Kobalt (tools)
{{short description|Brand of tools}}
{{Infobox brand
| logo = 200px
| name = Kobalt
| image =
| type = Hand and mechanics' tools, power tools, and tool storage
| currentowner = Lowe's Companies, Inc.
| origin = United States
| introduced = {{start date and age|1998}}
| discontinued =
| related =
| markets =United States, Mexico, Canada
| previousowners =
| trademarkregistrations =
| website = [http://www.kobalttools.com/ www.kobalttools.com]
}}
Kobalt is a line of hand and mechanics' tools, power tools, and tool storage products owned by the American home improvement chain Lowe's. It is the house brand for both Lowe's in North America and their joint venture with the now defunct Masters Home Improvement in Australia.
History
Lowe's and manufacturing partner J.H. Williams launched Kobalt in 1998,{{cite web|work=PR Newswire|title=Lowe's Announces Joint Venture with Snap-on's J.H. Williams Division.|url=http://www.thefreelibrary.com/Lowe's+Announces+Joint+Venture+with+Snap-on's+J.H.+Williams+Division.-a053178290|date=1998-11-05|access-date=2010-02-22}}{{Dead link|date=April 2024 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} with the intention of competing against rival retailers Sears and The Home Depot and their respective Craftsman and Husky tool brands.{{cite web|last=Groeller|first=Greg|work=Tribune Business News|title=Columbus, Ga., Firm Supplies New Line of Tools for Lowe's Home Centers.|url=http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-53235683.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121103043831/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-53235683.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=2012-11-03|date=2010-11-17|access-date=2010-02-22}}
In 2003, the Danaher Corporation began producing the majority of Kobalt hand tools.{{cite web|last=Blair |first=John T. |work=SOL's Morgan Web |title=Who Makes What Tools |url=http://www.team.net/www/morgan/tech/Kobalt.html |date=2003-02-10 |access-date=2010-04-06 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101111024242/http://www.team.net/www/morgan/tech/Kobalt.html |archive-date=2010-11-11 }}{{cite news|last=Knight|first=Jerry|newspaper=The Washington Post|title=Danaher Thrives on Discipline|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/01/29/AR2006012900521_pf.html|date=2006-01-30|access-date=2010-02-22|archive-date=2011-06-04|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110604174752/http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/01/29/AR2006012900521_pf.html|url-status=live}}
In 2011, Lowe's ended its arrangement with Danaher and switched to a different supplier for its mechanic's hand tools,{{cite web|last=Deutsch|first=Stuart|work=ToolGuyd|title=New Kobalt Tools at Lowes (Imports)|url=http://toolguyd.com/new-kobalt-tools-at-lowes-imports/|date=2011-08-10|access-date=2014-03-11|archive-date=2014-03-11|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140311092454/http://toolguyd.com/new-kobalt-tools-at-lowes-imports/|url-status=live}} JS Products of Las Vegas, Nevada.{{cite journal|last1=Tafoya|first1=Dan|last2=Rodriguez|first2=Tom|journal=Comunicación|publisher=Las Vegas Latin Chamber of Commerce|title=JS Products Inc. is a true American success story|url=http://www.lvlcc.com/newsletter/pdfs/0019.pdf|page=15|date=Spring 2012|access-date=2014-03-11|archive-date=2012-11-19|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121119154201/http://www.lvlcc.com/newsletter/pdfs/0019.pdf|url-status=dead}} Screwdrivers continue to be supplied by Great Neck.{{cite web|last=Deutsch|first=Stuart|work=ToolGuyd|title=New Kobalt Screwdrivers are Made in the USA|url=http://toolguyd.com/kobalt-screwdrivers-2014/|date=2014-05-08|access-date=2014-05-10|archive-date=2014-05-12|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140512070413/http://toolguyd.com/kobalt-screwdrivers-2014/|url-status=live}} The same year, the Kobalt line expanded to include cordless power tools,{{cite web|last=Deutsch|first=Stuart|work=ToolGuyd|title="New" Kobalt 20V Cordless Power Tools|url=http://toolguyd.com/lowes-kobalt-cordless-power-tools-18v-nicad-lithium-ion/|date=2011-08-27|access-date=2014-03-11|archive-date=2014-03-11|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140311093259/http://toolguyd.com/lowes-kobalt-cordless-power-tools-18v-nicad-lithium-ion/|url-status=live}} manufactured by Chervon.{{cite web|last=Deutsch|first=Stuart|work=ToolGuyd|title=Lowes' Kobalt Cordless Power Tools – 18V NiCad & Lithium-Ion|url=http://toolguyd.com/kobalt-20v-cordless-power-tools/|date=2013-06-23|access-date=2014-03-11|archive-date=2014-03-11|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140311105832/http://toolguyd.com/kobalt-20v-cordless-power-tools/|url-status=live}} The current (2020) miter saws are manufactured by Rexon Industrial Corp. Taiwan. In 2019 Lowe's announced that they will launch the Kobalt XTR power tools .
Budget brands
Image:Blue Hawk tools logo.png
Lowe's has two brands of tools and supplies positioned below Kobalt in quality and cost: Project Source and the more recent Blue Hawk, introduced in 2009.{{cite web|last=Durham|first=Christopher|work=My Private Brand|title=Fifty2, The MPB Project: Lowe's Home Improvement, Blue Hawk|url=http://mypbrand.com/2013/08/01/fifty2-the-mpb-project-lowes-home-improvement-blue-hawk/|date=2013-08-01|access-date=2014-02-28|archive-date=2014-02-25|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140225173739/http://mypbrand.com/2013/08/01/fifty2-the-mpb-project-lowes-home-improvement-blue-hawk/|url-status=live}}
Gallery
File:Kobalt wrenches.jpg|An assortment of Kobalt combination wrenches, manufactured by Danaher.
File:Kobalt lineman's pliers.jpg|A pair of Kobalt lineman's pliers.
File:Kobalt utility knife.jpg|A Kobalt utility knife.
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{official website|http://www.kobalttools.com/}}
{{Tool manufacturers}}