Black & Decker Power Tools

In 1910, a small machine shop was opened in Baltimore, MD by S. Duncan Black and Alonzo G. Decker and seven years later, they obtained a patent for a hand-held drill that combined a pistol grip with a trigger and came to be known as a portable drill.  It was the harbinger of things to come where the future of power tools was concerned.  Thus begins the story of Black & Decker power tools.  The corporation is now based in Towson, MD where they manufacture and market the following product lines:

• hardware and home improvement products
• power tools and accessories
• technology based fastening systems

From its early humble beginnings, the Black & Decker Corporation is now a global manufacturing entity and for all practical purposes was the precedent for the power tool industry.  They have been the pre-eminent industry leader and for nearly 100 years now, they have been the model of concept, design, and innovation that continues to set the industry standards for the three groups of products listed above.

Currently, the Black & Decker line of products and services are being marketed in over 100 countries as well as having manufacturing facilities and operations in 11 countries.  Their reputation is based in large part on five principles:

• design
• end-user focus
• product innovation
• quality
• value

Their new product development capabilities have achieved worldwide recognition and their global distribution concept us unsurpassed in the industry.  As a result, the Black & Decker name is one of the strongest brand names in the power tool industry today.

In recent years, Black & Decker has made some major marketing moves in order to gain even more market share, such as designing smaller and sleeker hand power tools for the female audience of the DIY sector.  Additionally, they have emerged as a major player in four other markets --- automotive, electronics, garden tools, and home products.

Of particular interest are the Black & Decker VPX interchangeable battery tools.  The kit comes with batteries (2), charging station, drill driver, flashlight, hand vacuum, and a power screwdriver.  The way the system works is that the tools are all designed to operate using the same battery.  Some of them require only one of the batteries while others require both.  The interchangeability is the key selling factor in that it allows the user to perform a variety of tasks simply by pulling the battery away from one tool and inserting it into the next.

Additionally, the packaging is well-designed, also in that it is attractive yet very sturdy so that the contents are well protected.  An oval-shaped canister with glossy graphics, instead of the standard boring rectangular boxes, is what gives the packaging some great eye appeal.  When this is wrapped up as a gift, the person it is intended for will have no idea that there is a package of power tools inside.  Black & Decker has proven once again that innovation is the key to success when it comes to power tools.