukee Tool. “We are extremely proud to expand our portfolio with Empire Level, and we are committed to driving disruptive innovation and accelerated growth within the business.”
*A Mono vial is a single bubble level vial.
While we already reported that Milwaukee Tool and Empire Level were in acquisition talks, the acquisition is now official.
An anonymous source has said that there is little incentive for Milwaukee to move Empire’s existing USA-based manufacturing facilities offshore.
Update: An official representative of Milwaukee Tool added the following:
I would just like to confirm that Empire will continue to proudly manufacture in the United States. The individual Milwaukee and Empire brands and product lines will remain separate as they cater to unique user groups.
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If you ask me, I think that the acquisition is going to be a good thing for both brands, and especially for users.
Joe
Another US company to the Chinese, Great
Stan
Agreed. Similar to Vise Grip and a vast majority of other brands (namely from Cooper) now is the time if you want an all American made Empire level or anything American made by Empire.
Techtronic Industries (TTI) is located in Hong Kong China and seeing how they have outsourced pretty much every brand they acquired, bluntly put Empire is doomed.
Sure the company with this source can claim there is little incentive to move production overseas, but I am sure that has been said countless instances in history. Pretty sure Irwin told all their employees the same words only to change their mind down the road.
What a shame, but thankfully at least for now Sands Levels and Johnson produces some (maybe all?) of their products in USA.
Insider
Guys… this is starting to sound like a running diatribe.
Just because the TTI is based in Hong Kong, doesn’t mean its a ‘Chinese’ company. Remember that Hong Kong was a British territory until 1997 and still remains an autonomous region from the PRC. In fact the founder, chairman and majority owner of TTI is a German national. And if you need any further reinforcement, TTI still maintains significant portions of its engineering, product development AND manufacturing in the US and developed countries such as Germany & Australia.
As for your comments, “they have outsourced pretty much every brand they acquired” and “Empire is doomed”… what facts do you have to base this on? I can assure you that both statements are utterly false and have no basis. Yes TTI has acquired many companies and/or brands during its history but many of these had been performing poorly at the point of acquisition and risked closure without takeover.
In future, I suggest you get your facts straight before posting statements like these.
Chris
Ok then, what facts do you have to dispute his claim? What brands does TTI own that make a majority of their tools in the US? I’d say roughly over 80% of Milwaukee’s tools are made in china along with ryobi which is probably 100% china made…
Hoover, dirt devil, homelite are no where near as good as they use to be…
Do any of those brands still build anything here?
Cenobio
👍🏾👍🏾👍🏾
Stuart
Stan, you make it sound like Empire had no choice in the acquisition, but it wouldn’t have gone through if their leadership didn’t think this would be a good decision.
It’s obvious that TTI wants Empire’s intellectual property, experience, and facilities. There’s no reason for them to move more of Empire’s production overseas; there’s more potential benefit for them to keep everything as it currently stands.
Chuck
Milwaukee’s corded drills, and circular saws were made in the USA before TTI, now they are all made in china.